I posted earlier asking about the availability of 150 cranks for a
kh.Thanks to everyone who replied.
Here's what happened.
I called Roger at UDC to find my only option was 140,s so i ordered a
set.Next day i recieve the package,it's a birthday present from my other
half so I can't open it.Instead I place it carefully on the coffee table
and go to the pub.On my return I fondle my package while the wife
watches t.v.
Birthday,
I leap out of bed and before the kettle boils the bubble wrap is off.Oh
no! I have a set with the ankle biting knubs on.10 minutes of grinding
later and I hurridly fit the cranks dismayed at the massive difference
in size.Then I remove the cranks and fit the one with an L to the left
hand side....Idiot!
These cranks are tiny.I try a freemount in the back yard and my front
foot lands with just the heel on the pedal at a very Chaplinesque angle
and I have to dismount.Staring intently at the pedal I try again
,success,and I go into an idle.The smaller circle feels odd but I do
well,comparable to the 170's anyway.
A short practise later and I'm off to a friends house.Reaching the top
of the first hill I,m amazed at the speed of the ascent and the energy I
have left.Next a flatish ride through the parkand on to the steepest
hill in my town.Although short at about 400 feet it is very steep 1 in 4
or 25%.With 170's I have about a 99% success rate descending and about
75% ascending.Initially I try to go too slow and I get lifted out of the
seat by the back pedal,speeding up and gripping the handle solves this
issue and I make it comfortably.
A quick cup of tea later and it's time for the ascent,my speed up the
hill is fast but as I near the top I lose momentum,start zig zagging and
flailing wildly and I have to dismount.Not bad for a first attempt I get
within 10 feet of the top.The rest of the ride is downhill and the
shorter cranks encourage speed.My leaning turns take on another
dimension.This is great.
Next day it's off to the woods and here I really notice the difference
in speed.I manage almost all the stuff I've done with 170's failing only
at a slight incline with lots of roots, it seems much easier to get dead
pedaled with the 140's.
My hopping seems better and I can only put this down to a more natural
stance (for me anyway) with the 140's.
To summarize,the slight loss in hill climbing is more than made up for
by the extra speed of the 140's and I wish I had tried them sooner.
Johnhimsworth,if you're reading this."my legs are killing me"!
Stu
--
befallin
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