gearing conundrum

[kenyonchris]

For the primarily flat riding here in Texas I am riding on a 53/39 crankset, 11/27 cogset. There are some rollers and such, and I do some occasional traveling to Austin, where there are some more legit climbs, but I always manage to be a pretty strong climber (if you can call that climbing).
Then I went to California. We did two rides there, and after the second (which covered Stage 2 of the Tour California and was HILLY....I felt a little better after watching the interviews and seeing that the pros thought it was hard enough) a bike shop guy wandered by, looked at my setup, and said, "You did that ride on THAT?? WHY??" I then looked around and saw that almost everyone had either compact doubles or even triples on their bikes. Hmmm. That would explain a lot.

I am riding with Campy Chorus 11. I gather it is not as easy as just changing out the crank? I really have never messed with my setup, it works just fine for the small grades here. But in October I am going back to California to ride Levi's Gran Fondo, and may do the San Jose livestrong challenge in July, both of which will have similar (if not worse) climbs than the ones I have done.

My husband, who is riding with the same sort of setup, is thinking about taking his older Trek that he keeps on the trainer (it has a triple) and leaving his setup alone on his Madone, which he races with here. He thinks, with my Chorus setup, it is going to be really expensive to change the setup, and I would be better off looking for a bike that would do the ride and then serve as a back up bike to my Pinarello. I think it can't be that hard or costly to change the setup, and I would rather ride my nice bike on a long, hard ride than something not as nice but with appropriate gearing. In any event, I would have to change the whole thing back once I get back, I like my gearing as it is for here.

What ya'll mountain people think?

A note on the ride. I finished all the climbs without stopping or (gasp) walking except for one, where I stopped to help my DH with a mechanical problem. Once I had stopped, the grade was so steep that I could not figure out how to get started again effectively, I could not pedal even one rotation with just one leg (by that point, we were almost to the top) so that I could get clipped in. I finally hoofed it the 100 feet or so to the top, where I groused and complained about not riding to the top. However, during each and every agonizing climb, my HR monitor beeped alarmingly at me before deciding I had died. At the top, I recovered quickly, which was good, but I am pretty sure I could not do anything even one iota harder than that ride without just falling over.

OK, now that you've slogged through that mess, anyone have any thoughts?

[lunacycles]

compact crank? Chorus cranks are pricey, but I don't see why switching it out is particularly complicated: replace crank, lower and adjust fd, shorten chain a link or two...ride!

[Veronica]

I had wondered how you did on the Breakaway ride. Glad to hear you survived. :D

Seriously, I think the Howell Mountain Climb you did is probably harder than what you'll encounter in San Jose.

Levi's GF does go up King Ridge and Coleman Valley both of which are pretty tough and very similar to the later climbs on the Breakaway ride. If it were me, I'd probably start Coach Troy's leg strength video on a weekly basis. :D

I don't know much about Campy but if you could trade out to a 34 instead of your 39 it would be help probably. Of course if you can afford a nice second bike... that's always fun.

I've always ridden a triple or really compact double (46 -33 with a 34 in the rear!) on the mountains around here until I got my race bike. I've been pleased to discover that I can still get up the mountains even though my gearing is much taller. Cervelo has 50 - 34 and 11-25.

You've got time to explore your options.

Veronica

[Thorn]

I don't now about the cranks, but I do know that Campy has a 12-29 cassette for 11-speeds now. My home terrain is like Hill Country -- short (by mountain-speak) rollers that I can use my 39/26 for if I want. If you put a compact crank on that your low gear is effectively a standard triple of 30-26.

When I travel, I use a triple with a 30/29. Yep, super-granny. But, if I wake up tired or ill I want a gear that I can spin comfortably up to an 8% or so. I like knowing it is there.

But, I'm surprised how much I will use the 39/29. That extra 3 cogs isn't much but, for me, it seems to be just the little oomph I need.

[MartianDestiny]

Warning: I know just enough to be dangerous, and nothing Campy specific.

It seems you could just get another crank and swap them back and forth. Pricey and would involve some derailleur and chain tweaking potentially, but should be doable.

Another option may just be to get a different (smaller) small chain ring to give you a lower low. You'd still have to uninstall the cranks, replace the ring, and re-install. Royal pain, but cheaper.

Final option would be to just replace the cassette with something lower. Probably the easiest thing to do. Either get a spare rear wheel to use with the lower cassette, or just mount and unmount. You'll have to adjust the derailleur as well likely, and the derailleur may limit how big (easy) you can go on the rear (ie: you probably won't be able to use a mountain bike cassette with a road derailleur).

[kenyonchris]

compact crank? Chorus cranks are pricey, but I don't see why switching it out is particularly complicated: replace crank, lower and adjust fd, shorten chain a link or two...ride!

That's what I thought, but DH thought I would have to replace the FD and chain?? And can't I add a gear on back without replacing the entire cassette?

[Pedal Wench]

I'm talking Campy 10, not 11, so your mileage may vary... I ran a compact with a standard FD for years, and it was just fine. I think that's still what I have on one of my bikes, and I couldn't tell you the difference.
However, I agree with whoever said to just get a new 12-29 cassette. I'm the worst climber I know, but I survived a week in Colorado with a 53/39 and that 29 in the back. I prefer a compact or triple, but that would be the cheapest option. Plus, once you put in enough miles on that chain, you'll need a new cassette soon anyway.

[kenyonchris]

Thanks ya'll. If just replacing the cassette is enough to get me through, that is what I am going to do. I guess that if I survived (not happily, but survived) on the 11-27 with the 53/39, a 12-29 cassette may be enough.

[maillotpois]

Didn't that Breakaway ride also do Oakville grade (the bad side - east to west)? :D That's about the worst in the area.

V's right about King' Ridge and Coleman - and that the SJ ride probably won't require anything different in your gearing. That course is pretty flat, all things considered. as for Levi's - KR is longer, but Coleman comes later in the ride and thus feels harder than it is. You would probably be happy with a compact double on those - if you have a standard double now, you would have to replace the crankset/FD I think.

Here's another thought - not ideal, but I do know that some of the bike rental places here rent decent road bikes (Kestrel, Marin), which would come with a triple or compact double. Do you really want to change the gearing on your bike if it works for what you usually ride at home? I know the sustained climbs are no fun on a standard double, but changing everything just for a few rides - even if you come back and do one ride every year - seems like a bit much.