175mm to 172.5mm cranks?

Tank-slapper
Tank-slapper Posts: 968
edited April 2011 in MTB general
I am thinking about buying some new cranks and have seen a good deal on a set of 172.5mm. My current set is 175mm. Would the difference be noticeable? Just 5mm circular? I don't want to splash out only to put them on Ebay a few weeks later.

While looking around for deals, I put my stats into some crank length calculators. Most say I should be using 190mm! So, hopefully you can understand my reluctance to go shorter than 175mm.

If anyone has any experience of changing crank lengths, your advice would be most welcome.

Thanks.

Comments

  • Johnny Napalm
    Johnny Napalm Posts: 1,458
    I have both 170mm and 175mm, and the difference is negligible.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Marin
    SS Inbred
    Mongoose Teocali Super
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    If you didnt KNOW they were different you never would guess.
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    lol... 190mm would be hitting every rock on the trail!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • paul20v
    paul20v Posts: 267
    ive just gone from 175mm to 170mm and i notice no difference at all
    i lied there was a difference i lifted the seat 5mm :)
  • Tank-slapper
    Tank-slapper Posts: 968
    Thank you for the replies.

    Just out of interest, are you chaps as tall as me - 6'1"?
  • Johnny Napalm
    Johnny Napalm Posts: 1,458
    edited April 2011
    Just out of interest, are you chaps as tall as me - 6'1"?

    Yes, if you're sat down. :lol:

    I'm only 5' 6", but I don't really notice any difference.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Marin
    SS Inbred
    Mongoose Teocali Super
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    i use 165 170 and 175.

    and the XC bike gets the 175s the DH the 170. and the 165 i forget.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • bennett_346
    bennett_346 Posts: 5,029
    I'm about 5'10" and im using 175.
  • V5ade
    V5ade Posts: 192
    I went from 175 to 170 on my Stumpy, honestly can't say I noticed a change.
    Somewhere in the Surrey Hills :-)
  • NatoED
    NatoED Posts: 480
    I'm 6ft dead 175mm but i've ridden 170mm felt ok . Aerozine do cranks that can be 165 / 170/ 175mm with the adaptors in them they are about £230
  • Slack
    Slack Posts: 326
    At your height I would be inclined to stick with 175's! That said, depends on your technique - i.e. do you have a high cadence or tend to mash higher gears.

    Shorter crank will help you spin with less dead spot, but you might have less torque due to less leverage.

    I have 175 on mtb and 170 on road - I feel the difference, in that the road bike is smoother to pedal and the mtb feels like it has dead spot at the top, although there is more leverage. I'm 5 8 and 175 is probably a bit too long for me.

    As others have commented, they don't feel any different - so you might feel it, you might not.
    Plymouthsteve for councillor!!

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