Texas - Gearing for MS150 Bastrop State Park

I've ridden two MS150's on a bike with triple chainring (52-39-30) and 11-27 cassette. I made it up the hills in Bastrop state park without walking both years. The second year was somewhat easier than the first because I think I was more skilled at taking the hills. I used the granny gear both years. My bike was ok, but not a stellar climber (Specialized Roubaix).

This year I am riding a Cervelo R3 with 52-39 double front and 11-25 cassette. Its seems to climb more efficiently but the low end gearing is definitely taller. I am wondering how well I'll do in Bastrop this year. Should I do anything to the gearing in advance. I am not an elite athlete and cannot climb like some of the supermen youth out there. I am 60 years old in reasonably good shape and weigh 230.

Are there any hills around Houston (Ha!) where I might do some trials?

Bob

Best bet for Houston hills is riding some of the bayou trails, like parts of the Brays Bayou trail.

http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/bikeways/maps/braysbayou_brdgs_062006.jpg gray trail

Its certainly not any monster hills.

In a pinch, go ride parking garages on the weekend. The ramps in some are fairly steep and might get you close to what you will experience out in Bastrop without having to go too far out of town. If you are willing to travel a little ways, go out to Chappell Hill and there are some decent hills to work on. Otherwise, get on the spin bike and crank up the resistance.

Lose as much weight as you can, but really, just having fitness and fueling right (both days) and recovering well Saturday night are the keys.

I last rode those hills several years ago, out of shape and 40 lbs heavier than I am now, and I remember them being pretty steep but I got up 'em ok in a 39-26 after 50+ miles.

The TC Jester MUP also has some mini-hills that you can try out. The steepest and longest hill I've encountered in Houston is on Westpark, somewhere between Weslayan and Newcastle. There is a bike lane on Westpark, so it's feasible to just go back and forth over that hill.

Lose as much weight as you can, but really, just having fitness and fueling right (both days) and recovering well Saturday night are the keys.

I last rode those hills several years ago, out of shape and 40 lbs heavier than I am now, and I remember them being pretty steep but I got up 'em ok in a 39-26 after 50+ miles.

Thanks, thats the kind of information I was looking for - experience riding the park or similar grades with "standard" gearing. My cervelo has 39-25 which is a tiny bit taller, but its a very efficient climber.

I've ridden the Cervelo without any real trouble in Montgomery areas, Chappell Hill and the Fred Hartman bridge. My impression was that the hills on Bastrop are steeper, though not very long.

Bob

I've done the Buescher-Bastrop ride a few times (on a tandem). I think the big problem will be losing momentum on a hill due to coming up on a slower rider and not being able to go around. The hills are short and steep, so keeping your speed and cadence up is (at least for me) the key.

And, having cycled most of North & Central Texas, the riding in the LaGrange area is just fantastic.

just do some mountain biking. I had no problem in the hills at all and had only been cycling for one year and was carrying a lot of cargo on my bike.

if you have a cervelo you should be making enough watts to pull you through it. The hills in the park are easy. You just carry a crapload of speed DOWN the hill and use that to pull you up the hill. Practice your cornering and use some sticky tires. I'm switching back to continentals since my michelin pro race 3 are really greasy.


MOUNTAINBIKING! Go ride the anthills at terry hershey. That will work up that burst strength for those short intense climbs!

I've done the Buescher-Bastrop ride a few times (on a tandem). I think the big problem will be losing momentum on a hill due to coming up on a slower rider and not being able to go around. The hills are short and steep, so keeping your speed and cadence up is (at least for me) the key.

nothing a nice loud "on your left" can't fix.

nothing a nice loud "on your left" can't fix.

Have you ridden the MS150 before? Many people don't seem to know what that means, or they don't see anything wrong with riding 4 abreast up a hill blocking the road.

I've ridden two MS150's on a bike with triple chainring (52-39-30) and 11-27 cassette. I made it up the hills in Bastrop state park without walking both years. The second year was somewhat easier than the first because I think I was more skilled at taking the hills. I used the granny gear both years. My bike was ok, but not a stellar climber (Specialized Roubaix).

This year I am riding a Cervelo R3 with 52-39 double front and 11-25 cassette. Its seems to climb more efficiently but the low end gearing is definitely taller. I am wondering how well I'll do in Bastrop this year. Should I do anything to the gearing in advance. I am not an elite athlete and cannot climb like some of the supermen youth out there. I am 60 years old in reasonably good shape and weigh 230.

Are there any hills around Houston (Ha!) where I might do some trials?

Bob

Your Cervelo is geared like my '88 Specialized Sirrus. I rode last years' MS150 on it. If had been the age I was when I first bought the bike (I was 20 in '88) I probably would not have had any trouble; however, I was 39 in April of '08 and my 39 year old body really didn't have the power that it did at 20. If I could do it again I would have used my '07 Sirrus converted to drop bars. The '07 comes with 48x38x28t on the front and 8-speed 12-25t on the rear and it's 700c hybrid geometry is quite touring bike-like.

AS for hill training. I'd do the training rides out in Katy that Sun & Ski - Katy Mills puts on the routes go out far enough to pick up some of the hills towards San Felipe and Beeville.

Have you ridden the MS150 before? Many people don't seem to know what that means, or they don't see anything wrong with riding 4 abreast up a hill blocking the road.

hahaha I know exactly what you mean. I just keep yelling it progressively louder. People quickly figure out what it means. I actually didn't know how to yell it, since in Japan we yelled "right side" (they drive/ride on the other side) but within 15 minutes we'd figured it out.

I was educated by another rider that in this country we say "on your left" and had the hang of it in a few minutes. It's a common courtesy that we should teach one another!

But yes, especially towards the back of the pack it gets bad. I'm definitely skipping the first rest stop. We had a mechanical within the first few minutes out of tully stadium :(

Have you thought about throwing an 11-27 back on? You're giving up a lot of teeth by not having the 30T ring on the front.

Have you ridden the MS150 before? Many people don't seem to know what that means, or they don't see anything wrong with riding 4 abreast up a hill blocking the road.

I was thinking of getting a horn made says "on your left". My throat hurt after saying it for two days straight.

If you just rang a bike bell during the MS 150, would people get the idea? Or will they be as clueless as most of the pedestrians on the bike trails?

If you just rang a bike bell during the MS 150, would people get the idea? Or will they be as clueless as most of the pedestrians on the bike trails?

Real men don't have a bike bell. :lol:

If you roll out with the leaders, the slow crowd never has a chance to get in front of you.

Real men don't have a bike bell. :lol:

Well I guess I'm a girly-man, then. Because I have a bike bell AND an Airzound. :D

http://acomplete180.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/hans_franz.jpg

But seriously - I use the Airzound for cars to hear me, and the bell for cyclists and peds on the MUP. Although many times joggers are listening to headphones and never hear the bell; I'm tempted to give them 115 dB of Airzound to get their attention.

I've done the Buescher-Bastrop ride a few times (on a tandem). I think the big problem will be losing momentum on a hill due to coming up on a slower rider and not being able to go around. The hills are short and steep, so keeping your speed and cadence up is (at least for me) the key.

I ride an '83 Bianchi. I don't know the gearing off hand, but it is a double.

I would agree with this. Fight to keep your speed and cadence... it'll hurt, but when you make it up the hill in 1/2 the time your legs will thank you. I'll FIGHT to get to the top (and rest there if I MUST).


nothing a nice loud "on your left" can't fix.

I too do that, but also end up with a sore throat. :( I'm a little more daring with buzzing people... if i yell first, it gives me the RIGHT to!!! ;)


EDIT: Oh, and I ride a fixed gear now... so not giving up any speed applies ten-fold. :D

I've ridden two MS150's on a bike with triple chainring (52-39-30) and 11-27 cassette. I made it up the hills in Bastrop state park without walking both years. The second year was somewhat easier than the first because I think I was more skilled at taking the hills. I used the granny gear both years. My bike was ok, but not a stellar climber (Specialized Roubaix).

This year I am riding a Cervelo R3 with 52-39 double front and 11-25 cassette. Its seems to climb more efficiently but the low end gearing is definitely taller. I am wondering how well I'll do in Bastrop this year. Should I do anything to the gearing in advance. I am not an elite athlete and cannot climb like some of the supermen youth out there. I am 60 years old in reasonably good shape and weigh 230.

Are there any hills around Houston (Ha!) where I might do some trials?

Bob

Sorry for bumping a month old thread but I can finally contribute to this forum :)

After the Bastop Pedal thru the Pines ride, came back to Houston for the 67-mile Continental Cycling Classic in Montgomery (just past The Woodlands). Obviously, Bastop was more challenging but this route does have some hills, compared to Houston's flat terrain...

http://bicycling.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip.aspx?tripId=183834

http://www.cocyclingclassic.com/uploads/Continental_Cycling_Classic_Routes.pdf

And some pictures from the rides, which should give you an idea of the elevations.

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/barrysms150ride/22.jpg

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/barrysms150ride/15.jpg

Pertaining to the Continental Ride, did anyone hear if that woman who got hit by a car is alright? i was perhaps a few minutes behind her and got stopped when the road was closed for the ambulance.

for those that don't know, cyclists were riding three abreast on a small country road when a car tried passing them. last rider was hit by side mirror and laid out. hopefully she is ok

I didn't hear about that. Now thinking about it, as I was passing the 4th or 5th rest stop, an ambulance sped right past me. Hope she's okay.

Did anyone else ride Pedal Through the Pines this year?

This was my first year at it and I was really impressed. The park portion of the route was fantastic, with some really tough challenging hills. The organizers did a great job filing in just about all of the pot holes as well. I really had no complaints at all other than the usual cluster @#!* of inexperienced riders at the start.

Back to the original point, if you can make it up the hills without walking even in a triple you're way ahead of the curve. I made a similar change from a compact double to a standard 53x25 at Pedal Through the Pines this year and I was a little nervous about it since I'm more of a flats guy, but I ended up doing really well.

You can look to gearing to help, but for me the biggest thing that has helped my climbing over the past year has been the addition of a hill repeat workout once a week. I don't even do them on a steep, long hill. Just a .75 mile hill at a gentle 4% grade over and over again has helped immensely. At Pedal Through the Pines this year I was flying past guys who used to drop me regularly on hills.

As others have said, I wouldn't sweat your gearing. The hills are a series of short rollers, where your momentum going down one takes you halfway up the next. 39-25 is plenty adequate, assuming you have at least some cycling fitness.

Mac

I was a little nervous about it since I'm more of a flats guy, but I ended up doing really well.

I was in the same boat. Two of the State Park hills looked really intimidating but once I got up 3/4 of it, knew I would be fine. The only thing that kinda pissed me off were riders who fell and didn't quickly move to the nearest shoulder. One girl fell on the left side, stood up, looked around for a couple of seconds, and then slowly walked to the right side. I saw two people fall just trying to avoid hitting her.

/ snooty sounding rant