Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly
Sport
Tyler Boucher

Everything you want to know about the Q Factor

Bird's eye view to show the crank length of an Ultegra crank arm on a road bike.

As we all know, Q factor is the person who equips tuxedo-clad Special Agents with nifty double-0 gadgets as he chases after villains. Wait, no, that’s not right… In the world of cycling, the Q factor refers to the width of the crank arms. More specifically, the lateral distance between the outside of the crank arms at the point where the pedal spindles affix.

The name is actually derived from the word “Quack,” referencing the waddling gait of a duck. And no, I’m not joking this time. Cycling legend Grant Peterson coined the term during his time with Bridgestone Bicycles.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.