tigat

In January, in a fit of hubris, I signed up for the Sunday leg of the Triple Bypass in Colorado. 120 miles, 10k plus ft. of climbing over 3 high mtn passes, from Avon to Bergen Park. If any of you have read previous posts, you are probably aware that I ride single handed, as my left arm went missing at the shoulder almost 40 years ago. Accordingly, I have never been able to generate any meaningful power standing up on the pedals, but I've always been a pretty competent sit down and pound it out climber. In my younger years, I rode a steel classic, and my lowest gear then was a 42-23. Never a problem. In the 2 plus years I've been actively riding as of late, I've run a 50/34 crank, and an 11-26 or 11-28 cassette on a lightweight CF bike, my concession to age. All three passes going eastbound, and Vail in particular, have relatively short but steep sections that have forced me on recent training rides down to a cadence around 65 in my lowest gear (6 mph or so), and toasted my legs and lungs to the point that it takes me a long time to spool back up, and catch up to my 20 year old training partner, who is able to stand up and slam the steeps. Powering through at higher speed and cadence, like I do when a climb has an end in sight, costs me even more in recovery time. The ride is 10 days away, so getting stronger is probably not an option. My wife's bike has a triple crank with an inside ring of 30 that I could switch out for the ride, and regain some cadence on the steeper segments, possibly leaving me a little fresher. I'm not looking to set any speed records here, but very much hoping to finish if I can. Thoughts? Posting this here, instead of the 41, in the hope that members of my own demographic may have more civil and relevant advice (I'll accept and deserve a few HTFUs, but likely won't learn much from them).

chasm54

Yes, use the triple. And stick the 11-28 on as well. It makes no sense whatever to grind it out, especially if you cannot easily climb out of the saddle. You'll still have a 50-11 for the fast bits, and you'll be in much better shape to enjoy them if you can spin a bit on the uphills.

Dudelsack 

1. Grammar Nazis abound on the 41 and mercifully no one here does that, but I have such a short attention span I added paragraphs to an otherwise fine post.

2. After 40 years I imagine you take your accomplishments in stride, but I think what you're doing is amazing and a source of inspiration!

3. Your name isn't Dave Dravecki, is it? Just wondering.

4. There are many mountain goats here. I'll let them speak for themselves, but I think they'll tell you to go triple and use a mountain bike cassette.

5. And Chapeau!

tigat

My understanding is this is the the 3rd or 4th year of running both ways--the traditional Saturday east to west, new Sunday west to east, and both ways over 2 days for the boldest or craziest.

DnvrFox

Yes, I looked up Team Evergreen and found the two-way trip and deleted my message, but too late

Good luck

cyclinfool

I would go with the triple and in the future, if you are making a steady diet of this I would put an MTB triple on the bike, no need for big gears when climbing. On observation I have made though, there is no substitute for the ability to put out watts on a continuous basis when climbing. A lower gear will allow you to put out fewer watts and still turn the cranks but you won't get you up the hill faster. Find your ideal climbing RPM and choose your gearing to match that and the hill, where you put out the most watts on a continuous basis.

phread59

I live in Central PA, smack in the middle of coal country. Hills and mountains we got. I have a Fuji Professional frame Circa 2005. I got it used with some horrendously tall gears. I had the cassette changed out to a 11-28 and put a set of mountain cranks on. I have 48 36 and 26 I think. Anyway I like you can only spin up hills.

I just bought a new bike. A Rubaix Elite with Apex on it. A compact double and 11-32 in the back. I rode a hill yesterday I couldn't make it up with the Rubaix. I make it every time on the Fuji. I think I'm gonna ditch the rear derailer and cassette and go 11-36. Not sure yet. Have to think about it and talk to the bike shop about swapping components.

I'd go mountain crank and 11-32 Tiargra cassette in the rear with a 105 medium cage derailer. That should get you over the hump. You could also retrofit a smaller inner ring if you had too.

Mark Shuman

Biker395 

+1

Go low, young man!

bikemig 

There is no downside to running a triple and considerable upside considering the ride you are undertaking. That said there is the question whether your derailleurs and very importantly your shifters can handle the triple. If your shifters can't handle a triple, you could run a mtb cassette on the rear (assuming your RD can handle it) (say an 11-34) and a crank with a 46/30 up front.

Barrettscv 

Use this tool, and you will put on a triple on without delay: https://home.earthlink.net/~mike.sherman/shift.html

ericm979

You will need: triple shifters, triple crank, triple front and rear derailleurs. Unless you have 6603 shifters your shifters won't handle a triple. And a longer chain. You'll need to re-cable your bike for the shifters.

Also, how do you shift the left shifter? You will have to shift it more with a triple.

Another option is a wider range rear cassette. Shimano road derailleurs can handle up to 30t cog without too much trouble.
Shimano make 12-30 cassettes. You'd be over the wrap spec with a 50/34 front but it will handle it as long as you stay out of the small chainring/small cog combo (which is usually unuseable on 50/34 compacts anyhow because the chain rubs on the 50t ring). You might be able to sneak a 33t chainring on there depending on the crank (some arms hit the chain) and it will add a tooth to the wrap requirement. You can get them from Harris Cyclery. I have used 11- and 12-30 cassettes on Shimano and Sram 50/34 road systems for very difficult climbing races.

If 34x30 is not low enough you can use a mtb cassette with 32t or 34t large cog. If you have Shimano you can use a 9sp MTB derailleur on your 8/9/10sp road system to handle the larger cogs and greater wrap. Sram makes "Wifli" derailleurs to use wide range cassettes.

With a wide range cassette instead of a triple you will be doing more shifting with your right hand.

jppe

Good luck with the ride. I've done all those passes although not on the same day. Would agree that the one stretch on Vail Pass is the steepest but fortunately it is not that long. I've ridden with a fella on RtR that rides with one arm and he is a great climber, and climbs seated of course. He understandably takes is very easy on the downhills.

I've thought about coming out and doing a leg of the Triple Bypass. Maybe one of these days.......

wn rider

I am 51 and also did the eastbound Triple Bypass last year. I was in reasonably good shape for the ride and really enjoyed it but I would also recommend you get the smallest climbing gears you can. I ran a triple with an 11x28 cassette and was glad I had it by the end of the day. One thing about the Sunday ride is that all the climbs are steeper from that direction, plus you have the toughest climb at the end of the day. You will have the long 15 mile climb up Juniper Pass after you have 90+ miles on your legs and it is nice to be able to gear down when you need to. Personally, I would much rather have the lower gears and not use them than not have them and wish I did. The weight penalty is not significant.

The great unknown for this ride is always the weather but the ride has some beautiful scenery. Good luck on the ride and enjoy yourself.

ModeratedUser150120149

Were you wearing a blue jersey a couple days ago. I saw a guy with one arm headed the opposite direction at a good clip. Very impressive and inspirational.

I can't stand to pedal and really appreciate my triple and 11-28 cassette. But, you are so far ahead of me I hesitate to suggest you copy my choice.

On the other hand for my learning. and if you don't mind sharing, I'd be very interested in how you manage balance and the other mechanical tasks of riding, drinking while riding, mounting and dismounting, etc.

B. Carfree

I do most of my riding on my old touring bike. It usually has an 11-28 or 12-27 with a 48-34-26. For decades I ran the same bike with a 12-24 7-speed freewheel and 48-45-24 chainrings over every terrain at pretty fair speeds. The cat1 and 2 folks I trained with always looked askance at my triple, but since none of them could ever ride away from me they learned to accept it in the peloton. I carry a bigger weight penalty on my engine than that little chainring.

Spinning up the hills is a great way to save the legs. If you can get the triple working on your bike, that seems like the way to go to me.

tigat

Thanks to all who have posted for the suggestions andkind words. I’ll try to respond to some:
1. No, I'm not Dave Dravecki, who truly is aninspiration;
2. This would be a one-time solution to aone-time issue--less than a mile all in of truly steep stuff on climbsthat are otherwise fine at a cadence of 75-90, using the existing gearing.I ride and climb 99% of the time never seeing even the 34-25, let alone the34-28;
3. For the FD, I currently use a bar end frictionshifter at the end of a snubbed off aero extension mounted onthe bar top to the right of the stem, which is where my hand is for a lot ofclimbing. It's compatible with the 105 triple FD that comes with mywife's triple crank should I choose to use it. On her bike, it's mated toan Ultegra rear identical to what I currently have, so I think I'm ok, but I’llswing by the LBS today to confirm;
4. HawkOwl: if it was a blue jersey and a red and white helmet,I suspect it was me. Next time you see me, shout hey and I’d be glad to stopand chat;
5. Regarding a.hydration, b. balance, c. start up, and d. set-up, short answers are: a. stillworking on it; b. rolling bikes, even lopsided ones, have a wonderful way ofwanting to stay upright absent user error; c. clip in and go, never reallythought about it; and d. working with some folks on something I’d feel betterputting other upper extremity challenged riders on. Will post here and on the adaptive forum when its ready.

tigat

Hawk Owl: tried responding to your pm (thanks for that) only to discover I'm many posts shy of the permission to do so. If you send me another with an e-mail or text, I'd be glad to continue off line and try to get together the next time you're in town. For anyone else following the thread, the triple conversion is out. Although it would work on the bike, the cost of pulling and then restoring (a one armed mechanic is even sketchier than a one armed climber, so this is a for hire project) is more than the wife will authorize. She thinks I'm plenty strong as is and if I'm doing the ride, I just need to hdfu. I'll let y'all know how it goes. My 20 yr. old son, training and ride partner, is thinking of doing a chest mounted time lapse on his GoPro. Lord willing, I may make it into one of the early shots.

stapfam

The new term over here for "HTFU" is to "G" up after Geraint Thomas in the TDF.

Staying with the Compact double should not be a problem although I have to admit that if "Extra" hills or longer hilly rides are contemplated- I do use my bike with a triple. That's an Idea- N+1 to get a triple on a climbing bike that you know you want and will use.

Rear cassette and although you could fit a 12/34 or 36- that would involve a new rear derailleur and chain at some expense. Some of us here have taken advantage of the Tiagra 12/30 cassette and if you run a 28 now it should replace your current cassette with just a bit of tweaking. Those extra 2 teeth make a difference when gravity goes the wrong way too often.

BlazingPedals

How 'bout installing a 12-41 cassette?
https://www.bentrideronline.com/?p=8631#more-8631

fietsbob

I liked the 50-40-24 t triple, on my touring bike, so much, I put one on my RB1..