Re: Tall rider needs custom fit help.: Bikefanclub.com

I'm 6'5" and love my Custom Tetra (2001). I ride 99.99% of the time in aero, including ALL climbs/mountains,... only out on technical descents.

I just got a set of black 195mm Zinn cranks,... they are mounted on a 111mm square-taper Ergomo Powermeter BB.

I like the Zinn cranks so much I just ordered a set of compact cranks in the same black 195mm. For an up-charge of $150 they anodized them in black.

I've had no problems with the crank length with my standard height BB. I ride SpeedPlay X2s.

I rode all winter using a set of variable length PowerCranks and decided I didn't feel a difference between 190mm and 200mm so I split the difference. My goal for the winter was to be able to spin the same cadence as I could with my 175s.
It was pretty easy to adjust.

Knee pain,... check for leg length discrepancies, knee alignment, for-aft of pedal spindle, orthodics?, saddle height, gearing, cadence, etc. etc. etc. >;-)

Gearing/Compact Crank Ramble coming on. >;-)

People always talk about the rear cluster and what gears to use, but I?ve recently realized (been educated) that compact cranks (110 BCD) with a tight cluster on the back may be the way to go. This gives smaller gear jumps so you can dial in what you need for the ever changing conditions more accurately. When I ride a 12-27 on the back I get the gear I want but there are huge jumps between the gears at the upper end, where I most need subtle adjustments. Think of an engine,? it has an rpm that it is most efficient at,? if you think of your body the same way, whatever the rpm is, if you can stay at that rpm longer, you should be more efficient,? in my mind at least.

My goal is to get a small enough front chainring such that I can use an 11/12-21/23 and still achieve the gearing I ?need? for the slowest/steepest sections of a ride. When riding close to my PR for our local 9 mile 6-8% climb,? I need 34-23/25 for the climb to handle the steepest sections (~9mph) comfortably (85+rpm).

Since I have been researching options (surprise, surprise) I have found that you can get just about any size chainring you want for the compact cranks (33-55+ teeth),? so you can put on rings that are as small as 33 teeth on the inner but still get sets that are equal to what you would ever need/want for ?standard? 130BDC cranks. For shifting sake it is recommended that the difference between the inner and outer be no greater than 14 teeth. I?ve found that 16 works alright.

Basically, I will never purchase a set of cranks that is not 110mm BCD again,? because with ?compact? cranks (110BCD) you can utilize a much broader range of chainrings, 33 to 55, where as with 130BCD you have 38-56+, but above 54 would really never be used,? flat course with a tailwind down hill we could use a 54, maybe,? 53-11 at 100rpms with 700c wheels is 35+mph,... so besides long open Downhills,.. ???

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