Some pointers please - keen mid-life bloke looking to get up Mt. Ventoux.
- Thread starter Spudmaster
- Start date
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rualexander
Legendary Member
There's nothing difficult about riding up Mont Ventoux.
As long as you have suitable gearing on your bike.
Unfortunately, very few bikes come with suitable gearing fitted at the time of purchase.
As long as you have suitable gearing on your bike.
Unfortunately, very few bikes come with suitable gearing fitted at the time of purchase.
Spudmaster
Active Member
50/34 on the front and 34-10 ( maybe 11?) on the back. Hopefully that should be ok?
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
That's what I used to go up the Grand Colombier, which is broadly comparable.
Although I wouldn't say there was "nothing difficult" about it.
There was quite a lot difficult about it.
I would swap the crank for a 46/28. And have a11-36 on the back
I would not underestimate the fatigue as the air gets thinner above 1500metres
bobzmyunkle
Über Member
Perfect. Jfdi.
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Exlaser2
Veteran
That should be fine . I did it with 50/34 on the front and a 11/32 cassette. 😀
rualexander
Legendary Member
That's what I used to go up the Grand Colombier, which is broadly comparable.
Although I wouldn't say there was "nothing difficult" about it.
What was difficult about it?
rualexander
Legendary Member
Too highly geared, especially for someone who "hate hills", and is not used to long climbs.
Depends on your weight and level of fitness. He currently weighs 90kg, which is Clydesdale territory. He will find sustained 10% gradients draining without suitable gearing
I've ridden with a super lightweight chap up Ventoux, who climbed the mountain on a 53t front chain ring. He set off one hour after me and came past just as we got near the tower
Horses for courses
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roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
The air gets thinner from sea level. You won't feel any appreciable effect of altitude at 1500m, and Ventoux isn't even 2000m.
On gearing, the OP aims to be 85kg. That's definitely not "Clydesdale territory", though we don't know their height. This, writing as an 85kg person who's climbed many 2000m+ summits.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
The OP needs to work out his own gearing. No one on here has enough info to say anything useful. Other than pontificating our pet theories about gearing and saying what would suit us personally.
That's why a lot of climbing is needed as prep to get to know what's needed. The turbo is good for building sustained cardio but I really don't think it gives the same feel as real climbing. Even though climbing in the UK is a totally different business to HC climbs.
That's why a lot of climbing is needed as prep to get to know what's needed. The turbo is good for building sustained cardio but I really don't think it gives the same feel as real climbing. Even though climbing in the UK is a totally different business to HC climbs.
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bobzmyunkle
Über Member
I don't think it's been explicitly stated, so I'll add it here. Average speed on this type of climb is irrelevant.
The gearing will be fine.
Given these figures, I'd go so far as to say the OP could consider the Cingles challenge (all 3 ascent routes in a day) with a couple of months of regular hill climbing.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
exactly this^^^.
whilst 1:1 (34 34) lowest gear should be OK, only the OP will know this. Find a local 10-15% long-ish climb and do repeats and see how you find the gearing.
I hired a bike from Bedoin, It defo had a triple crankset (this was back in the day you could still get decent bikes with triples). so probably had a lowest of 30-28 on it maybe 30-25 who knows, anyway I used the lowest gear most of they way up thru the forest and the last bit before the summit. I wasn't 90kg nor had I eaten a clydesdale for lunch.
I ironically wore a polka dot jersey & shorts set for the occasion
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
@T4tomo the question of whether to hire a bike is a good one. It cuts down logistics headaches considerably. And being at a hotspot like Ventoux means there should be good choice. I hired one for my little adventure this year. Definitely worth considering as it made the rest of the trip stress free.
