Why the Pros All Shortened Their Cranks (And Why Most of You Shouldn't)

Overview

The video explains why many professional cyclists began using shorter crank arms—typically around 160–170 mm—starting in and after the 2024 season. It argues that most amateur riders misunderstand what the change is actually for.

It also challenges the viral narrative that goes like: “Pros are going short, so your cranks are too long.” The presenter says this idea is only partly correct.

Pro Examples and Industry Shift

The video compares several pro riders and team trends, including:

• Tadej Pogačar moving to 165 mm
• Jonas Vingegaard experimenting around 150–160 mm
• Wout van Aert and the Visma team being seen with shorter cranks

It further notes that Shimano and SRAM now sell road cranksets down to about 160 mm, where this length previously was mostly associated with:

• junior riders, or
• riders with very small frames

Core Claim: It’s Rider-Specific, Not Universal

A key argument is that the overall pro peloton isn’t universally switching.

Instead:

• The riders most likely to switch are generally general classification climbers, time-trialists, and sometimes sprinters/classics riders.
• Many other riders appear to stay around 170–172.5 mm.

The change is framed as a deliberate optimization for certain rider types, not a correction of a long-standing equipment error.

Mechanics: What Changes With Shorter Cranks

Lever advantage vs real-world power

Longer cranks provide a mechanical lever advantage (more torque for the same pedal force), but the presenter cites research suggesting that sustained power at the wheel is largely insensitive to crank length because riders naturally adjust:

• cadence
• pedaling kinematics

Hip/knee angle at top dead center

The larger effect is on hip angle near the top of the stroke. Shorter cranks lower the peak of the knee/hip closure, helping keep the hip more open.

Highlighted Benefits of Opening the Hip

The video emphasizes three main advantages:

1. Aerodynamics

   • A more open hip allows riders to rotate forward and maintain a lower front position without thigh-to-torso collisions.
   • This can reduce frontal area while still allowing proper breathing—important in high-speed, hour-long positions.

2. Comfort, blood flow, and reduced fatigue

   • Tighter hip closure during repeated pedaling creates meaningful stress.
   • Studies mentioned suggest riders using shorter cranks (e.g., 165/170 mm) report less fatigue subjectively, without clear efficiency or sprint downsides.

3. Joint load reduction

   • For riders with knee pain, hip impingement, or limited mobility, shorter cranks may reduce a problem created by overly tight knee/hip angles.

Who Benefits Most

According to the presenter, shorter cranks may be worth considering if you’re:

• trying to get lower
• dealing with tight hips
• experiencing knee or hip pain
• someone who naturally prefers higher cadence
• a shorter rider—historically, crank length may have been chosen mainly by frame size, not leg length

The video calls this “scandalous,” arguing that many smaller riders (including some women) can end up with disproportionately long cranks—e.g., a rider around 160 cm on 170 mm cranks.

“Honest Advice” / When to Do Nothing

The video’s restrained guidance is:

If you’re already comfortable, have no hip/knee pain, can hold a low position without leg–torso contact, and aren’t chasing a lower front end, then leave crank length alone. Shorter cranks won’t necessarily make you faster.

When Shorter Cranks Make Sense

Shorter cranks may be worth serious consideration if you have:

• front-of-knee pain
• hip pinching/tightness
• difficulty getting low without collisions
• trouble sustaining a higher cadence
• a short inseam relative to the crank length your bike shipped with

Adjustment and Practical Cautions

Expect an adaptation period

• Shorter cranks often feel strange initially.
• Cadence may increase.
• Some riders worry they lost power.
• Adaptation can take weeks.

Don’t forget saddle height

A common mistake is not raising saddle height when shortening cranks.

• Saddle height should be adjusted to preserve leg extension.
• The bottom of the pedal stroke effectively rises when you shorten cranks.

Consider gearing

You may also want to adjust gearing to match the cadence shift.

Cost and compatibility checks matter

Crank swaps can be expensive, especially with a crank that includes a power meter.

Compatibility to check includes:

• bottom bracket standard
• chainring/front derailleur setup
• whether the power meter can move across crank lengths

Q-factor is another often-ignored factor

The video also notes Q-factor (foot stance width) can influence knee pain and comfort.

Time trial/triathlon riders

Time trial and triathlon riders may benefit more because their aero positions are more extreme—making hip angle a more limiting factor.

Evidence Caveats

The presenter cautions that:

• research on crank length is limited
• studies are often small
• many focus more on power/efficiency than comfort and aerodynamics

The conclusion is that the best-supported points are:

• power is broadly insensitive to crank length
• subjective fatigue may reduce with shorter cranks
• the size of any aerodynamic gain is harder to prove universally

Training Takeaway

The video suggests a training effect:

• Higher cadence shifts load away from muscles and more toward the cardiovascular system.
• It can feel like “lost fitness” at first.
• Don’t reverse too quickly.

Practical Testing Advice

Suggested approach:

1. Measure your current setup

   • Record saddle height from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the saddle.

2. Adjust after switching

   • After switching to shorter cranks, raise saddle by approximately the crank-length difference.
   • Re-test and note the new saddle height so you can return precisely.

3. Low-cost testing method

   • Buy used cranksets in the lengths you’re curious about.
   • Ride them for about a month.
   • Decide whether the proper set is worth the cost.

Final Summary

• Pros go shorter mainly to get lower and open hips, not to generate more power.
• Benefits are most meaningful for riders targeting extreme aero posture or dealing with hip/knee discomfort and tight mobility.
• If you’re pain-free and comfortable, the recommended “number to remove” is essentially zero.

Presenters or Sources

• Quintilian (used as an analogy/source at the start of the script)
• Unspecified research/studies (referenced generally; no specific study names cited)
• Shimano (product availability claim)
• SRAM / “Stram” (product availability claim)
• “The internet” / online sources (mentioned as a general contrast point)