Ventous on a standard double??

Aud Reekie MTB
Aud Reekie MTB Posts: 164
edited April 2010 in Tour & expedition
Hi all,

I have a pal who wants to do Ventous later this year to celebrate his 40th. He's very fit eg he averages 20mph over 60 undulating miles.

He has a Cannondale R600 with 53/39 chainset which works well for him, but is considering changing to a compact for Ventous.

If we assume he could still get up it on the Std, would he be likely to benefit from the Compact for this trip

Cheers!

Comments

  • craigenty
    craigenty Posts: 960
    20mph over 60 undulating miles - sounds like he'll be fine but a 27 sprocket on the back might be handy.

    (it's Ventoux by the way ;-)
    Craig


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  • Aud Reekie MTB
    Aud Reekie MTB Posts: 164
    Cheers. He's never used a compact before (whereas I need one lol!). Is ther any benefit for him to change to a compact for "Ventoux" :wink: ie which is he likley to dind to have better ratios, assumming he can cope with the std?
  • nmcgann
    nmcgann Posts: 1,780
    Well, it's hard to tell how he'll get on until he tries it. I did Tourmalet etc. on 39/25 just fine, so a compact isn't necessary in the high mountains if he's used to climbing on higher gears.

    I was on a hire bike with a triple, although I didn't need the inner ring. If I took my own bike I'd fit a cassette with a 27.
    --
    "Because the cycling is pain. The cycling is soul crushing pain."
  • nicktheluddite
    nicktheluddite Posts: 221
    Has your mate thought about changing the cassette instead? Changing to compact probably means new crankset or spider (I think) whereas changing cassette just means slipping a few extra links in the chain. (Please note I have no experience of cycling in 'proper'-size mountains but understand that they are much bigger and longer than anything we have here in UK - climbbybike reckons Ventoux is 4 times height of Hardknott. I'll treat them with respect when I actually get to ride there.).
  • cookiemonster
    cookiemonster Posts: 668
    As above - maybe worth slapping on a 27 to make it a bit more comfortable, but should be fine on a double. Its not that steep (at least in comparison with the 20-25% nonsense you get in the UK).

    I did the cingles last year (up ventoux 3 times in a day) with a mate - me on a compact 12-25 and he on a double with a 27. No noticeable difference between us and neither felt over geared.

    jon
  • Aud Reekie MTB
    Aud Reekie MTB Posts: 164
    I'll suggest the 12/27 cassette to him. Cheers!

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