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JuhaL

Guru
If you're 80Kg + then you will struggle with cadence 36*28 ratio up the Alpe on 100%
My weight is 82kg so that information fits perfectly how it feels. Gradients at New York sky ways are hard work to climb, especially +10% climbs.
 

bobinski

Legendary Member
Location
Tulse Hill
It would be better If trainer difficulty was replaced by “cassette choice” so that 50% better reflected a change from 36/28 to say 34/30.
 

JuhaL

Guru
Need to do some test rides someday and set the difficulty setting 1 quarter lower. Maybe that helps recovery well enough too.
 

Whorty

Gets free watts from the Atom ;)
Location
Wiltshire
This.

It’s hard enough at 32/30!
My lowest Is 34/28 and I have climbed AdZ on this. But the kickr overheated. I would set to 34/32 next time (estimated 80% reality) as this is my real life gearing.

In races I set between 20 and 50 % depending how I feel so that I can stay in big front ring and limit chain drops or missed gears. Today, due to the steep sections I'll be about 30%
 
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theboxers

TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
My lowest gear ratio is same as yours so we are in a same world. I have keep 100% setting since very beginning. Not test yet how bad it feels Alpe du Zwift with Drivo 2.
I'm on a 36/42. I've only used the standard cassette once.
If you're 80Kg + then you will struggle with cadence 36*28 ratio up the Alpe on 100%
127kg registered :mrpig:
This.

It’s hard enough at 32/30!
I have yet to reach the Alpe, still only level 11. But I do do the epic, both directions, a couple of times a week when I ride.
 

bobinski

Legendary Member
Location
Tulse Hill
I'm on a 36/42. I've only used the standard cassette once.

127kg registered :mrpig:

I have yet to reach the Alpe, still only level 11. But I do do the epic, both directions, a couple of times a week when I ride.

What Cassette you have on the Kickr? If only a 25/28 then drop the difficulty down to whatever allows you to spin up gradients of 7% plus at 70 rpm or more- your knees
will thank you.
 

Aleman

Knees are FUBAR but I don't like to mention it
Location
Blackpool UK
@CXRAndy. Not the right thread but I’m sure you have the answer as will a few other well travelled riders. I’m 89kg. Going Mallorca in May. First time for me. What gearing would you suggest for a “larger” lad.
Most hire bikes are a 34/30, which did concern me a little as I ride a 34/32 IRL and wanted the comfort of that get out of jail gear. It turned out that I could ride the hills there ok, wasn't able to spin at 80-90 rpm on the steeper sections (around 10-12%) but they were only short most climbs being 5-7% so just needed relaxing into to avoid going into the red and blowing up.

I'm 69kg now and was around 67Kg last may when I did it.
 

theboxers

TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
What Cassette you have on the Kickr? If only a 25/28 then drop the difficulty down to whatever allows you to spin up gradients of 7% plus at 70 rpm or more- your knees
will thank you.
I've got an 11-42 XT on there hence the 100% setting. I can do mid 70's cadence up most climbs in Zwift. On the 15%+ I drop to 65-70 but can get back up once it slackens off. My normal cadence is somewhere between 85-95. Starts low then after 15 minutes or so I'll be at 90-95 up anything upto 6%. I don't often grind up the hills but will drop to a sustainable cadence. I have, so far, had no knee issues pushing my bulk up these slopes at the lower cadences.
 

mjd1988

Guru
Very interesting chat re trainer difficulty, must admit I've never changed from 50% - i'm always aware that it isn't 100% realistic for hills but as i'm crap on them generally its a good way to tackle the likes of the Alpe and hopefully improve. I also have an early 90s 7 speed that hasn't been indexed in a long time so i'd run out of gears pretty fast!

That said it will be interesting to see what i'm like on climbs in real life once the weather turns around; won't truly know what the difference is until then, which after all is what it is all about. I know my FTP is higher and the hardest gradients on zwift divided by 2 is about as hard as local climbs are so optimistic, but do have to remind myself on zwift sometimes that I don't have the setting exact.
 
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CXRAndy

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
@CXRAndy. Not the right thread but I’m sure you have the answer as will a few other well travelled riders. I’m 89kg. Going Mallorca in May. First time for me. What gearing would you suggest for a “larger” lad.

10 speed try and fit 11-36 cass, 11 speed 11-34 cass. Fit a 33t chainring or swap chainrings for absolute black ovals which Bob has I think 48/32

Edit, If you have FSA crankset they do an Adventure sub compact range. 48/32, 46/30. You can swap rings on each, they use same BCD, I would cobble a 48/30 for climbing. If the climbs are long and steep, you will be pleased with the extra easy gearing. When Ive been to Teneerife and folk see my 40t cass and ask why I need it. I explain I weigh easy 95KG loaded up. Come the end of the week, a lot of comments (jokingly) 'look at the barsteward' spinning up the mountain :biggrin:
 
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CXRAndy

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
I got the glitch about being taken to the start. I had to come out Zwift 3 times and cancel going to the race and rejoin before it worked. I had contemplated doing the race as is and not using TR. A nice steady tempo ride for Sunday morning. I spotted Rob a few times on route:hello:
 
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