46-36 & letape Acte I

blorg

11-28 should be fine but it depends on the bike. On most of my bikes it works OK with 50-34 and short cage RD but on one the chain was too slack in small-small even with 12-27. It should certainly work with a long cage RD. It is a good choice for this sort of event but excessively gappy for general use. I really appreciated the 34-28 on the Marmotte but 12-27 is much better for lesser efforts.

lafors

I went to a 12-27 from a 12-25 but after realising the 12 ain't going to cut it on the decents in the alps after some nice decending here and I may as well try a 28 while I'm at it so I've ordered an 11-28 (HG80). It should work with my compact 34-50, been reading up on reviews etc and they seem to say I should be OK.

Sure its cheap enough anyway....before I added a load of other things while browsing wiggle :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

blorg

12 is more than enough on Alpine descents; the main limiting factor is your cornering skill, followed by tuck and, on these events, ability to safely overtake other riders. Gearing does not come into it.

The only place where it makes any odds on the Marmotte course is the straight, very shallow (2%) descent off the Lauteret, and even there it is not a big deal and 12 is OK.

Concern yourself only with the other end. I used an 11-28 because I had one and wanted the 28... 12-28 would be preferable.

seve65

blorg wrote: »

11-28 should be fine but it depends on the bike. On most of my bikes it works OK with 50-34 and short cage RD but on one the chain was too slack in small-small even with 12-27. It should certainly work with a long cage RD. It is a good choice for this sort of event but excessively gappy for general use. I really appreciated the 34-28 on the Marmotte but 12-27 is much better for lesser efforts.

cheers blorg and lafors for the good feedback. will defo give 11-28 a whirl, i try not to use the small-small combo anyway. more of a concern if the rear der. rubs on the 28, hopefully if it does some adjustments will sort that out.

seve65

I have now swapped my shimano CS-HG50 12-25 cassette for a CS-HG80 11-28. gear changes are fine

But there is now a rumble in the 11, 12 and 13 teeth sprockets, most pronounced when combined with the 48 tooth front chainring (34 tooth chain ring is relatively new)

I havent checked the chain for wear, but was hoping switching to a new chain might sort the issue. I was planning sooner or later to upgrade the 48 teeth front ring to 50 teeth so might as well do that now.

Anybody else experience of this kind of 'rumbling' ?

2 Wheels Good

How's the training going?
If anyone needs motivation for what's ahead
LA from 2001
Looks steeper every time i watch it

seve65

trainings going ok. was down with a few of the gang going with Trail seekers And Sean O'leary on the weekend. Had a great time and tried a few climbs.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/353687
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/353669
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/353658

Looking forward to the Etape big time now !

still got ongoing hip/bum pain probably from IBS, as knees were initially affected as well. Blame it on the dreaded Mullaganish mast climb ! Found some stretches that help - the pigeon pose. So trying to hold myself back a bit and spinning the gears faster instead. Also lowered the saddle a touch.

Rumble on the 11,12 and 13 rings is not significant when riding really, so will ignore for now. Got some clipless pedals on the bike now which make a difference. Also just put a 50 chain ring on the front tonight (dont think I actually need it as the 48-11 gives me more than enough oomph, still having bought it, it had to go on). Also added a new chain last night as the old one was past the 12 and 1/8 inch rule ! Gear cable is a bit frayed now though...sloppy workman (myself!)...so might replace that along with the brake cables which are also bit squashed in places...yet more stuff, it never stops. Maybe a couple of brake blocks, 2 tyres and 2 inners before the Letape and that will be it. Of course a new cycling top or maybe bib shorts.....!

seve65

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

If anyone needs motivation for what's ahead LA from 2001

That clips inspirational and really gets me going, but I know it shouldnt given all the stuff around Armstrong and his less than effervescent self.

On a different note, I have been cycling up and down the sides of a small valley between upper glanmire and whites cross, which gives some short steep climbing and descending practice.:D

Plastik

Nice little alpine hairpin there for you to practice on also

ROK ON

Was that ye in Kenmare this weekend.
I passed a big group of cyclists getting fed on Molls Gap on Saturday afternoon. Also passed a group Sunday around noon as I was heading back to Kenmare from the Healy Pass.

seve65

ROK ON wrote: »

Was that ye in Kenmare this weekend.
I passed a big group of cyclists getting fed on Molls Gap on Saturday afternoon. Also passed a group Sunday around noon as I was heading back to Kenmare from the Healy Pass.

sounds about right. Healys Pass is fantastic isnt it ! First time for me.

ROK ON

seve65 wrote: »

sounds about right. Healys Pass is fantastic isnt it ! First time for me.

On a phone so can't read your ridewithgps files. Where else did ye do?
Borlin?
Priest Leap?
Ballaghasheen/Ballaghbeama?

2 Wheels Good

seve65 wrote: »

trainings going ok. was down with a few of the gang going with Trail seekers And Sean O'leary on the weekend. Had a great time and tried a few climbs.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/353687
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/353669
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/353658

Looking forward to the Etape big time now !

still got ongoing hip/bum pain probably from IBS, as knees were initially affected as well. Blame it on the dreaded Mullaganish mast climb ! Found some stretches that help - the pigeon pose. So trying to hold myself back a bit and spinning the gears faster instead. Also lowered the saddle a touch.

Rumble on the 11,12 and 13 rings is not significant when riding really, so will ignore for now. Got some clipless pedals on the bike now which make a difference. Also just put a 50 chain ring on the front tonight (dont think I actually need it as the 48-11 gives me more than enough oomph, still having bought it, it had to go on). Also added a new chain last night as the old one was past the 12 and 1/8 inch rule ! Gear cable is a bit frayed now though...sloppy workman (myself!)...so might replace that along with the brake cables which are also bit squashed in places...yet more stuff, it never stops. Maybe a couple of brake blocks, 2 tyres and 2 inners before the Letape and that will be it. Of course a new cycling top or maybe bib shorts.....!

Looks like a nice couple of spins, planning on doing the Kenmare loop alright.

lafors

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

How's the training going?
If anyone needs motivation for what's ahead
LA from 2001
Looks steeper every time i watch it

Not good, back home from Israel though which is good
but still having lower back pain from my injury last July so got an appointment in the orthopaedic dept in the mater to get it sorted once and for all. Hopefully only a cortizone injection and not surgery.

Going out after lunch to do reps of Howth head, hail rain or snow. Need to see how I'm holding up. Sitting seems fine but standing hurts and I'll need to be able to climb standing to alternate positions when climbing to avoid tiring the legs out.

My plan:
Can't commute to work on the bike, too far, so I've the turbo set up again for 1hr sessions when I get home from work. Then will be out every day I'm off....usually 3-4 days a week thanks to shift work Just need to keep the young lad in creche germ infection centre, he's off sick again this week which stops all cycling! :rolleyes:

seve65

for anybody interested, link to the time schedule for the etape with the eliminations:

http://www.letapedutour.com/EDT1/2011/ETDT/presentation/us/itineraire.htm

2 Wheels Good

seve65 wrote: »

for anybody interested, link to the time schedule for the etape with the eliminations:

http://www.letapedutour.com/EDT1/2011/ETDT/presentation/us/itineraire.htm

Thanks, am I reading it right, the first time is the expected time of the leaders, 2nd time is when they stop people continuing?

seve65

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Thanks, am I reading it right, the first time is the expected time of the leaders, 2nd time is when they stop people continuing?

I think so

2 Wheels Good

Might not be as bad as it looks, will try and guesstimate the rolling times over the weekend. Splitting it into 2 really, as long as we make it to the top of the Galibier that's part 1 over, then it's just a rest with a simple 14k spin up the Alpe to finish

lafors

That's quite a bit of a difference, over 5hrs at the finish line.
If you think about it, this isn't a sportive really so you shouldn't have too many people doing it without having done quite a bit of training so 5 hrs should do it.
It gives you nearly 8hrs to complete a 109km course....ok so it does include a few hills but it still should be enough

seve65

Nice bit of hill repeat training today !

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/219065

2 Wheels Good

seve65 wrote: »

Nice bit of hill repeat training today !

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/219065

Seve, how many times did you do the climb?

seve65

11 times up and down the side of the valley, hence the 22 peaks on the graph, + 1 to get up there from Glanmire.

2 Wheels Good

How'd everyone get on in Acte 1? Nice to watch it on TV today. Pros going slightly quicker than us today

seve65

Finished....it was hot on the Alpe wasnt it ?

5hr 5, silver medal.
http://app.strava.com/rides/932016

Elated, but also a bit disappointed, as I spent the week focussing on keeping my heart rate at <140 after getting some tightness in my chest on the first day doing the alpe (and not breaking the hour:mad:). So cant help feeling I could have actually pushed more, still the overall average was close to what it might be for any 100K+ ride. So maybe thats just a realistic result. My descents were not too bad, and was good not to have an accident through those crap tunnels. Was ace bombing it down the dual carriage way out of Modane passing absolutely everyone just by lying on the bars. Overdid it a bit on one section (heart rate went out of the window) on one point down to Bourg were Id gone to the front of a chain of riders and blasted it up a small climb, left them all for dead but found myself involuntarily rapid breathing (not the normal out of breath kind of stuff). This also wasnt on the Drs orders, so had to get back down to a normal pace again and take care.

So as I say elated and disappointed, I had months of training where I was out with my 'race face' with a burning desire to get the job done. I never once felt like that on the day, so not sure whether that means I underperformed or just a bit of training psychology at work.

Best bit was the craic with the lads&lasses on the trail seekers tour though.

We also did the Croix de la fer/Glandon west, boy is that relentless, much tougher than Galibier and Alpe in my book.
http://app.strava.com/rides/932013

damo80

seve65 wrote: »

Finished....it was hot on the Alpe wasnt it ?

5hr 5, silver medal.
http://app.strava.com/rides/932016

Elated, but also a bit disappointed, as I spent the week focussing on keeping my heart rate at <140 after getting some tightness in my chest on the first day doing the alpe (and not breaking the hour:mad:). So cant help feeling I could have actually pushed more, still the overall average was close to what it might be for any 100K+ ride. So maybe thats just a realistic result. My descents were not too bad, and was good not to have an accident through those crap tunnels. Was ace bombing it down the dual carriage way out of Modane passing absolutely everyone just by lying on the bars. Overdid it a bit on one section (heart rate went out of the window) on one point down to Bourg were Id gone to the front of a chain of riders and blasted it up a small climb, left them all for dead but found myself involuntarily rapid breathing (not the normal out of breath kind of stuff). This also wasnt on the Drs orders, so had to get back down to a normal pace again and take care.

So as I say elated and disappointed, I had months of training where I was out with my 'race face' with a burning desire to get the job done. I never once felt like that on the day, so not sure whether that means I underperformed or just a bit of training psychology at work.

Best bit was the craic with the lads&lasses on the trail seekers tour though.

We also did the Croix de la fer/Glandon west, boy is that relentless, much tougher than Galibier and Alpe in my book.
http://app.strava.com/rides/932013

The Sean o leary change of plan tour hey

seve65

I will never forget the immortal words uttered on the coach 'galibier,we come from Galibier' to one of the french organisers. Had a fit of uncontrollable laughter, at the thought of all the Paddy Galibians driving over the Galibier at 4 in the morning.:):)