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Gearing For Draycott Steep 1.9 km @ 11.4%

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  • May 8, 2018 at 10:29 pm #28490
    Bonification

    Hey everyone,

    I am going to be staying in Somerset in a few weeks and am wanting to do some riding in the Mendips.

    I want to do a ride involving Draycott Steep which is 1.9km at 11.4% (https://www.strava.com/segments/659038), and seeing as I have never done anything that steep  am worried that the gearing on my Cannondale Supersix Evo won’t get me through the sections which go up to 20%. I currently have an 11-28 casette and a  52/36 crank. It would be great to get some advice on whether I would I be better off switching to a compact on the front or putting on an 11-32 on the back?

    I only started  cycling seriously a year ago, but seem to be among the quicker riders on the short and not particularly steep Cambridgeshire lumps. I am 80 kg  and still have youth on my side if that helps at all.

     

    Thanks in advance!

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Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 39 total)
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  • May 15, 2018 at 7:20 am #919159
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    kungdog

    A Shimano 105 11-32 is just

    A Shimano 105 11-32 is just over £30, not that much to spend. You may end up using it more often in the future.

    May 14, 2018 at 3:33 pm #919157
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    PRSboy
    HLaB wrote:
    I wouldn’t change it for a one off but I’m only 62kg and a tightwad (although a slightly older one) 😉 

    Your purpose also has a bearing, eg is it pure leisure for instance and you can go at your own pace. Good Luck

     

    Also, its not just about the one-off climb… surely the elevation gain for the whole ride is important, compared to what you are used to?

    May 14, 2018 at 1:47 pm #919155
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    HLaB

    I wouldn’t change it for a

    I wouldn’t change it for a one off but I’m only 62kg and a tightwad (although a slightly older one) 😉 

    Your purpose also has a bearing, eg is it pure leisure for instance and you can go at your own pace. Good Luck

    May 14, 2018 at 11:53 am #919153
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    Martyn_K

    Lot’s of questions to

    Lot’s of questions to consider on this………

    What are you riding for?

    Simply leisure, then get the best gearing you can in the most cost effective way you can. If you are ‘training’ or challenging yourself then take the bike as it is and see how you get on.

    It is impossible to give great advice on an internet forum as nobody knows your fitness level, ability or bike handling skills. All we can do is try to prompt thought processes that will get you to make the right decision for you.

     

    I mention bike handling because one thing that should not be underestimated is the challenge of going up steep inclines slowly. This year i have set myself the goal of being able to trackstand, so my slow/ static bike handling has really improved. While grinding my way up Haresfield Beacon a couple of weeks ago in the 39/25 i really needed that bike handling to stay upright. If you are confident of keeping balance and not having to panic unclip at very low cadence then your gearing will be ok. Bail out at low speed and it’s impossible to get going again on the steep stuff.

    There are some cracking climbs out that way. Give the Old Bristol Road out of Wells a try and Burrington Combe is a good climb without the traffic of Cheddar.

     

     

    May 12, 2018 at 2:54 pm #919151
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    nickW1

    I would head over to the

    I would head over to the quantocks rather than the mendips some great climbs and the roads are a bit quieter 

    May 10, 2018 at 3:16 pm #919149
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    fukawitribe

    They also do a 13-30 with a

    They also do a 13-30 with a 16T… (Primato Light)

    13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25-27-30

    May 10, 2018 at 3:10 pm #919147
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    mikewood

    If it’s 10sp there’s no 16 on

    If it’s 10sp there’s no 16 on a 12-29. There is on a 12-27 though

    May 10, 2018 at 2:47 pm #919145
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    StraelGuy

    I’ve always run 11-28 but

    I’ve always run 11-28 but noticed that Miche do a 12-29 with the fabled 16 tooth cog that everyone loves. The second this cassette is toast, I’m going Miche yes.

    May 10, 2018 at 1:03 pm #919143
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    PRSboy

    I’m sure you’ll make it up,

    I’m sure you’ll make it up, but it will be a lot easier and more fun on a 32t.

    I can never understand the machismo surrounding being in too high a gear on hills.  

    A bigger issue for me is that if you are doing a hillier ride than you are used to, then the cumulative effort of grinding away in too high a gear up hills will cause undue fatigue and at worst, injury …maybe a knee or tendon, but I am also reminded of an occasion many moons ago when I was on a steep hill at the end of a long ride, out of the saddle, both quads cramped, I failed to unclip and was dumped in the road!

     

     

    May 9, 2018 at 5:52 pm #919141
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    aegisdesign

    Well this thread has made me

    Well this thread has made me feel better. 

    My commute has a 4.7km hill climb ranging 5 to 9% (about 1km is 9%). I’ve no idea what my weight is, no idea what my power output is and I can only vaguely remember I’m not yet 50.

    Generally I’ll ride up it in 39/26.

    Occasionally if I’ve got shopping in my rucksack or two laptops perhaps instead of one, I’ll use the 30t inner. 

    I wouldn’t worry about a 1.9km long climb. You’ll be fine.

     

    May 9, 2018 at 3:43 pm #919139
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    Htc

    I ride a 52/36 and 11-28, did

    I ride a 52/36 and 11-28, did the tour de Yorkshire sportive this weekend. The first half of the climb out Pately Bridge averaged just over 10% for 1.5km, in the 36-28 my avg cadence was 64 and my NP was 328w to keep that gear turning over.. I weight 72kg.

    May 9, 2018 at 3:33 pm #919137
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    kungdog

    I do most of my riding around

    I do most of my riding around south Bristol and the Mendips and ridden that a few times. It’s certainly one of the harder climbs around there. If you’re not used to steep climbs, there’s plenty of other options that kick up to similar gradients but not so sustained.

    You can see more detail of that climb on here https://veloviewer.com/segment/659038

    May 9, 2018 at 3:25 pm #919135
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    Mr Pennington

    Considering your riding area

    Considering your riding area with your current gear ratios, your muscle groups haven’t been developed enough to attack an ascent of that grade. Go with the lowest ratio you can find 34/32. If your rear end has a short cage you’ll need to turn the B-Screw almost all the way in. And going from 52/36 to 50/34 you’ll need to resize the chain. IMO

    May 9, 2018 at 1:53 pm #919133
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    Rapha Nadal

    Are you seriously going to

    Are you seriously going to change your gearing for a climb of 1.9km?!  I think you’ll be fine with what you currently have. I’m 92kg and run 36/29 as my biggest gear and that get’s me up almost anything.

    May 9, 2018 at 1:07 pm #919131
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    Mungecrundle

    I reckon you will be fine,

    I reckon you will be fine, but you may have to drop into the small ring.

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