We’ll be doing all the big ones, and a 120km Pyrenean sportive on a Sunday?

I would but then again, both my road bikes have compacts. I don’t race so it’s more important to get around than having the highest top speed

The suggestion, albeit from the commentary on the TdF, was that Pyrenean climbs differ from the French Alpine ones by being older. It was implied that the climbs in the Pyrenees tend to climb farther up valleys then ramp up at the end, while Alpine climbs are less steep.

It might be a load of old cobblers, but I’d be taking a compact..

Compact + 36 mtb block 🙂

what climbs are you doing?

Yes. Better to have one, than regret it later. Eg half way up a brutal 13% climb. With another 3km to the top , after you’ve already ridden 100km.

I’d generally suggest riding with what you’re used to, but it’s usually sensible to take a spare cassette, something like an 11-28. If you don’t have one, a compact would do the same job. Take it with you then if your legs start hurting you can put it on?

I’d take a triple, but then I have one on my bike anyway.

I’ve done some riding in the Pyrenees, compact for me and my fit mates.

😉

We went recently, I had compact and 28t which was easier than I needed really but no problem, only issue is that if you want to change to the sprocket one up it’s quite a jump; I used a 27t last year and maybe that was better. My quite chunky mate had same cassette on a double and got up the Tourmalet OK. Seen people on triples spinning away and seemingly barely moving – each to their own I suppose.

I would.

Rode the Tourmalet in 39×25 and didn’t feel the need for lower. It’s long but not particularly steep. 13% is not a brutal climb, and the steep bits don’t last long. If you are going on to Aspin and another 100km, then I would go for a 28 on the back though.

A compact will help with endurance for the longer rides, but I if I didn’t have one already, I’d manage on a 28 rear.

I’m a 69 kilo climber, YMMV

If you don’t have one, a compact would do the same job. Take it with you then if your legs start hurting you can put it on?

You carry a cassette, lockring tool and chain whip in your jersey pocket?

13% is not a brutal climb, and the steep bits don’t last long.

Depends how long you ride 13% for. On the other hand, Tourmalet isn’t considered to be a 13% climb for more than a minute or two. 8-10% seems about the max average

13% is not a brutal climb

For me the Col de Bagargui (aka bugger me) will alway be remembered as brutal. Thank God for compacts.

I rode the raid pyrenean years ago on 39/53 with a 12-25 cassette. I would say that I felt over geared on stuff like the portet d’aspet and the col du marie blanque. Tourmalet and aubisque were fine.

If you’ve been to the Alps previously then the Pyrenean climbs are usually shorter and steeper for comparison.

If you’ve got a 39/53 would suggest an 11 or 12-28 is a cheaper option than splashing on compact.

No-one ever rode up a mountain and wished their gears were bigger.

what climbs are you doing?

Not sure, my mates place is in Luchon. We’ll have a car so I guess it’ll be all the biggies.
The sportive is the 151km La Lapebie. menté, Lorrieu, Ares and Port de Balés.

What’s a compact? Thought it were something ladies carried in their handbags.

You carry a cassette, lockring tool and chain whip in your jersey pocket?

No, but if I was unsure about my gearing I’d take it along with me if I was going away for a few days of riding.. 🙄

What’s a compact? Thought it were something ladies carried in their handbags.

Macho BS about gear ratios seems to be a British thing. Riders from countries with real mountains just fit a triple or compact.

Porte de Bales from the north is quite tough with big ramps.
if nothing else, having a reasonably low gear means that you can choose not to completely block your legs the first couple of days as you get used to riding big long climbs.

Around here where short (7-14% 1-2km) hills are the normal sort of thing, the majority of riders are on compacts.

Rode Col d’Izoard today (70 mile loop), no idea of how it compares to Pyrenees but very happy on 50/36 and 12-27.

Having said that, mate was fine on his standard double…

I recently got back from the Alps where I had the same dilemma, glad I went for 34×27. Didn’t need the easiest gear until the slope got above 10% but it made the experience so much more enjoyable.

As an aside, why do road bikes have narrow range cassettes? Mine had the option from new of an 11-34 Mtb cassette, which I took. Same top gear, with a bale out option – what’s the downside, or is it just machismo?

why do road bikes have narrow range cassettes

Because people have a narrow range of efficient and fast cadence.

Because people have a narrow range of efficient and fast cadence.

That’s true, but 10 and 11 speed cassettes mean that you can have a wide range without the big jumps between gears you would have had BITD. I ran a 12-30 for La Marmotte last week, which was perfect, as I could stay seated at 70-80rpm, and keep chugging away. I noticed that most riders seemed to be running compacts, wide cassettes or triples.

I was there last month. The Portet d’Aspet is a ****.

For me it is a definite yes. I’m probably older and less fit than you, but was very grateful for my lowest gear (34X32) in the alps last week. After Col d’Izoard, the climb of Col d’Agnel into a headwind was slow, especially as it was so hot in the valley.
A cheaper alternative may be just to fit a wide range cassette. Yes, you might get wider gaps in the middle, but this may not be a problem. I was always either cycling up a steep slope or down the other side, the middle of my cassette didn’t get much use!

A cheaper option is a 32t Mtb cassette and a 9spd rear mech (which works with 10spd sti levers). That gives you the full range of 53/11 down to 39/32 which is the same ratio as a 34/28 compact setup. … It’s what I have and works well for me

I just re-fitted my triple. It means I can hammer if I want to but cruise if I don’t, regardless of terrain, and I don’t have gaps 🙂

I was there in June and did most of the climbs (Aspin, Peyresourde, Bales, Hourquette, Mente, Portet d’Aspet, Horquette, Azet, Ares plus various smaller ones). I used a 39 x 26 but only needed the 23, and that was fine. Agree that even though the Portet d’Aspet is pretty short from the west, it was probably the hardest!
In terms of your sportive:
– Mente: We descended the way you are going up and it looked pretty steady if quite long. There’s a great bar at the top…
– Larrieu: Didn’t do this but I don’t think it’s too long.
– Ares: After the Mente this is a mere pimple and entirely rideable in big ring plus it also has a bar.
– Port de Bales: We rode this from the north ahead of the Route du Sud peloton (so no pressure…) but on mountain bikes as we were then off-roading back. It is very long (19.5km as I recall) but only the last 8km or so is at all steep (8% – 10%).
The climb we enjoyed the most interestingly was the Horquette which we combined with the Azet and three climbs in a great little area called the Baronnies to the north of the Aspin. I would heartily recommend the Baronnies as a warm up for the bigger stuff and you will see precisely zero other cyclists.

kayak23 – Member
What’s a compact? Thought it were something ladies carried in their handbags.

50-34 as opose to 53-39

Considering a 10spd Tiagra 12-28 cassette can be picked up for around £25 it’s not xactly a big layout to try it.

aparantly contador uses 11-28 in the vuelta with an 11-32 for very steep days. Not sure if thats of any use but i guess it may make it easier than 11-23 or 11-25 without going compact. How about 36-52 compact as a compromise

Do you need one….depends a bit on your power to weight….hard to tell without knowing your figures. Plenty of people would be fine with a standard and a wide cassette if that’s all they had.

I’m old enough and slow enough now and don’t road race any more that I can’t see me ever buying a standard sized 53/39 ever again. Back in the day there were no 11T cassettes & a 50/11 ratio is bigger than the usual 52/12 or 53/12 so its all good at both ends (though I still prefer a 12-x sized cassette with the extra in the middle or the bottom). And with a 10 or 11spd cassette the gaps will still be smaller than the 7spd (or 8spd if you were posh!) we used to have.

Did the Raid Pyrenees a couple of weeks ago.

Would I have done it on a standard- hell no!

Not wanting to sound overly twtish, but im a fairly decent rider and the guy taking us around agreed you would have to be a bit bonkers not to use a compact.

Had a 30 on the rear too. Regularily dropped to 1st gear, even just for the rest sometimes. I’d just get a cheapo one (Tiagra or equivalent) as the weight will be about the same as what you have anyway. You wont need the 53/52t unless you wanted to race down the other side.

I had a 34/50 and a 25 cassette on the Ichere, Marie Blanque and Aubisque – I used bottom gear, Marie Blanque was a battleground 🙂

I’d love to know what sort of cadence these big men above are using.

I live in France and road race at BC Cat 4 level equivalent. Everyone I know rides a compact and usually a 11/12-25 at the back as standard.

Ps Oldgit, remember those sportives are actually races here…from the off.

Have a great trip.