[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EcqIgCJNjto#![/video]

Courtesy of BSNY

Awsums. It looks bloody steep, but they’re profound inability to either preempt what will happen in the next 2 seconds or use clipless pedals is laughable!

I can sympathise – first Helvellyn tri, we are climbing the second steep climb out of Ambleside (just as it opens up from between the walls) and a bloke does this and brings three of us down immediately behind him. Nightmare trying to start clipping in again on a really steep bit of road! Second, I am fine with spd’s except new trails versions. This looked like me in Leith Hill bombholes recently!

Shouldn’t laugh though as I have ended up in A&E after bike crash in Windsor tri before. 🙁

Remember, 2/3 of triathletes aren’t cyclists. (where’s the little yellow chap with a “tongue in cheek” expression?)

Completes so many of my prejudices about triantelopes.

But it even happens to normal cyclists – I’ve nearly been taken out more than once by riders toppling on the Koppenberg and Kapelmuur. Mind you, they are both 20+% and cobbled.

Oh I’ve seen Sportive riders do that on Mow Cop in the Cheshire Cat.

It’s very funny. Unless you happen to be right behind them at the time they fall off.

It struck me as daft how many keen looking types couldn’t get up the hills on the Tour Rides. Britain is a hilly place! Bring the right gears! 🙂

Exactly crazy legs – who sprayed the glass on the road there? 😉

🙂 good ole trianthelopes! Why be good at one thing when you can be mediocre at three! NB: pro triathletes are not included in this anecdote.

Why be good at one thing when you can be mediocre at three!

Because there’s so much more techy kit to buy! You can impress your fellow triantelopes with your crabon fribe bits, your ossum wetsuit and shoes that almost do the running for you! And it all costs squillions of pounds so you must be almost a pro or something. I mean, anyone who spends that much must be really, really impressive….

NB: pro triathletes are not included in this anecdote.

Some can be I reckon! Did you see the Olympic women’s event?

Tis what comes of choosing hero gears instead of a nice sensible compact with 25+ cassette!

That, and being an oaf.

daveh – Member

Tis what comes of choosing hero gears instead of a nice sensible compact with 25+ cassette!

LOL…you are telling me most compact buyers choose it because they regularly ride up stuff like that? Dream on.

i’d have no probs riding that on my charge duster (flat pedals too) 😉

LOL…you are telling me most compact buyers choose it because they regularly ride up stuff like that? Dream on

I’m saying macho roadie and triathlete types buy big gears because they think its sissy to buy a compact with a big cassette or dare I say a triple. I’m saying if you’re going to ride steep stuff you’re better off with sensible gearing. Don’t see what’s to dream about. Why do you think people buy compacts?

I don’t think most compact buyers choose it because they regularly ride up stuff like that.

I think they do so because they want lower gears, and probably don’t need higher gears with close ratios that those who race/ride in chain gangs etc do.

I’m pro-triple BTW – I think you are the one with something to prove.

Tis what comes of choosing hero gears instead of a nice sensible compact with 25+ cassette!

Triathlon/TT bikes usually come with higher gears as standard – a chainset will usually be something like 46/56. What’s daft is that no-one has looked at the course and thought “hmm, I might put a wider range cassette or a smaller chainring on for this one”.

No point in willy waving re gears. I put a triple on my bike exactly because I knew I wold be doing Helvellyn every year and I wanted to be able to tackle the struggle and the rest of Kirkstone with relative ease!!

CFH – still nothing better than racking up next to guys with much better bling bikes, seeing the bikes still there in T1 but not there in T2!!!!! 😉

They want low gears, and low gears allow you to ride up steep stuff more readily, and the example hill is steep.

Why do I have anything to prove?

Triathlon/TT bikes usually come with higher gears as standard – a chainset will usually be something like 46/56. What’s daft is that no-one has looked at the course and thought “hmm, I might put a wider range cassette or a smaller chainring on for this one”.

Yes, this.