exercise bike with shorter cranks?

itsbasschick
itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
edited December 1 in Fitness and Exercise
after years of having knee problems on a wide variety of exercise bikes at home and at several gyms, i figured out today that my legs are too short for the cranks - if my knees are at a 90% angle at the top, they lock out and the bottom and i usually have to extend the foot that's at the bottom as if i were standing on my toes; if my knees aren't locked out at the bottom, they're at like a 45% angle at the top of the rotation, which hurts a little.

so i'm on the hunt for an exercise bike with shorter cranks or maybe with cranks that are replaceable by regular bike cranks.

the one i've found so far is the deskcycle with its 10" rotation. i was hoping for a whole bike rather than a pedaler, but if all else fails, it's an option.

any suggestions?

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    How about using your regular bike with the correct crank length on rollers or a turbo trainer?
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    How about using your regular bike with the correct crank length on rollers or a turbo trainer?

    My thoughts also. I have found most exercise bike design is based on price point and marketing, not function.

    Something like this maybe;
    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mh-star.co.uk%2Fekmps%2Fshops%2Fmhstaruk%2Fimages%2Findoor-bicycle-trainer-bike-trainer-491-p.jpg&f=1
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    i don't have a regular bike, but i could easily get one and change the cranks. thanks!
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    if anyone else reads this who needs shorter cranks, i heard back from deskcycle, and theirs are 135mm compared to the normal 165mm to 175mm.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    https://www.cervelo.com/en/engineering-field-notes/a-new-spin-on-crank-length
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    https://www.cervelo.com/en/engineering-field-notes/a-new-spin-on-crank-length

    my husband, who's into mountain biking, was telling me some of that last night. some of what they said was new to me, and thanks for the link.

    for me, it's simpler - i have short legs, and a normal crank size makes for an overall circle that's very bad for my knees. and i sorta wonder about the whole 175mm crank thing, as my husband is 6' 7" and it's good for him. wouldn't that make it too big a motion for the average person?
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Funny, I'm 6'1" and also have 175 mm cranks. Could be your husband and I have the same (cycling) inseam and his torso is longer than mine, or it could be that one of us bought a bike with cranks that aren't ideal for us. I'd bet on the latter.

    Sounds like it's for sure the right thing for you. I think it's interesting that a lot of people are making the same move you are and it's working out for them. Hope you have good results too. :)

    (I'm thinking about ultimately getting shorter cranks for myself, so I hope I have good results too!)
  • Stratapastor
    Stratapastor Posts: 2 Member
    Your best solution would be put put miles on an actual bike fitted for you at a good bike shop. Having a good bike fitment is the difference between joy and misery on any bike and I doubt you'll find a really good fit on anything at the gym. That said, if you are set on a stationary rather than a bike + trainer for indoor spinning I would consider finding a gym that has the model you are looking at and try it before you spend enough to have bought a good bike on a stationary that you may or may not like.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Funny, I'm 6'1" and also have 175 mm cranks. Could be your husband and I have the same (cycling) inseam and his torso is longer than mine, or it could be that one of us bought a bike with cranks that aren't ideal for us. I'd bet on the latter.

    +1 I'm 6'-0" and ride on 175mm. I might be more comfortable on 172.5, cause I'm all torso. But 175 was what Specialized put on their 58 bikes about 10 years ago, and when I swapped out to a compact, I stayed 175...
  • sssgilbe
    sssgilbe Posts: 89 Member
    Here's a cheap option http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-6727000-Pedal-Blocks-Black/dp/B001J2MTTS
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    itsbasschick wrote: »
    after years of having knee problems on a wide variety of exercise bikes at home and at several gyms, i figured out today that my legs are too short for the cranks - if my knees are at a 90% angle at the top, they lock out and the bottom and i usually have to extend the foot that's at the bottom as if i were standing on my toes; if my knees aren't locked out at the bottom, they're at like a 45% angle at the top of the rotation, which hurts a little.

    so i'm on the hunt for an exercise bike with shorter cranks or maybe with cranks that are replaceable by regular bike cranks.

    the one i've found so far is the deskcycle with its 10" rotation. i was hoping for a whole bike rather than a pedaler, but if all else fails, it's an option.

    any suggestions?

    Why don't you just lower the seat on the bike?
  • Marycycles
    Marycycles Posts: 48 Member
    I highly recommend getting a real bike at a real bike shop and have them fit you and use the trainer, because, then your butt will be used to the same seat if you want take it outside, which in my opinion, is the only way to enjoy spinning your wheels!
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »

    Why don't you just lower the seat on the bike?

    because that doesn't change the distance the pedals travel, and that's my problem - too much pedal travel hurts my knee and is actually bad for you over a period of time.
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