On 21 Aug, 13:13, Garth <garth...@gmail.com> wrote: > In regards to longer cranks, there's a lot of unfounded fear and mis- > information that gets spread . Longer cranks don't hurt your knees,
Yes they do, 170mm cranks give me trouble after about 120miles on a single ride or after about 70miles on a subsequent day. After two or three days of provoking knee pain, I find it best not to start riding. With 165mm cranks I have no trouble at all and am able to actually move my saddle around a bit without it affecting my knees. My bike with 170mm cranks is precisely set up, any variation will result in an efficiency loss due to operating my legs outside their natural range. The position was initially set up on a turbo trainer after a couple of years of indifference on the bike. A 1/4" variation in position has similarly negative effects in whatever direction the variation is made. With 165mm efficiency is still as good and does not deteriorate with 1/4" and more variation of the saddle position. Plus I can cycle until I fall asleep without experiencing leg pains. By today's fashion, I should be on 172mm, no chance. (33-34" leg, UK 9.5 shoe) For a 36" leg wearing size 14's though I think 185mm probably undersize. There is another point to me using 165mm cranks, out of the saddle climbing is much easier, as is the occasional sprinting because there is no bobbing around and my position to the bars is natural. The 'net page you refer to goes on about gearing affecting knees, yes it does and I have been a proponent of using what are generally considered low gears for many years. My top cadence exceeds 200rpm at any particular time (165 or 170mm) and I will a;ways use cadence in preference to gearing-up to accelerate or climb. So despite dialling- in my position accurately and despite using low gears consistently, I still encounter knee pain with the longer cranks on longer rides. It does not occur when I use cranks 5mm shorter even in the midsts of winter. > or slow your cadence, or ruin your pedal motion. Resistance domes from > fear of change.... fear of the unknown. We all experience it. I don't have those fears, I've tried the alternatives. > > There's 3 groups about longer cranks. Those that have tried them and > found them invaluable. Those that try them and didn't like them. Those > that talk about them but never tried them. I USE two different length cranks, I cannot use the longer cranks for longer rides or for reasonable mileage over consequtive days. 170mm was OK for me to race on, but not for distance training or for touring. > > I refer to this ....http://www.nettally.com/palmk/crwives.html It makes many an assumption. It does not impress. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
