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Gearing for tackling Alp D'Huez and Ventoux
My new Ridley road bike has, unfortunately, got a Campag standard crankset on it ( 53/39 ) with 12-25 cassette. I am not a Pro so realise this might be a bit tough for climbing 8% incline for 12miles ( 5000ft in height ) - Ventoux I think ). So, I have a choice of going to 29 on the rear and hoping the rear mech is long enough. But even that is higher than my current Bianchi's set up of 50/34 and 12/27. So, should I be changing the cranks to fit a compact 50/34 as well?? Thing is, thats damn expensive, as they are Record cranks ( or Super Record , can't remember as haven't picked it up yet ). Somewhere around £275!!! Ouch.
Any of you guys recommend anything?
And don't say, different bike!!
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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14 comments
I have a couple of weeks in the Alps booked for early next year, it'll be my first visit so have similar questions. Consensus amongst friends who've been before is get the lowest gear you can.
However I took my winter bike (53/39 -12/25) to Scotland recently and found a bit of time for a ride which included a 8% average 2mile climb. Really enjoyed it and rode it a few times as part of a loop, I'm 5,11 a bit winter lardy 95kg and nearly 50.
Whilst it was ok I'll still be kitting the summer bike out with 50/34 and either 11/28 or even 12/30 because riding those climbs with big gears may be ok when fresh but a bit more challenging with 100k under the belt.
Can you get an Athena or Centaur compact chainset just for the trip?
The problem face is that the UK doesn't have any climbs that go on for so long at the gradients either. We have short(ish ) but steep climbs. The ride below included 2 of the worse ones in the country - Wrynose and Hardknott which tops out at almost 30% in places. We managed them ( just ) on 34/27's.
http://www.strava.com/activities/63784445/segments/1207651258
I have also just found a local reasonable climb that is a similar gradient to Ventoux at around 7 to 8% but its only 3/4 mile long so I intend to do some hill repeats on it. Best thing would be to train using the 39/39 and see how I go after doing 10 repeats!!! Might not have any legs left!!
You don't need hills to train for hills, remember!
All the gearing talk is *relatively* irrelevant. Remember some chap did Ventoux on a Boris Bike. It's about how fit you are.
Nah. That never stopped riders like Robert Millar or Nicole Cooke, or even domestic pro riders like the Condor-JLT team or the Downing brothers.
It doesn't really matter whether you do 10 hill repeats or you go for a long ride and hit a series of hills, or even just ride into a strong headwind - just ride hard, then recover.
The most influential factor could be the weather, particularly the Mistral.
Jo Burt's account and the bloke who rode up it on a Raleigh Chopper might be worth a look:
http://road.cc/content/feature/89329-ventoux-three
http://road.cc/content/news/118521-raleigh-chopper-rider-reaches-summit-...
I'm looking at doing the same thing this summer along with bagging a couple of other climbs to add to the collection.
I've been brought up on 39/53 and was lucky enough to have the following climbs as part of my regular riding routes.
http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Canencia&qryMountainID=4191
http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Navafria&qryMountainID=4698
http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Puerto-de-Cotos&qryMountainID=4856
http://climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Puerto-de-la-Morcuera&qryMountainID...
All were done on 39/29 as I decided to put a larger cog on the rear and in fact I managed to climb Morcuera and Canencia without dropping off the larger chain ring.
Like you, I'm nervous about the gearing needed and am considering taking two bikes 39/53 and a compact but I think I'll simply look at a 30t cog for the rear on the 39/53.
These climbs are more about finding a rhythm and sticking with it, switching off the mind and getting on with it. Enjoy the easy parts as a time to save energy.
I'll just put a footnote that I was beaten by the 12% of Bola del Mundo though...
Age 48 and a bit more than 75kg.
Good luck and enjoy.
Oh, I'm 12 stone ( about 76kg ), 5ft 10 and 43.
Thanks for the comments. I haven't got the bike yet but its an ex Pro Team one so being second hand I doubt the shop will change anything for free!! Yes, I know the mountains won't be easy, if it was every man and his dog would ride them!! I was just seeing what might be best so that, if needed, I knew I had a lower gear to drop to, thats all. Maybe I should see how it goes, but change the current cassette to either 11-29 or 12-29.
Only time will tell on the hills!!
If you haven't picked your new bike up yet why not get the bike shop to change the crankset to a compact - my lbs would and have done this for me in the past at no charge.
34/27 has a GI of 33.1 (assuming 23C tyres and crank length of 172.5mm)
39/29 has a GI of 35.3, that's only a 6% difference from your Bianchi's easiest gear.
Chances are in the time from getting it to going away to Ventoux etc. you'll be used to it and have grown stronger to be able to cope with it. I think you're worrying about nothing.
If you're going to struggle with 39/29 then you'll also struggle with 34/27, climbing proper mountains is hard whichever way you look at it!
Smallest you can get onto a Campagnolo double is a 39T.
My Centaur 10-speed is a compact 50-34t, but is, admittedly, three years old now. Do they no longer make them?
Compacts and standards have a different BCD (Bolt Circle Diameter).
So you either buy a compact or a standard, though thinking about it the 4 arm ones now do the lot, so if it's running 2015 Record OnTheRopes post was correct.
Is it possible to fit 52 x 36 semi compact to your cranks? Combine that with a 27 rear sprocket will make some difference.
I rode Ventoux in September.I have a compact 50/34 on my De Rosa but changed the rear cassette to a 29.
It's a bugger of a climb and goes up to 12% in some places depending on which route you take.
In hindsight I would have trained a bit harder on the hills before going.I did get up it but it will all depend on your fitness.
Oh and I turned 51 in November and was around 82kgs at the time of riding it and am 5'9" if that helps.
Only you can really answer this. I rode both hills when I was 100Kg with a 39-25 smallest gear. I've ridden the Ventoux a number of times since, it was nice to have a 34 compact, but by no means *necessary*.
So, you may well be fine. If you want to make a change then I'd go for the longer rear mech & larger cassette option, personally!
Good luck whatever you end up using