I fell in love with cycling back when I received my first “big boy” bike around age 9 or so. I had competed in a YMCA swimming contest, and the prize for the top fundraiser was a brand-new bike! Of course, this was the quintessential 80s bike with riser handlebars and a cool banana seat.

However, I talked my Dad into taking me back to the store it came from, and we came out with a brand new 10 speed just like I had seen on TV!

Probably not the best choice considering we lived far away from the city with nothing but gravel and dirt roads, but you might say I was one of the earliest gravel cyclists!

The challenges ahead, and mostly interest discussion topics of mine are:

• The study of shorter cranks is particularly intriguing to me, especially since the industry would have guys like me on 175s or longer. And honestly, leg length has been a struggle for me throughout my cycling career. I’m really interested in understanding the benefits of shorter cranks, not just from the standpoint of mechanical advantage, but also the physiological impact.
   

  My knees, muscles, and I turn 50 this year, and maintaining longevity in the sport is important to so many of my cycling colleagues, whether they race or not. I would love to understand more about what factors determine the ideal crank length and what benefits to expect.

Blog Article Share

Coming Soon

- Tom -