I’m a total neophyte here and have bit the bullet and picked up another Hardtail (after ditching an oversized C’dale HT a couple years ago)…
Anyhow, the new ride may need another crankset…
What are the ideas around crank length in mtb applications?
Longer vs. shorter, etc. I thought there might have been some different “rules” around crank length for folks riding a mtb.
On the road I’m riding 172.5 crank, inseam of about 32in… 5’11…
We’re about the same size and I have 172.5 on my road and tri bikes. IIRC, both of my mtb’s have 175. One is a hardtail and the other FS.
I didn’t change the cranks, this is how they came. So, possibly the mfr thinks that longer cranks on an mtb for a given frame size is better.
Yes, the generalization is longer on a MTN bike, shorter on a tri bike. Of course, longer or shorter than what (i.e. your preferred road crank length) is the million dollar question.
I am 5’8
Tri Bike 172.5
Mtn Bike 175.00
SS Road bike 170.00
JG
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Yes, the generalization is longer on a MTN bike, shorter on a tri bike. Of course, longer or shorter than what (i.e. your preferred road crank length) is the million dollar question.
175 mm seems to be very common on mtn bikes, regardless of frame size. Finding other lengths is a challenge. It seems that folks don’t think that crank size matters that much. Zinn says in one of his books that the logic for longer cranks has something to do with extra leverage on technical courses for getting over obstacles, etc (although that would also translate into less clearance). It does not make any sense to me that the appropriate crank length should be as independent of rider or frame size as it appears to be based on what is sold. I know I can buy whatever if I make a custom purchase, but nobody seems to play with this much.
Personally, I like the same crank length on my mtn bike as my road bike, and for the same reason - that’s what works best for making the bike move without hurting my knees!