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Gearing and power for climbing Alpe d'Huez

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Gearing and power for climbing Alpe d'Huez

Old 07-05-12, 11:09 AM
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Gearing and power for climbing Alpe d'Huez

To be clear, I'm asking about a simulated climb of Alpe d'Huez on an indoor computrainer. Can a crap cyclist like me complete it without falling into a coma by the end?

The lowest gearing I'll have is 39x25 on 700x23 tires. Guesstimate of functional threshold power of around 225 watts (3.8 watts/kg) based on road TT and online calculator, not powermeter so totally unscientific.

They have a setup for two people to ride it simultaneously side by side, and most of my friends are probably slower than me but probably have climb friendlier gearing (guessing 34x27). Will we get killed attempting this ride? Since it's on a trainer and not on the real mountain road, would it be better to ride on my MTB with wider gearing?
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Old 07-05-12, 11:36 AM
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If it gets too hard then either stop or change settings on computrainer to make it easier.
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Old 07-05-12, 12:06 PM
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A little research suggests that it is a little over an hour climb, with the worst of it in the beginning. Give it a shot.
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Old 07-05-12, 12:36 PM
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Seems like you're over thinking this for something that involves climbing on a trainer in your garage. Why would you think that gearing you'd need for the road would be anything like gearing you'd need on a trainer? It'll just be about whatever resistance it's going to put on your wheel to force you to generate a target wattage.
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Old 07-05-12, 12:48 PM
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I have a friend who climbed it 6 times in a row (all in 1 day) last month as part of a fundraiser. I believe he used a compact crank and did fine with it.

Oh, wait...you are not talking about the real thing....never mind.
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Old 07-05-12, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Beaker
Seems like you're over thinking this for something that involves climbing on a trainer
This.
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Old 07-05-12, 01:41 PM
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In May, I actually climbed the real thing on a triple with a 12-25 cassette. My FTP based on my PT is about 220 watts. I was nearly at my limit on the steep bottom section (11-12% for two miles), so I think that you'll be toast trying it with a 39-25.

At least, you'll avoid the Walk of Shame unless you consider stop pedaling to change the gearing the equivalent of the WoS.
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Old 07-05-12, 01:56 PM
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it's technically possible to climb that since not that long ago TdF riders were using 52/42 with a six speed freehub and a max of 20T. 42x20 is a hell of a lot of gear by modern standards, and while those guys were hard men they were also riding at really damn low cadence.

that's the theory at least. in reality, there's no way in hell I could do it with 39x25 and I very much doubt the OP can either.
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Old 07-05-12, 02:20 PM
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LOL... I probably am overthinking it! Luckily since it is only simulated on the computrainer, I guess I won't slide backwards at any point and can just stop pedaling. They keep track of all the ride times and have some prizes for the people who participate. I prefer to wait until next year if I don't have a chance of finishing rather than failing totally; I'd rather skip it than be totally unprepared and poop out. It is pretty cool as they project video of the actual ride up Alpe d'Huez that advances at the simulated speed that you are riding.
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Old 07-05-12, 02:30 PM
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you can use an online computer and I bet it will plot something way under 60rpm for your gearing and estimated power. probably 30ish.

like I said, that used to be just the way it was.
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Old 07-05-12, 02:43 PM
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Be careful. If you blow up on the climb you'll have a long, humiliating walk all the way back to your La-Z-Boy.
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Old 07-05-12, 07:21 PM
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Alex Simmon's wrote an interesting blog article on the W/Kg required to ride Alpe d'Huez with chart estimating time.

https://alex-cycle.blogspot.com.au/20...r-mortals.html

I rode Alpe d'Huez twice last August (trip report in my blog). For gearing, I had specifically fitted a bigger cassette 13-29 for the trip, still using standard 53-39 on the front.

- The first afternoon on arriving in France when it was in the high 30's celcius and should have waited, but I wanted to open the ledger straight away! So hit the base of Alpe d’Huez in the 26 with no warm up and no plans to use the ‘emergency’ 29 as I’d never needed a 29 before… First couple of km’s are the steepest and tough! Suffered in the heat and sensibly finally shifted to the 29 after 3km in. Got to the top with no idea of my time as I first stopped at the banner in the village which was the weekly timed finish, not the TDF finish further up.

- Second go later in the week I tipped the odds in my favour; by warming up riding the flat road to Le Clapier first and hitting the climb in the morning. Although it was my fourth day on, I paced it well and was able to keep a steady power output. I also dropped into the 29 from the beginning this time and only using the 23 or 26 on the less steep hairpins. Ended up with a time of 58:40 321.9 Watts (78kg) including slowing to walking pace for ~150 metres as they had a market in the village just as you arrive!

Last edited by Dalai; 07-06-12 at 12:54 AM.
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Old 07-05-12, 08:11 PM
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Your profile doesn't indicate where you live nor do you describe your climbing experience. If you live in Florida, you're probably hosed. If you live in Colorado, no sweat I would think. From some of the responses I would think you need to be very comfortable climbing 10+% in the gearing you propose. If not, you'll probably suffer.

Of course depending upon trainer calibration, etc., you might be able to spin up at 12 mph. when you're done, post stats and pictures.

Last edited by rdtompki; 07-05-12 at 09:27 PM. Reason: more useless commentary
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Old 07-05-12, 08:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Beaker
Seems like you're over thinking this for something that involves climbing on a trainer in your garage.
I think he needs to pay some people to scream, wave flags, and run around him in circles in a devil's outfit.
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Old 07-06-12, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by ColinL
it's technically possible to climb that since not that long ago TdF riders were using 52/42 with a six speed freehub and a max of 20T. 42x20 is a hell of a lot of gear by modern standards, and while those guys were hard men they were also riding at really damn low cadence.

that's the theory at least. in reality, there's no way in hell I could do it with 39x25 and I very much doubt the OP can either.
Being a fat old guy from Florida, I'm no climber.

The time I climbed L'Alpe, I had a triple and enjoyed it, but I've also done HC tour climbs including the aubisque in l'etape, with a standard double and 12/27. Based on that I'm certain I could climb it with a 12/25. I'm also certain I'd be out of the saddle cursing my gearing choice for the first 2 km.
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