39/53 for hillclimbs

bog_savage

Just got a new bike with a 39/53 crankset .
I had a 34/50 before this which I found ok for hills upto 5%
However I have a cycle coming up this weekend which has hill sections upto 9% . Will this make it climbing much harder or is this crankset too much for this type of cycle

Cee-Jay-Cee

bog_savage wrote: »

Just got a new bike with a 39/53 crankset .
I had a 34/50 before this which I found ok for hills upto 5%
However I have a cycle coming up this weekend which has hill sections upto 9% . Will this make it climbing much harder or is this crankset too much for this type of cycle

It depends on what cassette you have on the rear. If you have as 12/28 then you may not find it too bad if the hill is shortish but on a long climb if you just just managed with a 50/34 crankset then you may find the going tough on a standard double crankset.

bog_savage

Its an 11-25 , climbs are 7km at 5% & 3km at 9%

Would new bike being 3kg lighter help ?

quozl

There's a reasonable chance that your rear cassette has a tighter range of gears than your old one did. A bike that comes with a standard double often also comes with a fairly tight rear cassette.

So your lowest gear may well be even higher than just the change to the standard double would suggest. If you know what your old cassette was and what your new one is, you can work out the difference. That'll give you some idea but the numbers don't tell the whole story as a 20% higher gear will feel a whole lot more than 20% harder if the lower gear was barely comfortable.

I see plenty of people going around Wicklow with standard doubles and a 25 or less largest sprocket on the back, so the bike isn't unsuited to 9% gradients. It might be unsuited to you and 9% gradients without changing the rear cassette though

Chips Lovell

If you had an 11-25 on your previous bike, then yes, you've got bigger gearing on the new one.

Will it make climbing harder? That depends on how strong you are. If you were using your lowest gear on climbs of 5 per cent, then you'll find it tough on climbs of 9 per cent on the new bike. If you had plenty of gears to spare, then you might be alright.

sham58107

you should have no problem on 39 x 25, if you pace yourself and with lighter bike you should really notice
enjoy

Rita1

bog_savage wrote: »

Its an 11-25 , climbs are 7km at 5% & 3km at 9%

It all depends how strong you are, for me have 53/39 and 12-27 cassette I wouldn't want anything lower than a 27 but thats just me. 25 would bust my B*lls.:D

Peterx

I have an 11-28 cassette with a 39/53 on the front and quite often use the 28 on Wickla spins.
I'd recommend getting the 28 if you are going to buy another cassette.
You will manage with the 25 but the 28 is just that bit easier and more enjoyable, especially when the leggies are getting tired.

outfox

bog_savage wrote: »

Its an 11-25 , climbs are 7km at 5% & 3km at 9%

Sounds like you're doing the tour de midlands. There's been no boards activity on this. I signed up in a mad panic in Aug, as soon as I found out that the SKT Waterford was booked out.

nilhg

outfox wrote: »

Sounds like you're doing the tour de midlands. There's been no boards activity on this. I signed up in a mad panic in Aug, as soon as I found out that the SKT Waterford was booked out.

I'm going, looks like it should be a decent day out, if it is this that the OP is talking about then he has the right bike for the sprint to and from the Blooms, The Cut isn't steep but is a long drag and the worst bits are near the end, the Wolftrap is different, three distinct ramps with some recovery space in between:

http://veloviewer.com/segments/1420988


As always the trick with hills like these is to save a bit for the end.

bog_savage

Yep that's the event.
Ordered a 12-28 to be on safe side but it didnt arrive in time ! So guess I'll just have to toughenup
Was out for a spin last night and one of the lads has a garmin and could tell me what % the hills on regular route is. Think I should be fine for most of the climbs

DirkVoodoo

You will be fine. Just take it nice and easy up to the climbs.

See yiz all there!

The tax man

Hoping to enter in the morning, missed the online cut off.
Want to try a get a picture with Kelly and a Vitus 979 bike I have.

MRJ

Heading myself too, hope the weather stays good.

Ryath

Tempted to pop over myself €50 is a bit steep though. Would have been ok with the €35 for pre reg wasn't sure if I was going to be free to do it before it closed though.

Just to stay on topic you'll be fine on the cut with 39/25 take it handy though and save yourself for the steeper ramps on the wolftrap. I use the same gearing my self and find it fine most of the time. Early in season with out much miles in the legs it can be hard work. I'm usually trying to keep some pretty good climbers in my sights though probably would be grand if I wasn't so competitive and did them at my own pace.

MRJ

What sort of numbers are they expecting for this?

bog_savage

Appears to be about 250 registered , dont know if thats for 120k or 80 & 120

http://www.fitmagazine.ie/events/race/the-sean-kelly-tour-of-the-midlands/P416

bog_savage

Was a really nice well run event , found the first hill fine .
Wolf Trap was tough with the higher gear ratio , had to walk twice on the really steep sections , Id say a 12-28 cassette would have got me through a lot easier . Otherwise happy enough

MRJ

Fair play to Tullamore CC great event two good climbs had gone with the intention of doing the 80K but chanced my arm and went with the 120K. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitly one for next year.

outfox

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Lovely flat roads for most of it, and pretty decent tarmac. The climbs were fine too. Very wll run - hats off to the organisers.
I thought cups of tea were great after a long cycle in cold weather, but that soup really hit the spot.

The tax man

Great day out, thanks to all involved. Soup really hit the spot.
Good to catch up with DirkVoodoo en route.

G1032

Just resurrecting this thread to look for some opinions.....

Only really started regular cycling this summer and it's mostly be flat enough cycles I've been doing.

Got a new bike a couple weeks ago with a 39/52 crankset and a 12/25 rear cassette.

So I did this little climb on Sunday last - http://www.strava.com/segments/windy-gap-castlebar-696468
I didn't find it impossibly hard but I did look for an easier gear half way up and it wasn't there!! Some parts of it I found very tough alright. I think the gradient peaks at 17% in one spot.

I want to do this climb - http://www.strava.com/segments/minaun-climb-2573565
Question is..... Am I delusional to think I can climb it with a 12/25 rear cassette? I wouldn't have the strongest legs that ever walked the planet. If I found the first climb I posted above hard will I have any chance with the second climb?
I'll have to ride 50 - 60km to get to it in the first place. Is it something I need to train for?

ford2600

G1032 wrote: »

Just resurrecting this thread to look for some opinions.....

Only really started regular cycling this summer and it's mostly be flat enough cycles I've been doing.

Got a new bike a couple weeks ago with a 39/52 crankset and a 12/25 rear cassette.

So I did this little climb on Sunday last - http://www.strava.com/segments/windy-gap-castlebar-696468
I didn't find it impossibly hard but I did look for an easier gear half way up and it wasn't there!! Some parts of it I found very tough alright. I think the gradient peaks at 17% in one spot.

I want to do this climb - http://www.strava.com/segments/minaun-climb-2573565
Question is..... Am I delusional to think I can climb it with a 12/25 rear cassette? I wouldn't have the strongest legs that ever walked the planet. If I found the first climb I posted above hard will I have any chance with the second climb?
I'll have to ride 50 - 60km to get to it in the first place. Is it something I need to train for?

Haven't done either climb but yhe one you haven't done looks as tough as is in country. 11.4% over 2.8km.
Way harder than the climb you did. Almost twice the average gradient and longer
Id rather have 34/28 heading for that

G1032

ford2600 wrote: »

Haven't done either climb but yhe one you haven't done looks as tough as is in country. 11.4% over 2.8km.
Way harder than the climb you did. Almost twice the average gradient and longer
Id rather have 34/28 heading for that

How much easier would say having a 28 on the back be as opposed to the 25? Is there a huge difference between the two?
Also , is there a way I can train for a climb like that?

ford2600

G1032 wrote: »

How much easier would say having a 28 on the back be as opposed to the 25? Is there a huge difference between the two?

About 12%.
Google sheldon brown gear ratios