Standard chainset on the Bealach Na Ba

aberdeen_lune

I'm planning top do the short Bealach Na Ba sportive in May. Is a standard chainset 53/39 with a 12/27 cassette adequate gearing?

I know it depends on the rider, however for the average cyclist is it ok? I can get over the Cairn O Mount no problem on a standard chainset though I know the Bealach is a bit tougher its only a short sportive.

Anonymous

Aberdeen_lune wrote:

I'm planning top do the short Bealach Na Ba sportive in May. Is a standard chainset 53/39 with a 12/27 cassette adequate gearing?

I know it depends on the rider, however for the average cyclist is it ok? I can get over the Cairn O Mount no problem on a standard chainset though I know the Bealach is a bit tougher its only a short sportive.

Yeah, I think you maybe be ok....If you can get over the Cairn O Mount from Clatterin Brig and things like the Lecht from cock bridge then I dont see you having too much of a problem on the Bealach....just take it easy to start off with as the steepest ramp is experienced around 3/4s of the way up..(around 7kms up the climb)....a sustained 20% straight ramp...very tough but not too bad...its the coastal road that wll inflict a lot of pain....very up and downy...however I can manage round there on the 42 front ring and Im anything but a great cyclist.....take it easy on the bealach and I reckon success will come your way....good luck!

Steve928

39+27 is just about right for the 'average cyclist' I would say: you'll have to dig in on that 500m long steep section before the hairpins if you've worked hard on the climb up to that point.
Plenty of folk will go up on 39+23 while equally many will struggle in 34+26, and of course many more will get off and push. It all depends..

The coast road climbs from Applecross aren't that bad really. There are a few steep ramps but they're over pretty quickly. As long as you push hard on the preceding downs (rather than freewheeling and treating them as a rest..) and hit the ups with a decent amount of speed then they don't present that much of an obstacle.

Remember to look up occasionally and enjoy the scenery!

aberdeen_lune

Thanks for the advice guys I will get a bit of hill training in before the event and just dig in on the hard bits. I have a nice light bike ready for this so hope to enjoy it.

fenski

I decided to give the Bealach Beag a bye this year having done it the last couple of years. Although I'm going up for a weekend at the end of May to do the loop with some friends. We decided it'd be good to do it when it was a bit quieter and we could relax a bit more. We haven't decided if we're doing the Beag or Mor route - that might depend on beer consumption the night before!

Soreknees

Did the Beag last year on a 39/23 bottom gear but thought I was going to expire before I got to the top. I knew I was in bottom gear, had been since about half way up, I could even see I was in bottom gear but couldn't resist the urge to nudge the lever occasionaly just to make sure.
Apologies to the girl who was riding in front of me. With the amount of wheezing and heavy breathing I was doing she must have thought she was being followed by some kind of stalker. :shock:
Was going to gear it down a bit for this year but have convinced myself that I'm fitter than last year and it'll be OK. Hope the cardiac team's not too far away...