Sportive Climbs

[Harrisman]

Would i be better with a triple crank set for my hill climbs on sportives. Or just stick with my double?

 

[Hacienda71]

Depends how hilly they are and how fit you are. Why not ride two thirds of one of the sportive routes you are doing and see how you feel.

 

[HLaB]

Only you can really answer that. FWIW The Sportives I've done the Trossach's Ton, Ken Laidlaw, Tour of Tweedale, Edinburgh Sportive, Etape Caledonia have all been done on my 39/53 double. If you've any doubt I'd up your cassette ratio, rather than enduring the cost of switching to a tripple.

 

[Harrisman]

I had to stop 3 times going up the Cairn o mount. My mate done it in a oner on his triple. And it was his first time doing it. And my second. I have a 9 cassette on. Can i go bigger?. This is all new to me. This is on i have. Double-chainring compact 36/46 FSA Verso chainset, Shimano Sora 2x9-speed gear shifting, 11-25 cassette.

 

[DCLane]

I did Mow Cop on Sunday's Cheshire Cat with a compact double plus an 11-28 cassette.

However, rode one of ColinJ's rides on the Carrera which has a standard double and had a 12-23 cassette at the time.

The 9-speed is the number of gears, the 11-28 / 12-25 / etc is the range it has. The higher the easier upslope, the lower the faster on the flat/downslope.

It's all about you. Not your mate. If he can do it, you can, whether on a double, compact double or a triple.

 

[HLaB]

I had to stop 3 times going up the Cairn o mount. My mate done it in a oner on his triple. And it was his first time doing it. And my second. I have a 9 cassette on. Can i go bigger?. This is all new to me.

What's the biggest cog on the back of your bike (the number of teeth it has), if that is less than 28t you can easily fit a bigger cassette up to 28t. If you want to go bigger than 28t, you'll need a new dérailleur cage to accommodate it. If its greater than 28 you'll have a larger dérailleur cage anyway and within reason I don't think there's a limit (the largest cassette I've had is 11-34t mega range).

 

[kfinlay]

What you got just now on the chainset and cassette?
As an example, if you have a shimano 12-25 cassette then you could go to a 12-28 or 13-28 (Campag can go to 29) and it should make a fair bit of difference and be much cheaper than a changing to a triple. Then keep practising and you'll slowly get quicker (it won't feel any easier though you'll just get faster )

 

[Harrisman]

Thanks. Can someone explain how i know if i have a 12-25?

 

[HLaB]

Thanks. Can someone explain how i know if i have a 12-25?

Count the number of teeth on the smallest rear cog thats usually a 11 or 12. Do the same on the largest rear cog. If the answer is 12-25 thats what you've got and if you want lower gears you can get a cassette thats say an 12-27.

 

[Harrisman]

I have 8 on the cassette and the biggest one is 25 and smallest 12 can i go 13-28 without changing the dérailleur

 

[HLaB]

I have 8 on the cassette and the biggest one is 25 and smallest 12 can i go 13-28 without changing the dérailleur

I would suspect so but check with an expert before you buy; 27t used to be the limit but i believe a lot of derailleurs can handle 28t these days.

 

[Harrisman]

ok thanks HLaB