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Why are shorter MTB cranks suddenly all the rage?

"I'm thinking about getting longer cranks", said no one in 2023. It's definitely true that shorter cranks are a trend right now, but why? Is it all nonsense, or is there something to it? Today we'll take a deep dive into crank length and how it affects your performance. You'll get a highly biased take on the subject from someone with very short legs.

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter #mtb

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

I'm mostly a road (paved, gravel, etc.) rider and have been enjoying 170mm cranks for years despite having very long legs in addition to being tall. (Pretty much all companies spec 175+ mm cranks for my size.) Spin spin spin!
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Without watching, is it because human torque isn't as important as ground clearance on an EMB?