[LEL17] Gearing

[ElyDave]

The Northern hills are notable for their length. The stretch from Edinburgh to Langholm can be subject to headwinds, and they make the hills seem even longer, as you might have to pedal downhill.

It's quite handy to have close ratios to vary the cadence, and relieve the knees and achilles. Tiredness often makes riders push too big a gear, and that causes the joint problems.

It's worth visiting the Northern Pennines or Southern Uplands if you don't have much experience of long climbs, Shap is also good training.

Interesting you say that, keeping spinning is very much in my mind.  Although I've done decent hills in both the Alps (steep and long - 900m 12km with 2 flat km in the middle) and Majorca (5km at 5-6%) with no trouble I've no experience of that kind of thing on a 'bent.  Closest thing I get round here is a dead straight road for 15km into a SW gale.

[ElyDave]

(Am I the only rider who finds a 22X34 lowest gear very valuable and often used?)

If I could get a gear that low without comprimising other stuff I'd be happy to have one.
I'm currently running a 50/38/26 up front (an older 5-arm 105 with TA rings) and a 12-30 Campag at the back.   Spinning the 26/30 up steep hills is slower than just about everyone I've ever ridden with, but I've learned it pays dividends in the latter stages of events when I can still use the 50 ring on the flat.

One option I have would be to take the Ultegra triple from the road bike onto the 'bent.  I think it's a 52/39/30 so would go lower than the compact in the granny ring (which I've never used yet)

[Ivo]

48*18 last time, which I used for the whole thing.

Walked 1 hill near Castle Howard both times and Alston cobbles both ways.   The cobbles were more for safety than the gradient.

I can't see any safety issues with the Alston cobbles, they are a lot easier as most Belgian cobbled hills.

It was wet coming down and I don't get much practice on cobbles.   I'm sure there's more confident riders than me, but it's the cost of taking a few extra minutes to walk vs crashing and ruining the whole ride.

Practice is indeed the key word. There are a lot of cobbles in my home town and the nearest cobbled hill is only 15k away.

[Tomsk]

Wet Alston cobblestones, going up or down, when you're tired and it's dark, well, I admit to walking... In 2005, with another 20 gears, and in dry conditions, I managed ok though.

[mattc]

If this was an event like Paris-Roubaix where the cobbles are the main challenge, then of course I'd want to ride the bloody things; and getting some practice beforehand would be smart.

But for 200m of a 1,400,000m ride - pffft, just do what you're comfortable with. Get your butler to push the bike up/down them for all I care!

[L CC]

But for 200m of a 1,400,000m ride - pffft, just do what you're comfortable with. Get your butler to push the bike up/down them for all I care!

Did you say that just because you wanted to see this again???

Photo Credit: ivo


[I'd gone to the loo]

ETA: Some tandems are more equitable. Sylvie helps TheFrenchTandem!

[Chris S]

 

 

[Ivo]

At least he received his reward:

[DrMekon]

At least he received his reward:

I totally rock the socks and sandals look.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

When I did it in 2009 I used my standard gearing a front triple 50x40x30 with a 13 - 25 on the back.  The only time I remember having to concentrate on a climb was the cobbled Alston section, that was done after 9 hours of massive headwinds back from Edinburgh - i.e. fried legs.  I struggled more though on the upper section up to Yad Moss not because of the gradient but because of the wind.  The northern climbs are long rather than steep and a 34 front ring should give you a wide variety of gears to cope with different climatic conditions and fatigue.

[Hot Flatus]

Not ridden LEL, but I do know that how hard a given hill feels is relative to how many miles you have in your legs.

I got up a 25% hill last week on a 53/39 with a 25t sprocket. Managed it with ease. With 1000 miles in my legs and little sleep I'd be struggling with a compact and a 28.

[teethgrinder]

53/17.
That's the ideal gear for LEL.

[postie]

Have you geared down mr toothfairy 😈

[bhoot]

I totally rock the socks and sandals look.

I think at that point they were your own sandals too 

[Fixedwheelnut]

46 x 18  67.5" in 2005 Alston Cobbles going South was the only climb I walked a bit, I was track standing outside the pub and I could see the end of the cobbles ahead but couldn't turn them so walked thirty yards

[Hing]

Not usually a fixed fanatic, but after A&S with 76", the LEL profile, with most climbs around 3% and only rarely up to 5%, it seems doable, even suitable 😍 at a notch or 2 lower gear.
Will of course do the ancien thing of flipping the rear wheel around for another gear, and leave spare cogs and tools at bag drop.
Other considerations would be that the fixed wheel isn't tubeless, and there will be no respite from any saddle sore that arises...

[wilkyboy]

You'll be fine with that.  I'll probably be riding 44-16 to start and flipping to 44-18 for the northern bits

I can't help thinking you'll find 44/18 too low for that terrain - I'd find it too low, and I like lower gears. I'll probably ride the whole thing on 44x17 or 46x18. I've never failed to get up Alston Front Street on that gearing.

PS it is possible to dodge the cobbles entirely, but it's more faff than it's worth.

Deano, I just saw your response — the plan is to flip the wheel at Innerleithen, because there are a couple of back-to-back tough climbs, ISTR.  And then flip it back at Eskdalemuir, or possibly after the climb out of Eskdalemuir.  I'm planning on using the 16T for the rest, if my legs hold together.

[MCLK]

I rode through the Howardian Hills section last Friday, 200 km into a DIY, with full LEL kit and 44x17 gearing. It felt like a good choice, I didn't struggle too much on the climbs and was still pretty quick on the rest of the route. I'll probably stick with that combination for LEL.

[simonp]

I used 47-18 and 47-19 last time. I am planning on 47-18 this time, which is what I used on PBP last time.