# De Rosa Giro '08



## mj3200 (Apr 18, 2008)

Thought I'd share from Milan this year:-


----------



## MERAKMAN (Mar 6, 2008)

Hi Thanks for sharing. Great pics. 

Is is me, or do they have really long crank arms on their bikes?


----------



## smokva (Jul 21, 2004)

MERAKMAN said:


> Hi Thanks for sharing. Great pics.
> 
> Is is me, or do they have really long crank arms on their bikes?


They are all small and their bikes are smalish, so normal cranks look gigantic there


----------



## MERAKMAN (Mar 6, 2008)

smokva said:


> They are all small and their bikes are smalish, so normal cranks look gigantic there


They may be small, but boy can they fly up those Mountains! Out of interest, do you know whether longer cranks are better for hilly terrain or shorter cranks?


----------



## smokva (Jul 21, 2004)

MERAKMAN said:


> They may be small, but boy can they fly up those Mountains! Out of interest, do you know whether longer cranks are better for hilly terrain or shorter cranks?


I don't think you'll notice any difference, but shorter cranks should be more suitable for high cadence spinning like time trials or flat stages. On the other hand, longer cranks would give you more momentum on stages with steep and hilly terrain. Anyway...that's only theory I don't think you'll notice any difference with 2,5 mm longer/shorter cranks, and even if you think you feel it I don't think you'll get any measurable change in power output or endurance.
BTW, think I saw somewhere that man can deliver most power at cadence of 70-75 and that about 90-95 is long term most economical. Probably that's why my natural cadence is around 90 on flat and drops way down on hills. On some insane slopes or when training with big transmission (like 53-17 on 7-8% hills) it dropped even below 30 rpm :mad2:


----------



## MERAKMAN (Mar 6, 2008)

smokva said:


> I don't think you'll notice any difference, but shorter cranks should be more suitable for high cadence spinning like time trials or flat stages. On the other hand, longer cranks would give you more momentum on stages with steep and hilly terrain. Anyway...that's only theory I don't think you'll notice any difference with 2,5 mm longer/shorter cranks, and even if you think you feel it I don't think you'll get any measurable change in power output or endurance.
> BTW, think I saw somewhere that man can deliver most power at cadence of 70-75 and that about 90-95 is long term most economical. Probably that's why my natural cadence is around 90 on flat and drops way down on hills. On some insane slopes or when training with big transmission (like 53-17 on 7-8% hills) it dropped even below 30 rpm :mad2:



30rpm probably about right for me on a hill:blush2:


----------

