Bicycle Crank

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Ensuring your bike has the optimal fit also ensures that you will gain the most enjoyment from your cycling adventures. Bicycle cranks (cranksets) offer another way for you to adjust the fit of your bike.

Crank Sets - What Are They?

Bicycles cranks are also known as the crank set or chain set. The cranks are part of the drive train, and as such, help convert the cyclist's energy into the movement of the bike. The crankset consists of the crank arms, which are connected by way of the bottom bracket (axle). Chainrings are also connected to the right crank arm.

Different Crank Sets for Different Bikes

Because some bicycles are meant more for casual pleasure and others for performance.

For those cyclists who are mostly riding on flat terrain, or city commuting by bicycle, fine-tuning the bike by changing chainrings and crank arm lengths may not be that much of a priority.

However, for mountain bikers and road cyclists tackling varied and challenging terrain, the crankset becomes an important focus of adjustment.

Bicycle Crank For Your Mountain Bike

To help the cyclist adjust to varying terrain, mountain bikes cranksets are equipped with three chainrings. This gives the cyclist the widest range of gears to choose from - which means easier pedaling up hills! Bicycle gears are discussed in more detail here.

Bicycle Crank For Your Road Bike

While there are some road bikes that are equipped with triple chain rings, these bikes are usually limited to those used mostly for touring. The majority of road racing bicycle cranksets are equipped with two chainrings. However, many road cyclists endeavor to ensure an ideal fit for their bicycles by adjusting the crank arm length of the crankset. For road cyclists, proper bicycle crank length will not only ensure a comfortable ride but also an injury-free ride.

Did you know...?

Did you know that worn bicycle cranks can cause your bike pedals to slip?

This is extremely dangerous, especially in wet weather. Bicycle crank arms experience significant wear and tear where the crank attaches to the spindle. Replace your cranks regularly to prevent your pedals from slipping.

Adjusting the Bicycle Crank Length

There are many ways to adjust the fit of your bike:

Bicycle frame size
Seat post height
Horizontal seat position
Stem length and height
Bicycle handlebars shape and width
Choosing the right crank arm length

As you can see, an adjustment to the bicycle crank length is only part of a larger process of making sure your bike fits like a dream. Consequently, I would highly recommend any proposed adjustments to crank arm length be made with the consultation of a technician or salesman certified to make such adjustments. However, some generalizations can be made about crankarm length.

The benefits of a shorter crank length include:

Higher cadence (spinning)
Improved clearance when cornering (this is valuable for criteria)
Smaller rotational circles and reduced "dead" spot

The benefits of a longer crank arm include:

Improved leverage (ability to apply force)
Perhaps beneficial for hill climbs and longer endurance events

Tip: Choose the Right Chain Rings

Chain rings are usually classified using the number of teeth on their edges; the higher the number of teeth the larger the gear. Gears with a lower number of teeth as suited to beginners and leisure cyclists while professionals have access to larger chain rings with more teeth.