Help a noob to find the right crankset!

pashlit
pashlit Posts: 14
edited March 2013 in Road beginners
Hello folks,
I am new to road cycling. Just picked up a bike and is in process of getting it into right fit for me. The bike came with 175mm FSA cranks, Shimano 2300 8/2 speed. I need 170mm, but I am so confused with all those different brands. I know which Shimano cranks are compatible with my 2300 8/2 speed setup. Its easy to find from Shimano's chart. But I have no idea about other brands, like SRAM, FSA and many others. I just need an inexpensive set of cranks for my current setup before I decide to upgrade to 105/Ultegra or may be SRAM. My eyes are burning from searching the Internet, so if you could give me a quick advice about fitment of different cranks It will be helpful. Sorry for such a noobish question but I just dont want to buy a set of cranks and find out that my chain is too narrow or too thick for them or I need different bottom bracket. What are the major parameters/numbers of cranks I should look at? I am a bit lost with all those doubles, triples, indexes, spacers, itc. 8)
If there are some kind of charts showing various cranks in comparison with Shimano stuff it will also be great.

Thanks a lot.

Comments

  • timbooth
    timbooth Posts: 160
    If it's just the length, you don't need new cranks - the difference between 170 and 175mm in the real world is negligible - it's like the difference between thick and thin socks. If you were a pro, I'd say look at the detail, but as you are new to cycling, there are more important things to worry about/spend money on, than new cranks.
  • pashlit
    pashlit Posts: 14
    TimBooth wrote:
    If it's just the length, you don't need new cranks - the difference between 170 and 175mm in the real world is negligible - it's like the difference between thick and thin socks. If you were a pro, I'd say look at the detail, but as you are new to cycling, there are more important things to worry about/spend money on, than new cranks.
    I am about 31'' inseam, so I need 170mm cranks I guess. I just dont want to cause pain to my knees. I am not knew to cycling but new to racing. I like riding hard and beat speeds and distances, so its a hobby and passion at the same time. Eventually I plan to participate in local runs/races. Not really willing to throw big bucks on overprices components as of now, but would like to get the best fit possible. Thanks.
  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    I ride a 172.5 on my road and a 175 on my TT bike and I cannot tell the difference in crank lengths and personally have no pain with either. As Tim wrote you will be unable to tell the difference and Adrian Timmis the bike fitter told me when fitting me, trials with Pros reveiled no significant changes in performance or physical effects across a range of crank sizes.

    I would recommend to run what you have into the ground and them replace. Without sounding too derogatory about your new purchase with an 8 speed set up with shimano 2300, the crank length I would say is the least of your worries.
  • pashlit
    pashlit Posts: 14
    Sandyballs wrote:
    I ride a 172.5 on my road and a 175 on my TT bike and I cannot tell the difference in crank lengths and personally have no pain with either. As Tim wrote you will be unable to tell the difference and Adrian Timmis the bike fitter told me when fitting me, trials with Pros reveiled no significant changes in performance or physical effects across a range of crank sizes.

    I would recommend to run what you have into the ground and them replace. Without sounding too derogatory about your new purchase with an 8 speed set up with shimano 2300, the crank length I would say is the least of your worries.
    OK, thanks for the input. I ll stick with 175 for now. Shimano 2300 actually works really well on that Cannondale I bought. For the price I paid I cant complain. The bike is tuned and runs good. I already have some Ultegra stuff laying around, so once I put some miles on that bike I might think about going to higher tier. But right now I am pretty happy. I read so many controversial info about crank sizes and how critical it is, that it led me to wrong direction I guess. Will see.
  • sandyballs
    sandyballs Posts: 577
    Thanks for not taking the hump with my comments. We all have our budgets. To note I run Tiagra 10 speed on the TT, it only comes in 165,170 & 175 crank lengths, so Shimano cannot think that 2.5 makes that much a difference to its users. I run it with ultegra mechs and its really smooth, would recommend the Tiagra crank it's half the price of 105 and quarter of the price of ultegra with no real performance difference.

    To add with horror stories on the web, I had back surgery a while back (no pun) and all you will find on the net is horrors, the 95% that go smoothly just don't post on the net. It's the old story of bad news travels fast.

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