| Author | Subject: New board just for this debate |
| webmaster scary | Posted At 10:27:43 04/29/2003
Since this is the eternal question of this tour I have dedicated this forum just for its discussion. I suggest that you look at Phil on his 5 speed Stingray and decide whether the bike is the most important element of the ride. For the record... I ride a double. Of course it is a 39-53 paired with a 13-28 7 speed in the back. I'd ride a triple if I had the money to buy a new bike but I don't have a job. I have ridden Mount Evans unsupported from Bergen Park and back with this setup. I have also ridden many of the paved high passes in Colorado. |
| Ron Bucholtz |
Re: New board just for this debate (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 01:35:01 04/30/2003 Scary Larry is absolutely right. The bike doesn't really matter - it's the engine and determination of the rider powering the bike. I also ride a double (39-53) and use a 9 speed 12-27 rear cassette but have also completed the tour with a 12-23 before I realized the virtues of spinning per Lance Armstrong. Scary, Cappy (who use old down tube shifters) and Phil (on his 5 speed) make all the climbs as do I - yet we've all seen riders with their $5K Litespeeds, Colnagos, Bianchis, etc. pile out of the SAG wagons atop the climb. If your'e a strong rider go with a double - if you're a new cyclist or do not have alot of experience with climbing than a triple may be right for you. Either way aren't we there just for fun and to drink beer anyway! Up the Hill! Ron |
| Mark |
Re: New board just for this debate (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 13:22:40 04/30/2003 I had a triple ring config up front on one bike and decided to adjust the shifter so that I couldn't use it. Just too many turns of the pedals per foot of distance covered to make it worth-while. Even in the French Alps on very small roads with long 18% climbs I stayed on two rings and forgot about the small one. |
| pete nanni |
Re: New board just for this debate (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 21:26:03 06/18/2003 Careful. Double vs Triple isnt as much a question of how "strong" a cyclist you are as it is basic science. Remember the equation Mass*Grav_const*Height, otherwise known as mgh (potential energy). Physics is dominant in steep grades climbs. So heres my two cents, consider your weight carefully. I did the ride last year and weigh in at 220lbs. I am in very good condition and my legs are in the very strong category at leg presses. However, one cannot sustain such extreme loads for such long time periods efficiently. Therefore, my recommendation is if your weight is over 200lbs, go triple, regardless of conditioning. You will get there faster and more efficiently. My summary of mountain climbs is like leg pressing in the gym, only you do it non-stop for an hour or more. The little guys (165lbs and under) are leg pressing much less than you so gear down to equalize your load. Youll pass many of them on the downhill. |