Roadrash3

Long story short. Had a road bike years ago, went to do death ride, never made it there. I now want to do death ride again next year, but have no road bike. Have pretty close to a road bike a Specialized Diverge aluminum. Heavy with aluminum, cheap wheelset, and disc brakes. Would be tough to scrap up money but being that i am going to go back to repeats on Diablo this next year and the ride itself. Would you spend the money on a new bike (N+1) or would you put a thinner tire on it. Thinking i should get a new bike to ensure success, what do you think?

MetinUz

A lighter bike may make you 1% faster. Is that what you're after?

anotherbrian

I finished a slightly longer/harder version of the Death Ride (Alta Alpina) on a 30lbs recumbent. An aluminum Diverge could finish Death Ride just fine.

DiabloScott

Why aren't you doing Diablo now? I approve special wheels for climbing on pavement, that bike's fine.

snotrockets

You don't even need to replace wheels: assuming yours are true, just put some slicks on, and you're all set.

bikingshearer 

Word. I would strongly recommend you start training for the Death Ride now. On whatever ride you currently have. Continue to gather whatever info you deem appropriate in choosing a bike and other equipment, but you really do need to start preparing yourself for the challenge now. That is a lot of climbing in one day and you want to be ready for it so you don't feel like roadkill afterwards.

Roadrash3

Yes for sure I am starting now, gotta get serious and logging some hills.

KenshiBiker

A new bike will not ensure success on the Death Ride.

+1

I did the Death Ride this year. Training included lots of climbing . . . every week; Mt. Diablo repeats were also a part of it - getting a new bike was not (though in the interest of full disclosure, I bought a new bike in 2014 - that inspired me to do the Death Ride, not the other way around).

Good luck. The Death Ride is something everyone should do at least once. It's a lot of climbing, but nothing too steep (relatively).

bikingshearer 

Excellent. And please forgive the tone in my previous post. I just re-read it, and it comes off as snarky and preachy, which is not at all what I intended. (I was trying to be encouraging and motivating and supportive and stuff like that.) Be sure to keep us apprised of your progress and how the ride itself goes so we can cheer you on and live vicariously through your efforts.

DiabloScott

Excellent. And maybe instead of thinking of new equipment as some kind of motivator to train for a big event, think of giving yourself the gear as a reward for self-motivation. So like if you do 20 Diablo Summits including ten Double Diablo Summits and 3 Triple Diablo Summits... you've earned a pair of sweet climbing wheels.

See you on The Mountain.

Roadrash3

I didn't see any tone, so no forgiving needed. I read it exactly as you meant it. I do need to start riding longer and higher though. As much as we need El nino, that would not help this year!!!

Roadrash3

[QUOTE=DiabloScott;18334168]Excellent. And maybe instead of thinking of new equipment as some kind of motivator to train for a big event, think of giving yourself the gear as a reward for self-motivation. So like if you do 20 Diablo Summits including ten Double Diablo Summits and 3 Triple Diablo Summits... you've earned a pair of sweet climbing wheels.

See you on The Mountain.




You totally read my mind today. I did just that, Bought a new set of nice wheels, not carbon or anything, but nicer then what i had. I did not install them though, i got a great deal on them and put them away. If i can reach all my climbing goals and prepare myself enough for the ride, i will gift them to myself right before the ride. A small carrot dangling in front of me. My birthday/christmas present to myself that i can't have yet!!!!

Lanceoldstrong

You can do it.
I know a guy who is 6 ft. / 190 lbs. and he rode:

2 Devil Mountain Doubles (208 miles, one day, 20,000 feet) and a Nifty Ten Fifty (50 Miles, 10,000 feet)
He went a little nutty from it. As evidence, he loaned me his secret training soundtrack.

Blues:

Train, train, train.
Train kept a rolling all ride long.
Train kept a rolling all ride long.
With a hill and hill and another great big old hill.
Train you ride, 3 Diablo Repeats long.

Country:

I hear that trainin' comin'
It's rolling up again
And I ain't seen a flat road since I don't know when,
I'm stuck in Death Ride trainin', the climbs keep draggin' on
But that trainin' keeps me rollin', on up to Markleeville.

Rock:

Road you cruise is uphill now baby
You know you can't do the flats
If a hill gets in your way baby
You gotta spin it down
Remember that ride when they dropped you?
You put em' in their place!
Get that hill in a stranglehold baby
Then crush their pace!

Reggae:

I remember when a we used to ride
On the Iron Horse Trail in Dublin,
Observing the roller blades and strollers - yeah! -
Mingle with the good people we'd meet, yeah!
Good hills we have now, good hills we have again
Along the way, yeah!
In this great future, you can forget the flats;
So use your gears, I say. Yeah!

No, flat routes, no ride;
No, flat routes, no ride. Oh, yeah!
Oh little darlin', don't spare no gears:
No, flat routes, no ride. Eh!