SRAM makes ultra-short cranks from Jonas Vingegaard available to consumers

Last year, Jonas Vingegaard surprised everyone during the Volta ao Algarve with his equipment choice. The Dane from Visma | Lease a Bike was using cranks of only 150 mm on his time trial bike. These ultra-short cranks were not yet available on the market at the time, but now SRAM is offering them to consumers as well.

Until now, the shortest RED cranks available from SRAM were 160 mm. Now consumers get two additional options: 155 mm and 150 mm. The new cranks are 29 grams lighter than the previous generation, SRAM stated in a press release. Cranks with lengths of 160, 165, 167.5, 170, 172.5, and 175 millimeters remain available as well.

Benefits of Shorter Cranks
Shorter cranks have become more popular in recent years. A shorter crank reduces the hip angle of the rider when the crank is at its highest position. This allows for more freedom of movement or can provide some aerodynamic advantage, as bike fitter Anno Pieterse explained earlier on this site. “If you’re sensitive to a tight angle between your torso and thigh, a short crank can feel more comfortable because your thigh comes less close to your torso.”

However, the rider can also choose to adopt a more aerodynamic position, which is usually the most obvious choice for professionals. “You can also choose to bring your handlebars down a bit. Then you bring your torso closer to your legs again and that hip angle becomes smaller, but your position on paper is better aerodynamically. So, you can pedal more easily, or you can gain some aerodynamic advantage,” Pieterse said.