Originally Posted by
queerpunk
I'm looking forward to it. I wasn't sure what leverage difference I'd feel on the road. I did feel some of it when torqueing up steep hills.
What matters most though is that I feel like when I'm getting low and forward - in a flat-armed hoods position, an aggressive aero position - I can generate more power over the top of my pedal stroke. I can feel my hip more open.
Changing 5mm on cranks means that I boost my saddle 5mm to keep my bottom-of-stroke knee angle consistent, but at the top of the pedal stroke my pedal is 10mm lower than compared to how it is with 170mm cranks - that's a lot of extra hip angle. Hoping to see that expressed in power in the aero position!
I'm kicking around the same idea for my TT bike, currently 172.5. I got a significant power gain out of moving foreword (about 3cm over the last season) which has a similar impact on hip angle. I've always felt a little stronger on 165's but have never ridden them on the road.