Crank arm length higher cadence?

"Tom Nakashima" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've noticed with Lance Armstrong's higher cadence in the climbs if he has
gone with the same crankarm length as he rides on the flats? I believe he
averages around 80 rpm in the hills.
In the 80's-'90s I recall some of the TDF riders went with a longer crankarm
in the mountain stages.
-tom

Can't speak to what Armstrong uses. I am 5'11" in height. In the
summer of 1992 I toured Europe and spun 175mm crankarms in the low 90
rpms. Flats, mountains, didn't matter. Although my cadence did drop
some going up the mountains because my 24x32 low gear did not allow me
to spin 90 rpm. I used a Cateye Micro computer with cadence and kept
the cadence on the display at all times. I have 175mm crankarms on
all of my geared bicycles.

I would say the standard crankarm lengths of 165mm to 180mm will allow
you to spin any normal bicycling cadence of 70 rpm to 110 rpm. If you
need to pedal significantly above the 110 rpm for extended lengths of
time, then the crankarm length may affect things. But given the
gearing on bicycles, Armstrong uses 53-39 and 11-23 I believe, there
are ample gears to keep the rpms in the 70 rpm to 110 rpm range no
matter what the terrain.

Please note I am not referring to myself or the other 99.999999% of
bicyclists spinning 70 or 80 rpm up the Alps, Dolomites, Pyrenese,
Rockies, etc. using a 39x23 low gear. Just professionals.