UCI mountain stages.

ben@31
ben@31 Posts: 2,327
edited November 2012 in Road general
I was watching a few YouTube clips of the mountain stages of the TDF, Giro and Vuelta. And I was in awe of how quick and easy they made the climbs look.

I know these guys are ridiculously super fit, if not the fittest athletes. But the video clips made me wonder, what gearing do they use in these mountain stages? Can they use a triple or do they use a compact? I just wanted to put it into perspective with my rides.
"The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby

Comments

  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Some use a double with a big cassette on the back, some use a compact. Contador went up the Zoncolan on a compact with a big SRAM cassette last year and nailed it. Orica Green Edge used a lot of compacts in 2012.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Compacts are a relatively new invention. Look back at the old clips to see them climbing on a handful of gears.

    Triple would only be used by one or two people on the silly steep climbs they do in the Vuelta.

    What the clips can't show you is the proper gradient- the pros just make it look ridiculously easy. Their power to weight ratio is far beyond us mere mortals.

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