In the days leading up to the start of the Tour de France from Florence, there was a succession of conferences and meetings between various technical figures. Real comparisons between professionals in the sector regarding various topicsOne of those discussed in the heat of Florence was the use of short cranks. A conference held by Borut Fonda, external biomechanical consultant of Tadej pogacar (The UAE Team Emirates confirmed). This lesson was attended by Alessandro Colò, biomechanic and one of the organizers of the Giro della Lunigiana.
«It was a real masterclass – he says – on biomechanics, with teacher Boret Fonda, one of the great proponents of short cranks. The nice thing about the meeting was the possibility to intervene and compare notes.One of the topics we discussed most was the use of short cranksets.
Some news
Over the last three seasons, Tadej Pogacar has decided to shorten the size of the cranks he uses. It went from 172,5 mm to 170 mm, and now reaches 165 mm.Shortening the crankset is a novelty in the world of professional cycling. Another recently introduced solution is moving the saddle forward.
«Clearly – replies Colò – it depends from athlete to athlete, but it's true. These are the two most notable technical innovations. Among other things, there was a good debate precisely related to the advancement of the saddle. In the past, it was thought that a saddle advancement could lead to pain and problems in the knees.. However, it has been proven that this is not true; Fonda himself joked about it, saying that we Italians were the ones who instilled this unfounded fear. Before leaving, however, I would like to make a clarification regarding Pogacar.
Please, tell us.
We are talking about a champion and a top-level athlete. Before making changes to your position on the bike, a lot of considerations need to be made.He, like all professionals, pedals a total of 35.000 kilometers a year. Even the smallest modification can lead to problems or further adjustments.
So it takes time?
We discovered that Pogacar was using 165mm cranks at Strade Bianche, his season debut. But he rode with that crank size throughout the preparation and all winter. As Borda also said in the masterclass in Florence, Tadej did some tests and found the right fit at 165mm, also due to physical problems which however are not known.
Let's go into detail: how does the pedaling feel change with shorter cranks?
The movement improves, becoming rounder and more controlled. But not everyone can use this option.To do this, there are some parameters to respect: predisposition to be agile and a willingness to improve performanceAs mentioned, changing position on the bike for a professional rider is delicate; to do so, there must be clear needs.
What changes in terms of movement?
Short cranks lead to having a lesser excursion of the leg, therefore the hip opens less. As a result, there is less joint stress.
How do you know if there have been improvements?
The instrumentation is there and it is extremely precise. Torque analyzers are used to calculate how the cyclist delivers force to the pedals.The result is a graph that demonstrates how a given measurement responds to another.
So, short cranks aren't a one-size-fits-all solution, and who can benefit from them?
They are ideal, or rather can bring important advantages, to climbers. These pedal for a very long time with high power. Think of Pogacar on Galibier: 50 minutes of climbing. With short cranks, you can try to better coordinate your pedaling, ensuring consistency and less power loss.
Sprinters don't benefit from it.
No. They have absurd and short-lived power peaks, a sprint lasts 15 seconds and the force applied to the pedals is too much to be controlledThe pedal stroke of a sprinter launched into a sprint cannot be controlled, it is pure force.
Does physical conformation also play an important role?
Of course. If an athlete has extremely long legs, they won't be able to use 165mm cranks. Imagine Froome with short cranks, he would struggle immenselyAt the basis of everything there is a physical proportion. Pogacar is 176 centimeters tall, and has gone from 172,5 millimeter long cranks to 165 millimeter onesFroome, for example, is 186 centimeters tall, so to make the same jump he would have to switch from 175 millimeter cranks to 170 millimeter ones.
What does it mean to have better control over your pedaling?
Having a more rounded pedal stroke means fewer dead spots and better power distribution. In the ascent phase the force is always zero, but by reducing this part you pedal actively for longerThe final benefit is also linked to a greater ease of coordination of effort.
