Should I Get Shorter Cranks?

[travelinscout]

I ride a Canyon Strive ON, which is known for a low BB and pedal strikes. Stock cranks are 165.
I am contemplating going down to 155.
What are people's experiences with this length?
Any drawbacks?
Thanks!

 

[travelinscout]

I've been riding now for about a week on my shorter cranks. I got the Hope 155 Ebike units and all I can say is that I should have done it day 1. Bike feels much more responsive, climbs better and much more stable for me. I did not have to make any other adjustments to seat height or anything else. If you are on the fence about doing this, go for it!

 

[irie]

We switched from 165 to 155 cranks earlier this year. Far less pedal strikes. No downsides.

 

[cozzy]

I hated how 155mm felt and went back to 165mm. Worth trying if possible before buying.

 

[levity]

We switched from 165 to 155 cranks earlier this year. Far less pedal strikes. No downsides.

Yep, mrs levity and I did the same last year with the same results

 

[Husky430]

I ride a Canyon Strive ON, which is known for a low BB and pedal strikes. Stock cranks are 165.
I am contemplating going down to 155.
What are people's experiences with this length?
Any drawbacks?
Thanks!

155 is the sweet spot I reckon, it's a no brainer

 

[Brian VT USA]

I went to 152 (different bike) and barely noticed a difference except for less pedal strikes.

 

[ipe]

I've got short legs (30" inseam) so I've never been fond of long cranks. I put 155mm 5Dev on my Rise and absolutely love them. Pedal strikes have essentially disappeared and I am seeing no downsides.
I'm planning on a Rise LT for next year and that bike will either get these 5Devs transplanted or it'll get new 155mm cranks from someone else. Either way, I'm a short crank arm believer

 

[Polar]

I've got short legs (30" inseam) so I've never been fond of long cranks. I put 155mm 5Dev on my Rise and absolutely love them. Pedal strikes have essentially disappeared and I am seeing no downsides.
I'm planning on a Rise LT for next year and that bike will either get these 5Devs transplanted or it'll get new 155mm cranks from someone else. Either way, I'm a short crank arm believer

I got the same but there is a downside - price

 

[Plummet]

The downside is less leverage and more suck with motor off or above motor cut out pedalling
The positive side is less broken ankles with low bb bikes!....
You could always go a 160mm. 155 is getting pretty dainty.....

Weight up broken ankles v more pedal suckage and the answer will reveal its self to you.

 

[irie]

The downside is less leverage and more suck with motor off or above motor cut out pedalling
The positive side is less broken ankles with low bb bikes!....
You could always go a 160mm. 155 is getting pretty dainty.....

Weight up broken ankles v more pedal suckage and the answer will reveal its self to you.

Maybe too dainty for a rufty tufty bijou eMTBer like you Plummet, but probably not for the majority of hoi poloi eMTBers here.

 

[Zed.]

The positive side is less broken ankles with low bb bikes!....

Erm, about that

Riich. (busted heel & off bike / work for the last 3 weeks)

 

[Rando_12345]

Been dealing with concusion symptoms for 4 months after pedal strike back in may broke my 3rd set of 150mm cranks (Giant reign e+ BB is way too low).

Just fitted a 140mm baby sized crank, feels a bit weird pedalling up, but fine downhill. I'll probably run 155mm cranks on my next bike no matter how high the BB (aiming for 355mm like Orbea, rather than 330mm in High mode like Giant)

 

[Cell4soul]

Been riding 155 cranks for 2 years, won’t ever go longer again.

 

[Plummet]

Maybe too dainty for a rufty tufty bijou eMTBer like you Plummet, but probably not for the majority of hoi poloi eMTBers here.

It's all a trade off. If you want to push faster than motor assistance the shorter cranks will be worse.

I don't want to go below 160mm. With that said I'm on a high bb e bike.

I have 170mm on my mtb which is low bb. Riding needs to be adjusted to suit.

 

[Plummet]

Been dealing with concusion symptoms for 4 months after pedal strike back in may broke my 3rd set of 150mm cranks (Giant reign e+ BB is way too low).

Just fitted a 140mm baby sized crank, feels a bit weird pedalling up, but fine downhill. I'll probably run 155mm cranks on my next bike no matter how high the BB (aiming for 355mm like Orbea, rather than 330mm in High mode like Giant)

Ouch. You probably need to also consider a pedaling technique change if you are destroying 150mm cranks even on a low bb bike.

 

[Mikerb]

rider position on the bike and shock set up possibly have more impact on BB height/pedal clearance that the 10mm gained from going 165mm to 155mm?

 

[Ark]

just sand 10m off the bottom of your shoes or drag your feet until the patern is gone

 

[Mikerb]

I changed from 165 to 155 on a bike I used to have. By the time I did that I had learnt to avoid pedal strikes but wanted to reduce how much the low bb restricted my flow. There were 2 things things I noticed most with the shorter cranks. Firstly they made it possible to continue full pedal strokes where otherwise I would have been restricted to half strokes......and that was what I was hoping would be the benefit. The other difference was how much easier it was to accelerate the bike from a standstill or near standstill and that was rely noticeable on steep techy climbs.

 

[EMTBSEAN]

I’m far from being an expert Emtb’r but since I fitted my Hope 155mm cranks I’ve found my riding has improved no end, much less pedal strikes has meant more confidence in my riding and from a personal perspective I’ve felt no difference between the two different lengths with regards to pedalling effort, for me it’s been a no brainier

 

[Bndit]

I had 155mm cranks on Levo and you can really feel the difference in many ways:

You have to move your saddle higher to compensate shorter cranks. Your riding position changes because you stand higher and sit higher. You have to pedal faster which isn't big problem on emtb because you should anyway pedal 70-90 cadence to get most out of your motor. Riding technical traill with roots and rocks you'll get less pedal strikes.

People are moving stronly to shorter cranks on acustic bikes and emtb's it's no brainer if you have low bb and lot's of pedal strikes.

Bullit came with 165mm cranks and I don't have any issues with pedal strikes so I stick with them because I don't want to raise my seat...

 

[luna87824]

Why do people keep buying bikes with way to low bottom brackets?

 

[EMTBSEAN]

Why do people keep buying bikes with way to low bottom brackets?

Stability pal

 

[dirtdinner]

Why do people keep buying bikes with way to low bottom brackets?

Low bottom bracket bikes feel sooooo much better to carve. Just need to adjust pedal action through obstacles