Well I have been using the 200mm cranks now for a few weeks and I love them…I saw immediate improvements in power on the flat and especially in climbing…On my old 180mm cranks I used the traditional 39 / 53 chain-ring combo but I have now changed to 44 / 56 and find that where I used to ride comfortably in the 39 x 15 on my easy days, I now feel like I am using the same effort (and the same cadence) in the 44 x 15…but obviously riding measurably faster…I have not needed bigger than the 21t where I frequently need to bail out to the 25t on steep pitches…as far as power is concerned, on the same hill where I used to struggle to hold 320 watts for 30 mins (3.2 watts/ kilo) I can now hold 410 (4.1 watts / kilo), this is probably the most significant measure of success here…

As far as the extra height in the pedal stroke, I actually feel smoother with the long cranks, I practice yoga at least twice a week and I am sure this has an effect on allowing the range of motion of my hips especially to make the transition. The extra 20mm at the bottom of the stroke has taken a little time to adjust, essentially relearning my corner pedaling boundaries, but I have noticed a huge improvement in non-pedaling cornering due to the lower center of gravity. I suspect that this improvement outweighs the loss of pedaling in the tightest of corners…

--Steve McGrath