Wheels and Gearing for Alpine Event?

I am doing a race in central France (Cantal region) this summer. It i
237km in length with 2.8km of total climbing. Also planning on doin
some of the epic climbs of the tour and taking in a stage or two whil
I'm there. Looking for advise on wheels. I am 200+ lbs and an averag
climber. Am considering Mavic Cosmic Carbones or Kyrium SSC SL's. Lik
the aluminum rim for braking (versus carbon) and have used both befor
but never on the type of climbs I'm going to do. I realize that th
Cosmics are a little heavier and more aero (obviously not a benefit i
climbing) but there are quite a few rolling and flatter sections wher
they would be potentially beneficial. I can only bring one wheel se
over. I also was leaning towards tubulars (having used them before
but am concerned about rolling them on the long decents.....is that
real concern

Re gearing, I was considering using 53x39 chain rings with a 9spd. 12x2
cassette however am also looking at changing to an FSA compact 50x3
setup with a 9 spd. 11x23 cassette. Does the flatter gearing more tha
compensate for the slight reduction in bailout gear

Appreciate thoughts/comments

Berni


-

It's much better to have a low gear available that you might not need than
to find that your bottom gear is too high and there is still 10km of the
climb left to go. And a gear that you can manage comfortably on the first
mountain pass of the day is not the same as the gear that you need on the
same climb when you already have 150km and couple of thousand metres of
climbing in your legs.

Just last Sunday we had our annual alpine randonnee of 200km with just over
4000m of climbing. On the last climb (which starts at the 140km point) of
18km at an average 6% gradient, I must have passed several dozen riders who
could no longer push their 39-23 or 39-25 at a cadence much above 40 or so.
At least several of them still had their sense of humour, and offered me any
price I wanted for my 32t chainring...

Nick

"bsouche" wrote in message
...
I am doing a race in central France (Cantal region) this summer. It is
237km in length with 2.8km of total climbing. Also planning on doing
some of the epic climbs of the tour and taking in a stage or two while
I'm there. Looking for advise on wheels. I am 200+ lbs and an average
climber. Am considering Mavic Cosmic Carbones or Kyrium SSC SL's. Like
the aluminum rim for braking (versus carbon) and have used both before
but never on the type of climbs I'm going to do. I realize that the
Cosmics are a little heavier and more aero (obviously not a benefit in
climbing) but there are quite a few rolling and flatter sections where
they would be potentially beneficial. I can only bring one wheel set
over. I also was leaning towards tubulars (having used them before)
but am concerned about rolling them on the long decents.....is that a
real concern?

Re gearing, I was considering using 53x39 chain rings with a 9spd. 12x27
cassette however am also looking at changing to an FSA compact 50x34
setup with a 9 spd. 11x23 cassette. Does the flatter gearing more than
compensate for the slight reduction in bailout gear?

Appreciate thoughts/comments.

Bernie



--

It's much better to have a low gear available that you might not need than
to find that your bottom gear is too high and there is still 10km of the
climb left to go. And a gear that you can manage comfortably on the first
mountain pass of the day is not the same as the gear that you need on the
same climb when you already have 150km and couple of thousand metres of
climbing in your legs.

Just last Sunday we had our annual alpine randonnee of 200km with just over
4000m of climbing. On the last climb (which starts at the 140km point) of
18km at an average 6% gradient, I must have passed several dozen riders who
could no longer push their 39-23 or 39-25 at a cadence much above 40 or so.
At least several of them still had their sense of humour, and offered me any
price I wanted for my 32t chainring...

Nick

"bsouche" wrote in message
...
I am doing a race in central France (Cantal region) this summer. It is
237km in length with 2.8km of total climbing. Also planning on doing
some of the epic climbs of the tour and taking in a stage or two while
I'm there. Looking for advise on wheels. I am 200+ lbs and an average
climber. Am considering Mavic Cosmic Carbones or Kyrium SSC SL's. Like
the aluminum rim for braking (versus carbon) and have used both before
but never on the type of climbs I'm going to do. I realize that the
Cosmics are a little heavier and more aero (obviously not a benefit in
climbing) but there are quite a few rolling and flatter sections where
they would be potentially beneficial. I can only bring one wheel set
over. I also was leaning towards tubulars (having used them before)
but am concerned about rolling them on the long decents.....is that a
real concern?

Re gearing, I was considering using 53x39 chain rings with a 9spd. 12x27
cassette however am also looking at changing to an FSA compact 50x34
setup with a 9 spd. 11x23 cassette. Does the flatter gearing more than
compensate for the slight reduction in bailout gear?

Appreciate thoughts/comments.

Bernie



--

bsouche wrote:
I am doing a race in central France (Cantal region) this summer. It is
237km in length with 2.8km of total climbing. Also planning on doing
some of the epic climbs of the tour and taking in a stage or two while
I'm there. Looking for advise on wheels. I am 200+ lbs and an average
climber. Am considering Mavic Cosmic Carbones or Kyrium SSC SL's. Like
the aluminum rim for braking (versus carbon) and have used both before
but never on the type of climbs I'm going to do. I realize that the
Cosmics are a little heavier and more aero (obviously not a benefit in
climbing) but there are quite a few rolling and flatter sections where
they would be potentially beneficial. I can only bring one wheel set
over. I also was leaning towards tubulars (having used them before)
but am concerned about rolling them on the long decents.....is that a
real concern?

Re gearing, I was considering using 53x39 chain rings with a 9spd. 12x27
cassette however am also looking at changing to an FSA compact 50x34
setup with a 9 spd. 11x23 cassette. Does the flatter gearing more than
compensate for the slight reduction in bailout gear?

Appreciate thoughts/comments.

Bernie

1. Cantal is not in the Alps, so this is not an Alpine event.
2. Le Tour is a race. L'Etape du Tour is not a race.
3. Any wheels you want to use will work, even if your going to do some
other "epic" climbs later in your visit. You may have problems finding
specialty parts in smaller villages or on weekends.
4. Gearing is up to you. It worries me that you describe the course by
"have used both [types of wheels] before but never on the types of climbs
I'm going to do." This is a long stage but not an especially mountainous
one -- the issue is that the two biggest climbs come late in the day. The
course doesn't boast huge grades; rather it rolls up and down, incessantly
so in my opinion. By the end of the day you may want a lowish gear. Climbs
in the Alps and the Pyrenees will be worse. By the end of your visit you
may want a lowish gear.

bsouche wrote:
I am doing a race in central France (Cantal region) this summer. It is
237km in length with 2.8km of total climbing. Also planning on doing
some of the epic climbs of the tour and taking in a stage or two while
I'm there. Looking for advise on wheels. I am 200+ lbs and an average
climber. Am considering Mavic Cosmic Carbones or Kyrium SSC SL's. Like
the aluminum rim for braking (versus carbon) and have used both before
but never on the type of climbs I'm going to do. I realize that the
Cosmics are a little heavier and more aero (obviously not a benefit in
climbing) but there are quite a few rolling and flatter sections where
they would be potentially beneficial. I can only bring one wheel set
over. I also was leaning towards tubulars (having used them before)
but am concerned about rolling them on the long decents.....is that a
real concern?

Re gearing, I was considering using 53x39 chain rings with a 9spd. 12x27
cassette however am also looking at changing to an FSA compact 50x34
setup with a 9 spd. 11x23 cassette. Does the flatter gearing more than
compensate for the slight reduction in bailout gear?

Appreciate thoughts/comments.

Bernie

1. Cantal is not in the Alps, so this is not an Alpine event.
2. Le Tour is a race. L'Etape du Tour is not a race.
3. Any wheels you want to use will work, even if your going to do some
other "epic" climbs later in your visit. You may have problems finding
specialty parts in smaller villages or on weekends.
4. Gearing is up to you. It worries me that you describe the course by
"have used both [types of wheels] before but never on the types of climbs
I'm going to do." This is a long stage but not an especially mountainous
one -- the issue is that the two biggest climbs come late in the day. The
course doesn't boast huge grades; rather it rolls up and down, incessantly
so in my opinion. By the end of the day you may want a lowish gear. Climbs
in the Alps and the Pyrenees will be worse. By the end of your visit you
may want a lowish gear.

Not only you, but 97% of cycling enthusiasts, are
riding gears not even close to your optimum.

I am a sucky climber, so it especially makes me fume when master's
fatties (me) and non-fatties talk about sometimes "needing the 27" ;
as if they are within 10% of Lance's climbing ability.

Look at the math.

Armstrong rides a 39x24 for Alpe d'Huez. If you watch the video of
2002
he is in that gear for real, it's not just a precaution.

So, the best climber in the world rides a, let's call it, 39/24= ~
8/5= 1.6 gear,meaning there's one and sixth/tenth's wheel revs for
each crankset rev.


So how does your power-to-weight ratio compare to Armstrongs?
Say you're 200 lbs and actualy a bit above average, which might be,
say, 75% of Lance's sustained absolute power output. So let's say he
weighs ~150 and can put out, for the sake of argument, 300 watts on a
long climb ( I know it's pobably more but it's the proportions that
matter here.)

( We won't even factor in that he doesn't have to carry 1) a jacket,
2) food, 3)more than one bottle water, 4) a spare tube, 5) a helmet,
6)a pump, 7) a bike that weighs more thn 15 lbs....)

We won't even factor in that there's almost no way you can put out 75%
of what Lance does.

But still, then you could put out about 225 watts. So he's at
300/150= 2 watts per pound and you're at 225/200= 1.125 watts per
pound.

To have the same cadence available as Lance does with his gearing,
you'd want the same ratio between your lowest gear and your
watts/pound.

So, if I haven't fried the cells too much since high school algebra;

1.6:2 ~~ ?:.1.125;
and ? = .9;

This means you need a gear where one revolution of the cranks gives .9
revolution of the wheel. Something like a 30-32 or so.

Your idea of a 34-27, while closer to reality than the total fantasy
of 39-27; is very far off.


To obtain a ".9" gear in this system you would need a triple or very
large rear sprocket, for instance a 50-40-30 with a 27 rear;
or a 50-34 with a 32 rear.

Roberto Heras- ROBERTO HERAS!!!- rode a TRIPLE in parts of the Vuelta;
I can't believe everyone makes believe they
only need a double even in the mountains. Isn't a little ridiculous to
try to ride the same gears as the best climbers in the whole freaking
world?

-Signed;
The Lard Muffin ;
who absollutely INCHES up steep mountains on a MTB crankset 44-32-22
with 12-28.

remove the polite word to reply wrote:
/snip
To obtain a ".9" gear in this system you would need a triple or very
large rear sprocket, for instance a 50-40-30 with a 27 rear;
or a 50-34 with a 32 rear.

Roberto Heras- ROBERTO HERAS!!!- rode a TRIPLE in parts of the Vuelta;
I can't believe everyone makes believe they
only need a double even in the mountains. Isn't a little ridiculous to
try to ride the same gears as the best climbers in the whole freaking
world?

Well said Muff!

~PB

remove the polite word to reply wrote:
/snip
To obtain a ".9" gear in this system you would need a triple or very
large rear sprocket, for instance a 50-40-30 with a 27 rear;
or a 50-34 with a 32 rear.

Roberto Heras- ROBERTO HERAS!!!- rode a TRIPLE in parts of the Vuelta;
I can't believe everyone makes believe they
only need a double even in the mountains. Isn't a little ridiculous to
try to ride the same gears as the best climbers in the whole freaking
world?

Well said Muff!

~PB

remove the polite word to reply wrote:
Isn't a little ridiculous to try to ride the same gears as the best
climbers
in the whole freaking world?

Not necessarily. It's less ridiculous, for example, than thinking that
Armstrong climbed the Alpe d'Huez at 105rpm so you should, too.

remove the polite word to reply wrote:
Isn't a little ridiculous to try to ride the same gears as the best
climbers
in the whole freaking world?

Not necessarily. It's less ridiculous, for example, than thinking that
Armstrong climbed the Alpe d'Huez at 105rpm so you should, too.