I’m 5’8" with 30" inseam. Currently on 172.5 cranks. FTP is 265. I’ve been reading thru the archives and it sound like 165s would be a better choice for my shortness and lack of FTPness. Thoughts??
Thanks,
Mark
Being a triathlete, I am too lazy to search the archives to read up on the connection between FTP and crank length. 
What’s the connection? I thought the benefit of going from say 172.5’s to 165.0 was that you could raise your seat by 7.5mm, leave your cockpit alone, and voila - not only would you be lower in front, but you’d also have a more open hip angle at TDC. Wouldn’t that benefit anyone who feels cramped at TDC, regardless of FTP?
I’m 5’9" with a 30" inseam and I just tried 165mm cranks today and I liked them a lot.
FWIW I raised my seat and my bars.
I might even try 160’s if I can find them.
I’m 5’9" with a 30" inseam and I just tried 165mm cranks today and I liked them a lot.
FWIW I raised my seat and my bars.
I might even try 160’s if I can find them.
Why did you raise your bars?
I just wanted to be a little more comfortable. I’m going to bring it down a notch for my ride tomarrow. I actually felt like I was a little too low anyway. I will let you know how it goes.
it doesn’t seem to me that you have a lack of FTPness, depending on your weight. if you’re 5’8" and 200lb, that’s one thing, but if you’re 5’8" and 145lb that FTP doesn’t seem so small to me. but whether you do or don’t generate a lot of power, i think your crank length is a function of morphology, and, probably 165 or 167.5 seems, not knowing anything else about you, a more reasonable crank length choice.
i think a lot is yet to be learned about proper crank lengths for timed racing. it could be that your best crank length is 155, or 145, i don’t know. but it’s probably more likely that 165 is better for you than 172.5. i would guess you’re a candidate.
I just wanted to be a little more comfortable. I’m going to bring it down a notch for my ride tomarrow. I actually felt like I was a little too low anyway. I will let you know how it goes.
shortening your crank, raising your seat, and keeping your bars the same does effectively “raise them” because it moves the leg away from the chest at TDC. So, if you were too low you might be able to bring the bars back to where they were and still be ok. Depends upon how “too low” you were I guess.
Thanks, I will give it a shot tomarrow and let you know how it comes out.
Awesome. Thanks!! I’m 160lbs. I’m on a 51 P2c and I have a few spacers and a slightly up-turned stem. After reading your article “The Final Slice”, I’m trying to address some ‘function killers’. If I’m understanding the the fit impact of shorter cranks correctly, I should be able to knock out a spacer or two and maintain an appropriate hip angle after going with 165 cranks… correct?
i can’t really speak to your question, except to say this: if you want to keep your hip angle constant, then, on paper, you should be able to lower your aerobars in exactly the same amount that you shorten your cranks. so, if you go from 170mm to 165mm in crank length, you should be able to take a 5mm spacer out from under your stem.