Crank innovations

[Manchego]

With considerable help from forum members this week, I replaced the R hand crank on my Torq. Initially, rather than setting it at 180 degrees to the L, I mistakenly put it parallel. I noticed this pretty quickly when I tried to set off as the alignment required a rather strange piston-rabbit hop to keep going. I reset it - but it did start me thinking about the potiential for alternative crank settings to the normal 180 degree. A quick google search found this:

PowerCranks:

Apparently:

"PowerCranks™ integrates a one-way clutch in each crank-arm of your bicycle or stationary bike. This patented modification changes the cranks from being fixed to each other at 180º (as are regular cranks), to being independent from one another. Each leg can drive the bicycle but one leg cannot assist the other. This forces the use of all the muscles of the lower extremity and many core muscles in a balanced and coordinated fashion. If one is riding the bike with the cranks at 180? this can only occur if the user is using more muscles and using these muscles in an optimum coordinated fashion.

This movement pattern dramatially improves your performance if you depend on your legs for speed and power because it forces the user to use optimum pedaling technique and, for runners, near optimum running coordination. By forcing proper technique, PowerCranks increase the efficiency of your workouts. For the same amount of time invested training you will see improved benefits. If you and your workouts suffer from time constraints (doesn't everyone's?) and you want to optimize your performance, PowerCranks should be part of your training routine.

Typical new users are gaining 2-3 mph in cycling speed and 1 min/mile running improvement in 6-9 months. Studies are showing about a 10% improvement in cycling efficiency, power, and large improvements in VO2max in only 6 weeks (over what can be done without PowerCranks). Just so you are not fooled, these improvements do not come easily. You must be willing to do the hard work. But if you will do the work, PowerCranks facilitate these improvements, and they will be much bigger than you could have ever imagined possible. "


I'm always looking to shave mninutes off my commute on the Torq and I wondered if anyone had experience of using them?

M

 

[flecc]

There are many variations on cranks Manchego, all claiming special benefits, but they are rarely successful, except sometimes with special needs due to medical problems. All have been around for many years, so the lack of adoption says the most about whether they are useful or not.

For example, as well as this kind, there are two piece designs that change the crank length during rotation, making the cranks short at top and bottom of the stroke to minimise leg raising and lowering, but cranks lengthening fore and aft to get the maximum leverage for pedal thrust. They too claim to be the best for power.

There's even a two gear system, pedal forward for one gear, pedal backwards for the other. Either could be the high or low gear.
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[Ian]

I tend to think if there was any advantage, even a tiny one, professional racing teams with million dollar R&D budgets would have developed something like this. Of course the professionals do clip their shoes to their pedals which does have a proven benefit.

Glad to hear the crank replacement went well M.