Crank Arm Shortening

Crank Arm Shortening
$50 for normal 22mm shortening.
Add $5 for shortening by any other amount.
Add $7 if you send your arms without removing the chainrings.
Add $25 if you send them in any sort of packing peanuts.
Ordering, Payment, Shipping and Contact info.
Return to Short Cranks Home Page

New holes are drilled, usually 22mm from the original holes
175mm becomes 153mm 170mm becomes 148mm
165mm becomes 143mm

The New End - Shimano 105 Shown

Can My Cranks Be Shortened?

YES
Shimano
Ultegra 6500-6503 175 or 170mm
105 175mm FC-5501-5502-5504 or 5505
105 170mm FC-5501-5502-5504 or 5505
Please read Shortening Shimano Hollowtech Cranks
Sora & Tiagra Square
Sora & Tiagra 2005 Octalink
Older MTB FC-M450, FC-M452 (Mountain LX), FC-MT60
MT450 (Exage Mountain)
Current MTB FC-M-440, M-440-C & M-440-8

SunTour
XC Comp 175mm
XC LTD 175mm
Bontrager Select 4 bolt MTB
Truvative IsoFlow & Touro
Dotek Pro 6
Easy Racers branded Sugino
Dimension Cyclocross 175mm
Sugino VP & GP 175mm
RPM Power Pro 201

NO
Shimano
105 FC-5500 or 5503
Square taper 105s or Ultegras
Hollowtech MTB cranks
Anything Hollowtech II (2 piece)
Any Dura Ace or XTR
FC-6206, FC-M730
Campagnolo Mirage, Veloce
Dimension Cyclocross 170mm
FSA CK600
Sugino 170mmVP & GP
Impel, XD, Fuse 500
Truvative Elita
SunTour RD7000
XC Compe MD (MicroDrive)
Tracer cranks on EZ-1 etc

Knee Savers should not be used with shortened cranks. They give increased leverage and may overstress the arms.

How Safe Are Shortened Cranks?
"Safely" is a relative term. Modern cranks hopefully have a margin of safety to allow for the occasional 280 lb mountain biker. Shortening will obviously reduce this safety margin, as there will be less aluminum around the pedal hole than before. So, I only recommend using shortened cranks on recumbents.
Back in the '70s and early '80s road cranks were often smaller around the pedal eye than is common today. Failures were rare, but not unheard of.
Click HERE for examples.
I will shorten a good quality, cold forged crank if it will have at least as much material around the new pedal eye as those older cranks.
If the crank is the cheaper, so called "Melt Forged" type, then I need to be able to leave at least 25% more metal around the pedal.

Maybe
Ultegra 6500-6503 172.5 or 165mm - 105 165mm FC-5501-5502-5504-5505
Please read Shortening Shimano Hollowtech Cranks
Truvative Roleur Eye shouldn't snap off but hole might distort over time. Not for strong riders.
SunTour 170mm XC Comp & XC LTD Marginal strength - OK for smaller riders on trikes.
Gearing
If you are getting spun out in high gear with long cranks, using the same rings with short cranks will likely solve that problem. Most of us will be better of with something like 24-36-46 with 26" drive wheels. Most people do well with 30-42-52 on a bike with a 20" drive wheel.
I have installed 24-39-48 FSA ramped and pinned chainrings on over 1/3 of the105s & Ultegras I've shortened. Cost is $84. I've gotten quite a bit of positive feedback about the shifting and appearance of this setup.

What if my cranks aren't on your list?
CLICK HERE to help me add your cranks to either the Yes or No column.

Ordering, Payment, Shipping and Contact info.

Return to Bikesmith Design Return to Short Cranks Home Page

New holes are drilled, usually 22mm from the original holes 175mm becomes 153mm 170mm becomes 148mm 165mm becomes 143mm		The New End - Shimano 105 Shown
Can My Cranks Be Shortened?
YES Shimano Ultegra 6500-6503 175 or 170mm 105 175mm FC-5501-5502-5504 or 5505 105 170mm FC-5501-5502-5504 or 5505 Please read Shortening Shimano Hollowtech Cranks Sora & Tiagra Square Sora & Tiagra 2005 Octalink Older MTB FC-M450, FC-M452 (Mountain LX), FC-MT60 MT450 (Exage Mountain) Current MTB FC-M-440, M-440-C & M-440-8 SunTour XC Comp 175mm XC LTD 175mm Bontrager Select 4 bolt MTB Truvative IsoFlow & Touro Dotek Pro 6 Easy Racers branded Sugino Dimension Cyclocross 175mm Sugino VP & GP 175mm RPM Power Pro 201	NO Shimano 105 FC-5500 or 5503 Square taper 105s or Ultegras Hollowtech MTB cranks Anything Hollowtech II (2 piece) Any Dura Ace or XTR FC-6206, FC-M730 Campagnolo Mirage, Veloce Dimension Cyclocross 170mm FSA CK600 Sugino 170mmVP & GP Impel, XD, Fuse 500 Truvative Elita SunTour RD7000 XC Compe MD (MicroDrive) Tracer cranks on EZ-1 etc	Knee Savers should not be used with shortened cranks. They give increased leverage and may overstress the arms.
		How Safe Are Shortened Cranks? "Safely" is a relative term. Modern cranks hopefully have a margin of safety to allow for the occasional 280 lb mountain biker. Shortening will obviously reduce this safety margin, as there will be less aluminum around the pedal hole than before. So, I only recommend using shortened cranks on recumbents. Back in the '70s and early '80s road cranks were often smaller around the pedal eye than is common today. Failures were rare, but not unheard of. Click HERE for examples. I will shorten a good quality, cold forged crank if it will have at least as much material around the new pedal eye as those older cranks. If the crank is the cheaper, so called "Melt Forged" type, then I need to be able to leave at least 25% more metal around the pedal.
Maybe Ultegra 6500-6503 172.5 or 165mm - 105 165mm FC-5501-5502-5504-5505 Please read Shortening Shimano Hollowtech Cranks Truvative Roleur Eye shouldn't snap off but hole might distort over time. Not for strong riders. SunTour 170mm XC Comp & XC LTD Marginal strength - OK for smaller riders on trikes.		Gearing If you are getting spun out in high gear with long cranks, using the same rings with short cranks will likely solve that problem. Most of us will be better of with something like 24-36-46 with 26" drive wheels. Most people do well with 30-42-52 on a bike with a 20" drive wheel. I have installed 24-39-48 FSA ramped and pinned chainrings on over 1/3 of the105s & Ultegras I've shortened. Cost is $84. I've gotten quite a bit of positive feedback about the shifting and appearance of this setup.
What if my cranks aren't on your list? CLICK HERE to help me add your cranks to either the Yes or No column.