Marmotte Pit Stop Strategy......and accom ?

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Comments

  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    I'd be tempted to go with a 29. I was in the pyrenees last week with only a 25 and unable to hold a high enough cadence. My power was about 10% down as a result.
  • richa
    richa Posts: 1,632
    APIII wrote:
    I'd be tempted to go with a 29. I was in the pyrenees last week with only a 25 and unable to hold a high enough cadence. My power was about 10% down as a result.
    You would probably have to build a 29 cassette yourself and may have derailer issues. BBB's 12-28 for £35ish is probably the easiest option.
    Rich
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    I've got a 29 (I run campag), just in the rush to pack I didn't have time to switch the cassette. My point was though, go as low as you can. 34-29 @ 80rpm should equal 7.5mph according to Sheldon Brown (unless I've got it completely wrong), so just over the hour for Alp D'Huez. Far quicker than most people will do it on the Marmotte.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    Stronglight triple 50/34/26 with 13/14/15/17/19/21/23/25/28. That should be enough.
  • russell_in_france
    russell_in_france Posts: 124
    I use 39-27 as a lowest gear, but each year, I have less time on the bike and a compact is more tempting. The lower, the better as it's insurance to get up the last climbs.

    Russell
    www.grenoblecycling.com
  • musto_skiff
    musto_skiff Posts: 394
    Is it possible to get a 29 for a Shimano set up?
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    I rode the Marmotte with 39/26. But that was 9 years ago and I think I might change to 36/26 or 39/28 nowadays.

    Hard to believe the first time I rode Telegraphe/Galibier, albeit not in the Marmottte, less competitive, I rode with 42/23!
  • bs147
    bs147 Posts: 164
    I'm going with 50-39-26 with a 12-27 on the back. I'm 87kg so need the help!
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Next time I'll take enough supplies to get to the water station in the village before the Telegraphe as the Glandon is total chaos and you just want to get out of there pronto. There are a few villages on the (long) descent and I remember at least one fountain you could use to top up from, someone else might be able to confim where.

    The top of the Telegraphe was a crazy bun fight with an every-man-for-himself scrum at the top - I'd avoid that too.

    Valloire seemed busy, but I bypassed it as I'd stopped at the Telegraphe.

    The cafe at Plan Lachat does bottles of coke (lifesaver) and has a nearby standpipe for water.

    Top of the Galibier was reasonably calm as the field is spread a bit at this point.

    The bottom of the Alpe is busier, but I'd recommend stopping even if you don't want to or feel like you need to. I didn't last year and regretted it for the next 2.5 hours of hell.
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    30x25 last year and it wasn't enough on the Alpe. Really could have done with a 27 but in my mind I'd already decided that if I couldn't do it on 30x25 I had no right to anything smaller. I'll do the same again next time, but would consider a compact with a 27 if money allowed. Good luck all.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    A Stronglight triple 50/34/26 and a 13-28 cassette should be low enough.
    (if not, then I'm in big trouble)
  • Paul M.
    Paul M. Posts: 1
    I managed to cobble together an 11-29 running on 34 compact rings which seems to work fine on campag levers even though the indexing is a little sensitive.

    an additional last minute question (apologies if ettiquette requires a new topic) to those seasoned marmotters out there is ... "anyone know what it is like driving to the start on the morning coming in from Grenoble direction...." I know the area fairly well and though I've never been there on a Marmotte day, that road can get thoroughly jammed on Tour days.... my plan was to drive as far as posible towards Bourg D'Oisans and park at the side of the road (but not necessarily at 3am!).... am I likely to make it as far as, say, the Alemont junction or will I be starting my first Marmotte with a time trial to the start line?

    Good luck to all.... hope it is a fun day out. :?
  • richa
    richa Posts: 1,632
    Paul,
    You should be able to cycle (and drive? - don't think roads are closed) from the Alemont junction to the start area.

    Last year there were plenty cycling the 'wrong way' tio the start at 7:15 whilst I was going the 'right way' towards Glandon.
    Rich
  • russell_in_france
    russell_in_france Posts: 124
    Yep, I'll second that. Make sure you leave early enough and you can park in Bourg d'Oisans. I've done it a number of times and always parked up one of the little streets off to the right when you arrive in the town. Thankfully it's only 7,000 people at the Marmotte, and not 400,000 like we see at the Tour.

    Russell
    www.grenoblecycling.com

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