jenxxs
09-14-2006, 08:02 AM
Hi all,
At the moment, I'm obsessively searching for supershort cranks (<165), to replace the 170s that stupidly came with my new road bike. (It was a store demo of a custom frame, so got some leftover/slightly used parts.) I'm very petite - 5' on a good day - and so I have to get those 170s off ASAP.
But since I have to shop for a new crankset, I'm determined to find something shorter than 165, since I know that my ideal length is actually quite a bit shorter. Like around 150!
Anyway, I thought I'd share the results of my search so far, in case anyone out there also was interested in trying something smaller than 165.
1) If I had more $$$ to spend, there's a semi-obscure French brand called TA that has production sizes down to 150. Unfortunately, that comes out to $400+ when you include the bottom bracket, and I don't have nearly that kind of budget right now for this replacement.
2) There are some really ugly BMX cranks that go down to 140, but I'm totally unwilling to put something like that on my new bike.
3) I found an interesting builder in MN (bikesmithdesign.com) who specializes in trimming down longer cranks for recumbent cyclists. I was about to buy a closeout Ultegra 175 to send to him to trim down to 153, but then he told me that wasn't the right choice for me - I would end up needing much lower gears with the shortened crank. So, right now I'm waiting for his recommendations.
4) I found a tiny store out in Berkeley (jitensha.com) that carries an affordable Sugino compact crank in 160. Now I'm getting really, really close!
5) I found out that Sugino actually makes that crank even smaller - 152.5! But I managed to dig that up on a translated German website. That German store has a very nice range of chainring choices for the same crankset, from budget to very expensive.
So, right now I'm just waiting to hear back from various places. Will the German place export to me at a reasonable cost? Can little Berkeley store special order the 152.5? Can the best LBS in my area special order the 152.5?
(sigh) the trials and tribulations of getting a road bike to really fit when you're as short as I am!
Jen
At the moment, I'm obsessively searching for supershort cranks (<165), to replace the 170s that stupidly came with my new road bike. (It was a store demo of a custom frame, so got some leftover/slightly used parts.) I'm very petite - 5' on a good day - and so I have to get those 170s off ASAP.
But since I have to shop for a new crankset, I'm determined to find something shorter than 165, since I know that my ideal length is actually quite a bit shorter. Like around 150!
Anyway, I thought I'd share the results of my search so far, in case anyone out there also was interested in trying something smaller than 165.
1) If I had more $$$ to spend, there's a semi-obscure French brand called TA that has production sizes down to 150. Unfortunately, that comes out to $400+ when you include the bottom bracket, and I don't have nearly that kind of budget right now for this replacement.
2) There are some really ugly BMX cranks that go down to 140, but I'm totally unwilling to put something like that on my new bike.
3) I found an interesting builder in MN (bikesmithdesign.com) who specializes in trimming down longer cranks for recumbent cyclists. I was about to buy a closeout Ultegra 175 to send to him to trim down to 153, but then he told me that wasn't the right choice for me - I would end up needing much lower gears with the shortened crank. So, right now I'm waiting for his recommendations.
4) I found a tiny store out in Berkeley (jitensha.com) that carries an affordable Sugino compact crank in 160. Now I'm getting really, really close!
5) I found out that Sugino actually makes that crank even smaller - 152.5! But I managed to dig that up on a translated German website. That German store has a very nice range of chainring choices for the same crankset, from budget to very expensive.
So, right now I'm just waiting to hear back from various places. Will the German place export to me at a reasonable cost? Can little Berkeley store special order the 152.5? Can the best LBS in my area special order the 152.5?
(sigh) the trials and tribulations of getting a road bike to really fit when you're as short as I am!
Jen