Bealach na Ba

[Garz]

Without knowing your fitness or how you get up tough climbs with your current gearing this would be hard to call for us CC folk. Jimbo will bring some interesting science to the table when he enters the fold.

I would say a 34x28 as suggested would probably be ample allowing you to hopefully spin at a reasonable cadence sitting down. Some people I cycle with though stand up on the gears I sit and spin at, it depends on how you find the longer steep drags.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

I managed on a 34x29

Just remember that the Bealach na ba is not the hard part. That comes later heading out of Applecross.

 

[Waspie]

Without knowing your fitness or how you get up tough climbs with your current gearing this would be hard to call for us CC folk.

Think I've got reasonable cycling fitness (or had in the summer ), I'm no speed merchant, nor am I very light, but I've managed to drag myself up any hills the Scottish Borders or East Lothian has thrown at me so far, also a couple of hillyish sportives in the highlands. For the steep climbs it's a case of getting out of the saddle and grinding up, probably not particularly graceful! I commute on a single speed so I suspect that helps with the leg strength, no big hills on the commute but plenty of headwinds.

There isn't a chance get round the route on my current gearing, just not sure by how much I need to change things.

 

[Waspie]

Just remember that the Bealach na ba is not the hard part. That comes later heading out of Applecross.

I'll keep that in mind. That's worrying, the Bealach na Ba looks hard enough.

 

[Lighthorse]

A super-duper sub-compact double.

High, 32 x 11 ( 76" )
Low, 22 x 25 ( 23" )

 

[Waspie]

A super-duper sub-compact double.

High, 32 x 11 ( 76" )
Low, 22 x 25 ( 23" )

Pretty sure I would manage to get up most hills on that.

 

[theloafer]

we did it 2006 from the easyer side my lowest was 22x28 fully loaded found it a steady climb steeper as you get to the hairpins

 

[Lighthorse]

we did it 2006 from the easyer side my lowest was 22x28 fully loaded found it a steady climb steeper as you get to the hairpins[attachment=1512:applecross and cape wrath 108.jpg][attachment=1513:applecross and cape wrath 109.jpg][attachment=1514:applecross and cape wrath 113.jpg][attachment=1516:applecross and cape wrath 116.jpg][attachment=1518:applecross and cape wrath 117.jpg]

Fantastic.


If you are wondering what the large washers are where the big ring should be, they are Chain Catchers.

On the rare occassions where the chain goes over on an upchange, the washers catch the chain before it knocks paint off the spider. An immediate downshift gets the chain back on the small ring without the need to stop and rethread the chain.

 

[Waspie]

we did it 2006 from the easyer side my lowest was 22x28 fully loaded found it a steady climb steeper as you get to the hairpins

Great photos. Hopefully the weather is like that when I attempt the climb.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I rode the first ever Bealach na Ba sportive, and not only is the big climb itself almost the only thing really resembling an Alpine ascent in Britain, afterwards you have the endless leg-sapping 100m up, 100m down, coastal road from Applecross. These non-stop little climbs and descents (there is hardly a flat section) are killer, especially if you've given more than you should have done on the mountain.

The other thing about the area is the winds. The wind often shoots straight down the main climb at a ferocious speed or it comes in from the side, which is particularly bad when you are crawling up the climb on your smallest ring. The guy who tested the climb for Cycling Weekly before the first sportive had to get off and abandon his attempt because of the wind - and he was a pretty serious rider. The final thing to bear in mind is that the descent can be quite dangerous, especially if the wind is strong. The road is narrow and you can easily overcook things if you are not a good descender. One overconfident guy the year I did it apparently came off on a corner, broke things (collar bones, I think) and had to go to hospital.

I did it on a standard 53-39 double with a 13-27 spread, but I'm a little grimpeur by build. If you are any heavier than tiny you are not going to regret having a triple or a compact.

Oh, and enjoy it! For my money, there isn't a better route in Britain.

 

[Kestevan]

How much do you weigh?
How heavy is the bike?


Thought I'd nip in and save Jimbo the bother........

No doubt he'll be along in a bit to tell you to MTFU and do the climb on a 59x11 like he had to do in "the good old days" when men were men and hills were steeper

 

[Waspie]

I did it on a standard 53-39 double with a 13-27 spread, but I'm a little grimpeur by build. If you are any heavier than tiny you are not going to regret having a triple or a compact.

Oh, and enjoy it! For my money, there isn't a better route in Britain.

That's impressive stuff.

I've not got what you would call a climbers physique, so that sort of gearing isn't an option for me I think. Especially if I want to enjoy the event. Suppose losing a pound or two in the meantime wouldn't do any harm either.

 

[aberal]

Don't know if you've seen this - nice little video of this years Bealach Beag. Gives a good feel for the atmosphere. Can't see myself in it. Was probably moving too fast....

Bealach Beag

 

[Waspie]

Don't know if you've seen this - nice little video of this years Bealach Beag. Gives a good feel for the atmosphere. Can't see myself in it. Was probably moving too fast....

Bealach Beag

I'd seen that before - good video.

A few riders were fairly shifting going round these hairpins.