Gearing for the alps

wanderer 22

I’m heading tothe Italian Alps this July for 5 days of climbing and torture.
I’m currently using a 50/34, 12/25 compact butseriously thinking of changing to a 12/28 or 12/30 - the setup I have now is fine for the Wicklowhills but not sure how I’ll cope with 20km ascents..any thoughts on whether it’sworth the hassle and expense ofchanging?

A certain boardsie tells me to stick with whatI have but he’s an animal :P

To elaborate a bit I’m a lightweight lad (60kg) and a decent enough climber (well I hope so - I’m sh*te at everything else)

AstraMonti

For your weight 34/25 will be more than you'll need. Last year I did the Raid on 39/27 and I never felt I was out of gears, and am almost 20kgs heavier than you. And I am not even a good climber. If you are in doubt, get a 12/27 just to have the ease of mind.

resdubwhite

At 92 kg I am heading over with 12/30 and sweating buckets...........


6 weeks to go.

Raam

Depends on how many climbs a day you plan on doing. Going by your weight only (I've no idea of your form) then you would be fine on a 25 but if you are going for long days with lots of climbing then you might well want the 27. You could always bring both and the tools to change it should you realise on the first day that you need the easier gears.

wanderer 22

Cheers...stupid question but would I need to change my chain (curently 10 speed ultegra)if i changed cassette?

Raam

Chain whip, lockring tool specific for Shimano and an adjustable wrench.

You can get some lockrings which will remove the need for an adjustable wrench.

Edit: just realised that I answered a question which wasn't asked. Oh well.

AstraMonti

From 25 to 27 no you'll be fine.

resdubwhite

colm18 wrote: »

Cheers...stupid question but would I need to change my chain (curently 10 speed ultegra)if i changed cassette?

thats the rule of thumb.


But if your chain is in good nick....... REally is a judgement call.

Surveyor11

AstraMonti wrote: »

From 25 to 27 no you'll be fine.

Rather looking at 'em than for 'em, IMHO.

colm_gti

colm18 wrote: »

Cheers...stupid question but would I need to change my chain (curently 10 speed ultegra)if i changed cassette?

If your chain is cut for a 25t, you might need a new chain to accommodate the 28t, or else stay well away from the lower gears when in the 50t. As long as there is a definite bend in the chain and it's not running in a straight line through the derailleur jockey wheels then you're fine

letape

I'm 10kgs heavier than you and no doubt not as good a climber and on my trip to the Pyrenees a few years ago I got on fine with a 34*27.

There were times on the Tourmalet and other climbs when I was looking for a lower gear, but I reckon you always will when climbing for 90 mins.

If you are fit and at that weight a 25 should be fine and you definitely wouldn't need less than a 27.

On my bike, I have no problem switching cassettes that range from a 23 to a 27 without having to change the chain.

8kvscdpglqnyr4

Definitely put on the 27.

I've been to the Alps and Pyrenees a few times and I'd consider myself a pretty good climber. I've been over there with every combination at this stage ... my first few trips I had a triple at the front (30 in the front with a 27 at the back) and I used all the gears. If you're going up the hills hard or at very low cadence, then you'll be fine with a 34/25 but if you want to be able to relax and spin a little and take some pressure of the muscles in your legs, then it's nice to have the option.

If you look at Strava for the average speeds on some of the climbs in the Alps, 14kph can be a very good average speed. Now use this to calculate the cadence you'll have at 14kph on a 34/25 and 34/27
Then decide if you'll be comfortable at that cadence for an hour or more ... depending on the length of the climb.

Lumen

Take all the gears!

manwithaplan

I'd stick on a 27 just to be on the safe side. Do it before you go and make sure your chain isn't slipping. Chain length shouldn't be a problem but chain wear might be.

velopeloton

At 60kg 34-25 sounds like more than enough.

wanderer 22

Looks like the 25s are in the lead..cheers for the responses lads

ROK ON

My weight fluctuates between 90-92kg.
I was in the Pyrenees last year with a 34/27.
I was never repeat never looking for more gears and I am almost 50% heavier than you with most of that differential being pure fat I would imagine.

The fact that you are even asking the question is a bit silly.

wanderer 22

I thought it would make sense to get advice from those who actually had first hand experience of Alps/pyrenees climbs - mission accomplished

josealdo

I'm going to the French alps around Grenoble , I'll be on a 34-28 . I'm wondering should I go for the 30 on the back ???

Raam

figs666 wrote: »

I'm going to the French alps around Grenoble , I'll be on a 34-28 . I'm wondering should I go for the 30 on the back ???

Do the trip on a 28, then come back and let us know if that was OK for you.

wanderer 22

Raam wrote: »

Do the trip on a 28, then come back and let us know if that was OK for you.

If you could do it on a 25 that'd be even better..

josealdo

I completed 6 classic climbs on an aluminium bike with 50/34 up front and a 28/11 rear . On mont Ventoex I could have done with more gears , but that could have more to do with the 3 big climbs cycled the previous 2 days and my lack of experience and saddle time . all in all , great trip but these gears served me well .

bambergbike

At your weight I think you should be fine if you have a compact, regardless of what's on the back, even if you're planning to carry a load of gear or take in a fair few passes. I wasn't far short of twice your weight when I cycled over the Alps in 2009, and I was happy enough with my gearing then (a compact on the front, nothing special on the back.) I would pay more attention to things like your wheels - I broke a spoke and buckled a wheel on a descent in the Dolomites.

I met a very tall, lanky guy who didn't have a compact or any kind of granny gear on that trip, and we had a bit of a comical hare-tortoise race up to Fai della Paganella, over the Andalo and down to Lake Garda. He was a fit bike courier and I was a fat desk slave, but he had disadvantaged himself with his gearing to the point where we were almost evenly matched. He kept shooting off into the distance, but he needed such long breaks to recover from pushing his big gears that I caught him every time and we finally rolled in to Riva and sat down to pizza together.

He was a textbook example of how you can make life hard for yourself in the Alps and still survive and enjoy your holiday:

-No mountain gears
-A big courier bag full of heavy camping gear slung across his shoulders
- No map, just a heavy "how to cycle over the Alps" book
- No climbing at all before his TransAlp - he worked as a courier in a pancake-flat town and that was his training.

He regretted not having fitted an MTB cassette, but he was fine.
You'll be fine, too.

josealdo

I could have done with another gear , and of course more training , hills especially .

glennbhoy

cycling in the French alps last week
average rider,78kg used compact and was grand for everything we did, probably max 12-13%

did alp d'huez TT in 1hr and 6mins

Wishbone Ash

glennbhoy wrote: »

average rider,78kg used compact

Same weight as you. I'm going at the end of August. What did you have on the rear - a 28?

glennbhoy

50/34

28-11

Wishbone Ash

glennbhoy wrote: »

50/34

28-11

Thanks glennbhoy. Same gearing here. I'm a very average climber so I'm a bit apprehensive. I was thinking of getting a 30.

glennbhoy

to be honest i just spinned away, hardly out of my seat

you will be grand, most hills we did where like goign up howth hill from the village, just for a couplel of hours:eek:

enjoy

gman2k

http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2012/07/16/tour-tech-wiggos-di2-derailleur-hack/

Wiggins used a MTB cassette with a modified di2 rear mech to get extra inches!

Wishbone Ash

gman2k wrote: »

http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2012/07/16/tour-tech-wiggos-di2-derailleur-hack/

Wiggins used a MTB cassette with a modified di2 rear mech to get extra inches!

With that set-up, would he not be in danger of running out of gears on the descents?

josealdo

it makes perfect sense , wigo and the rest of us make our peak power at a certain cadence so by allowing yourself to be able to spin at that cadence going up a 12% climb makes perfect sense .

gman2k

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

With that set-up, would he not be in danger of running out of gears on the descents?

Nope!