whitemax

There is a tech article on VeloNews on the gearing used for Baldy but all I saw were some bike pics. Anybody know what kind of gearing was used?

Biscayne05

If you look at the captions it'll tell you.

There was a Garmin rider's bike going 53/39 - 11/28

patentcad

Mostly 53/39 chainrings up front with 11/27-11/28 cassettes in the rear. That should get most cyclists over anything, let alone the pros. Tells you how hard the climbs are when a pro needs a 39-28, I know a lot of good climbers prefer a lighter gear so they can keep it turning over fast enough.

whitemax

All I got was the pics; computer here at work apparently wouldn't load the text for some reason. I figured there must have been some text somewhere. Thanks for filling me in, you and P-cad

Hunt-man

Here is the power data for the Mt. Baldy stage. Wicked....

https://velonews.competitor.com/2012/...stage-6_220252

rooftest

Now I feel like a beast since I've always used 39/25 on that climb.

neneboricua

I consider myself a pretty good climber but I don't currently race. I've gone up baldy in 39/28 and in the last 3k I was turning the pedals over at less than 50rpm; wished I had another gear at that point. For pros who can climb well, 39/28 is probably enough. If they need a gear smaller than that, they're off the back anyway at that point.

For me, what makes Baldy especially hard is that by the time you get to Mt. Baldy Village where the main climb starts, you've already done 4000ft - 5000ft of climbing less than 30 miles. The last 5k of Mt. Baldy is no less than 12% and that's if you go wide through the switchbacks. Most recreational groups down here (and these are the ones that focus on climbing) recommend 34/28 for Baldy so you're not totally hating life.

baiskeli

Hmm, interesting.

We don't have long climbs comparable to that where we are, but on the short climbs around here, I've noticed that I climb slightly faster (and I'm less fatigued) in 34/28 (10 speed bike with compact) vs 39/27 (9 speed with double). There is a hill we do hill repeats on that my times are virtually identical except I'm faster by a few seconds on the compact on subsequent repeats (though on the first repeat I was faster on the double). I guess this might be indicative of fatiquing less on the compact. However, it feels easier (relatively) on the compact. It's a relatively short climb (5 minutes) so I don't yet know how that would translate to a long climb. I suspect on a long climb grinding along at 50 rpm on the double would be non-sustainable.

Looking at Baldy's profile, I KNOW there is no way in hell I could do it on the double, but I might be able to do it on the compact.

Bostic

In the Bay Area we have climbs that are similar in profile but they don't have the higher altitude and the very dry air. I drove down in 2008 in the Summer and did a group ride which followed HW39, E Fork Road, Little GMR, Glendora Ridge Road and finally Mt. Baldy to the Ski Lifts. By the time I got to those last four miles, it was very tough. Over 95 degree heat, dry air and going through water like crazy. I got up alternating between 34x23,26, 29. I'd like to get down there again sometime and give it another go.

jmX

I'd certainly consider that a beastly thing to do. 34/28 here and it still totally kicks my butt.

DScott

Doing that 78 mile route in less than 3 hrs 45 min. is beastly, no matter what the gearing is...

How much climbing we talking about total?

bitingduck

My girlfriend rode to Icehouse Canyon in a 48x16 fixed gear. She probably would have done the rest, too, but they wouldn't let us past there at the time we got there.

jmX

https://app.strava.com/rides/9064805#

Stage 7 was 78.8 miles / 11,118ft climbing according to that.

Just climbing up Mt Baldy alone is about 5000ft in 25 miles, if you go up GMR/GRR/MtBaldy, which is what they did for the last 25 miles of Stage 7.

patentcad

While that gearing may work it may not be ideal for racing it as a pro.

Seattle Forrest

That's easier than Hurricane Ridge Road!

jmX

The first 21 miles are pretty easy. The last 4 are a pain, and are a whole lot steeper.

Mansram01

The last 4 are a BEAST!

jeepseahawk

Someday I will do Hurricane Ridge. I drove my car up it last summer and got tired.

fishymamba

+1

The first 21 are pretty easy, the last 4 are brutal.

I remember when I rode up, my speed dipped to 3mph sometimes.

Biscayne05

I haven't been watchin ToC but I've been watching the Giro. I feel tired watching those guys right now. Even the earlier stages where they had the steep and short hills I was in awe.

Pozzovivo's and Hjesdal's face will tell you how leg wrecking the Giro is. lol.

Racer Ex 

Last year several pros including Zabriskie rode compacts. I started doing that climb on a 53/40 and an 11/27 when I bought a house down there last summer. I switched to a compact because I'd rather ride it at 90 RPM than 70.

The Columbian kid and Horner were crawling in the last few km's, either that or I run uphill a lot faster than I thought.

Making it up in XYZ gearing is kinda meaningless. I'm pretty sure you could make it up riding a Big Wheel.

big john

That's the Big Bear stage.

Seattle Forrest

I'm going to do it this year. In 39x25.

Great pic. Early spring? There's still snow in the gully!

robncircus

+1. My first time I was a fat out-of-shape dude and I finished on a 39/25. It's tough, especially that upper portion. Now I use compact gearing

fishymamba

I used a 30/26......