DRLski
07-23-07, 09:32 AM
What gear ratios are these guys using in these mountain stages?
Professional Cycling - gear ratios?
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.View Full Version : gear ratios?
ed073
07-23-07, 07:10 PM
53x39
11/12-21/23/25
11/12-21/23/25
urodacus
07-23-07, 10:19 PM
some are using compacts.
no matter what the ratio, they can all climb well cause they're all really strong. even the ones that fall off the back of the pack climb better than anyone here. gear ratios are not the same kind of issue for TdF riders that they are for mortals.
no matter what the ratio, they can all climb well cause they're all really strong. even the ones that fall off the back of the pack climb better than anyone here. gear ratios are not the same kind of issue for TdF riders that they are for mortals.
VT Biker
07-23-07, 10:26 PM
If any of them are climbing these with an 11-21 they are crazy. That is a crit gear ratio. I have got to imagine that many of them are using gears above 24.
FrankBattle
07-23-07, 11:18 PM
some are using compacts.
no matter what the ratio, they can all climb well cause they're all really strong. even the ones that fall off the back of the pack climb better than anyone here. gear ratios are not the same kind of issue for TdF riders that they are for mortals.
I wouldn't be so quick to assume this. While it may be true, keep in mind that this IS their "job." They should be able to climb better than weekend warriors.
Kudos to them though.
I too have often wondered what their rear cassettes are. Seems like every time the camera gets close, they switch pictures .. :)
no matter what the ratio, they can all climb well cause they're all really strong. even the ones that fall off the back of the pack climb better than anyone here. gear ratios are not the same kind of issue for TdF riders that they are for mortals.
I wouldn't be so quick to assume this. While it may be true, keep in mind that this IS their "job." They should be able to climb better than weekend warriors.
Kudos to them though.
I too have often wondered what their rear cassettes are. Seems like every time the camera gets close, they switch pictures .. :)
Sci-Fi
07-24-07, 12:30 AM
The cassettes are usually tailored to the individual rider and/or their preferences. With all the testing, practice runs, wind tunnel testing, and money spent by the teams...they can afford to put together custom cassettes and change crank ring gears for every rider and for whatever stage it is for that day. Lance used to rag on Ullrich for his gearing choices in the mountains as being too high...but Jan may prefer leverage over spinning because of his style of riding. What the actual or popular gearing choices among the riders or is on the bikes is unknown...heard a few announcers say one rider was in the 26t or 27t gear, so 25t may not be the absolute lowest that a TdF rider would use in the mountain stages. Surprised some of the backmarkers aren't using a triple or having a bailout gear (28t, 30t, or 32t) on their cassette in the mountain stages...some of them are so far behind that they may be dropped from the tour, so why not experiment or at least make it easier on yourself instead of blowing up and struggling for the majority of the day trying to beat the time limit.
VT Biker
07-24-07, 01:17 AM
I would think that at the very least, every rider would have a 25t, especially when dealing with grades in 7excess of 7%.
Fonk
07-24-07, 01:29 AM
On the tougher mountain stages in the Giro, Di Luca was using a 29t rear cog mated to a compact crank. Like others have said, it's largely individual...