Are Short Cranks Taking Over? What the Pro Peloton Data Actually Shows
Every few weeks there’s another article about some pro going to shorter cranks. Vingegaard on 150mm. Pogačar on 165mm. Van Aert experimenting with shorter lengths. The narrative is simple: short cranks are taking over. But when you actually look at the data across the whole peloton, the story is more specific than that — and more useful. GC / climber Classics TT specialist Sprinter The old rule For decades, crank length followed a simple formula: taller rider, longer crank. The accepted standard for an average-height male was 172.5mm, with bigger riders going to 175mm and climbers occasionally running 170mm. The logic was mechanical — longer lever arm, more torque. Indurain was famously on 180mm for TTs. Pantani reportedly used 180mm in the mountains. ...