Dragon Ride Gearing

[Graham O]

Bit of advice / info required.

Does anyone know what the max gradient on the Dragon Ride is ?

I only have a 39-25 lowest gear at the moment, and am wondering whether I will get away with it.

I am guessing that I will need to get a bigger cassette. Don't want to spend much at the moment, so a compact is out of the question.

[huw williams]

Nothing to worry about - the Devils elbow climb is gone this year and there's nothing else as steep on the ride.

It's a case of long (and I mean long) draggy climbs rather than ToSH type steep climbs

You'd get away with it but I'd suggest a 27 on the back if you're not going for a compact. Would make things lessy fraught second time up the Bwlch

H

[Graham O]

Huw,

That doesn't sound too bad...

I went up Ditchling Beacon on the 39-25 a couple of weeks ago and that was reasonably hard, but was doable. I think that Ditchling is 1 in 10 in places.

I guess that bylch will be longer. Would you sat that it is steeper than Ditchling ?

Cheers,

Graham..

[huw williams]

Its not as steep as Ditchling - but you only went up Ditchling once - Now, imagine if you'd had to ride five Ditchlings how your legs would have felt on the fifth one. The cummulative effects of climbing hill after hill on a 39/25 will be completely different to spinning faster on a compact or at least a 39/27

In short, after six hours of riding up hills in a big gear your legs are far more likely to be complaining than if you'd spun a lower gear faster

But each to his own - there are plenty of riders out there who'll be riding a 25 or even a 23!!! If that's what you're comfortable with stick to it - just remember, having a 27 doesn't mean you HAVE to use it - but it might just come in handy if you've got nothing much in your legs late on.

[Graham O]

Nuff Said...12-27 Ordered

[Sylv]

Huw what about going up the Ventoux on a 34*17 mtb?

[huw williams]

Yeah but you only weigh 30 kilos

[Sylv]

That'll be my only gear anyway so I won't get the choice ... (apart from doing it fixed or freewheeled as I have a reversile hub)

[Ian A4size]

thats about the same as 39*19, not for me- i used a 39*26 and sweated an awful lot

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

I do all my riding round the flatlands of the South with 39*23, and Ditchling is not a problem, albeit a bit slow.

BUt visiting the Alps, went 1st time with 39*26 - then next time 39*28, and finally fitted a triple The difference is amazing by keeping a higher cadence, speed is a bit slower, but the effort required based on heart rate alone is much less.

[-Adam-]

I was wondering about gears for the alps... should i take it as a given that a 39x25 is going to hurt then? Was thinking about getting a 39x27, but didn't really want to spend £40 for the sake of one extra sprocket!

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Do Shimano charge THAT much

[-Adam-]

Still probably half the price of Campag

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]39x25 is going to hurt then?

[SimonJOsborne]

Is a get out of jail sprocket favourable to a compact?