Shorter Cranks and Narrower Bars? A Bike Fitter's Advice on Both.

// Key topics in this episode:
00:00 - Intro
02:42 - Why shorter cranks and narrower bars?
04:36 - Determining the right road, gravel, MTB handlebar width
07:07 - Recommendations for amateur and time-crunched cyclists
13:15 - What is crank length and why it matters
15:07 - Benefits of shorter cranks
24:00 - Should cranks on all your bikes be the same length?
28:03 - Bonus: How do you choose a good saddle?
// GUEST
Renee Eastman is a CTS Premier Level Coach and has been coaching with the company for more than 20 years. She has been a professional bike fitter for 15 years and was one of the first fitters to use the Retül bike fit system. She has a master's degree in exercise science, has worked for USA Cycling, and is a 6-time Masters National Champion.
// LINKS
Renee Eastman bio: trainright.com/coaches/renee-...
Instagram: renee.eastm...
// HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more than 13 years and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.
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[@brianwalworth6016]

I'm not a mechanic/fitter or anything but for the past couple of years a few dozen friends have had me work on their bikes. On just about every SM/XS bike I’ve seen that was purchased in the few years have all had 172.5 cranks on them. I think it was a supply chain thing where vendors were putting on whatever groupset they could get their hands on. I've changed a few to 165 and the rides were much happier.

[@DustyMoth.]

I’m 6ft just moved to 165mm cranks. Best decision ever better power transfer, smoother pedal stroke and just over all more comfortable for me.

[@xuchenglin6256]

I think the thing is for smooth paved road you don't need that much handle bar width. I went 38 unintentionally before all this trend even came up, to fit my wife's narrow shoulder, and that's on our "twitchy" 20 inch "road folding bike" (bike is as fast as my 700c bike, agressive setup, no speed difference before 40kph). I even set some downhill PB on it totally unintentional, which even to me feels like unbelievable. Only now I start to realize that might be the aero effects of the narrow bar. You get used to it fairly quick and it soon became unnoticeable.
On the road especially on the fast descent, you barely turn your handlebar to make a turn. Just like driving a car on a highway, the faster you go, the less you need to turn the steering wheel. So what's the wide bar is for? The off-road is another story. But for road the current standard 42cm is just too wide. Now every time when I get off from my clip-on aero bar to the hoods on my road bike, I feel I was almost on a MTB... BTW on the road you should really make the turn using your weight, you bike will just follow, no hard turn initiated from your hand is needed. I can ride almost exclusively in the aero bar position it's only that it doesn't have a brake. Of courser I'm just a poor boy on my cheap bike with a cheap aero bar, you guys with $$$$$ tri bikes may behave completely different but who knows. It's always the people.

[@toddmcdonough]

I have 160mm on a road bike and 165mm on my all road Surly originally 172.5. Took me about a month or two for it not to feel weird but I would never go back. I can use the drops for long periods w/o feeling compressed, even after raising my saddle for fit. Really can't notice the change in leverage.

[@steveprice9737]

1990s mtb.... sawing bars down to stumps... haha, yeah. Narrow road bars aren't really a big issue, after all we race cx on 42cm bars happily, 36 on road shouldn't be a big problem. Over thinking it is not helpful, start off with shoulder width, reducing until your elbows start sticking out. Mine are 36 and can still comfortably get elbows tucked in. In the UK we have road bike tt events so narrow bars are common, puppy paws gets you dq'd.
Short cranks , deffo, used to ride 155mm, looking to get some more. 170 are way too long for me at 5'8

[@carlcole9026]

I would think longer cranks for mountain bikes might be a better fit for more Torgue at slow steep climbs and better traction control??? I run short cranks on the road, I like the higher cadence on the road.

[@CTS_TrainRight]

Pinkbike published a nice literature review on this. www.pinkbike.com/news/why-shorter-cranks-are-better-according-to-science.html Basically, the muscles adapt and rider behavior adapts such that metabolic cost and power output are minimally affected by moderate changes in crank length (155 - 175mm range). On MTB specifically, a slightly shorter crank may better accommodate a rider's pedal stroke over top dead center and allow for faster pedal speed for short bursts of power.

[@gregmorrison7320]

I run 165mm cranks on my MTB, just the same as my road and gravel bikes, another benefit is the increased ground clearance.

[@iancarson8614]

now running 150mm on the road. game changer

[@seahorserider33]

Interesting. Why did you go for 150mm? Any issues before? And may I ask how tall you are?

[@kimwarner6050]

Waiting for my 150's to come. I've been running 155 for about 6 months. Before that I was using 160. Honestly I'm thinking of buying 130 b/c I found a carbon set

[@user-wn1wv1uy5y]

I'm 5'4'' and ride a Cannondale XS frame gravel bike. How is the recommended crank length for this bike?

[@seahorserider33]

Hello doggos 20:27 :D

[@evdb7246]

gross. "collab"