Alpe d'Huez Beginner

Afternoon,
First post and I've searched the site but clearly not found what I'm after so really grateful for any pointers.
I'm planning to ride AdH at the end of May and am new (at 49) to road biking, albeit I have to be fit for my job (2 x assessments/yr) but am on the 'athletically-stocky' side. My bike is a second-hande Carrera TdF (which I really like) but it's more of a struggle on the hills. The current gears are 52/39 on the front cog and 26/13 on the rear cassette.
Q1. What are the optimum sizes for front and rear (bearing in mind I want the challenge but the current gears on a 15-20% gradient are proving a tad hard)?
Q2.What are the most cost effective gears, given the bike cost me a £100 off eBay last Summer and has had an excellent service. I'm not keen/able to spend that much on it.
Many thanks for any advice.
Max
First post and I've searched the site but clearly not found what I'm after so really grateful for any pointers.
I'm planning to ride AdH at the end of May and am new (at 49) to road biking, albeit I have to be fit for my job (2 x assessments/yr) but am on the 'athletically-stocky' side. My bike is a second-hande Carrera TdF (which I really like) but it's more of a struggle on the hills. The current gears are 52/39 on the front cog and 26/13 on the rear cassette.
Q1. What are the optimum sizes for front and rear (bearing in mind I want the challenge but the current gears on a 15-20% gradient are proving a tad hard)?
Q2.What are the most cost effective gears, given the bike cost me a £100 off eBay last Summer and has had an excellent service. I'm not keen/able to spend that much on it.
Many thanks for any advice.
Max
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Where do you live? Hopefully a hilly area and if so I'd design a hilly route and cycle it many times.
having said that, it's all just pedalling, you'll just have a slower cadence and possibly sorer knees afterwards.
whenever i ride in the mountains im amazed at the array of bikes on show, yours will be far from the worst for the job.
enjoy it, nothing beats riding in the alps, although there's a load better climbs than AdH to tackle in the area if you've got the time.
Q2 - either a new cassette with a wider range or a compact (50/34) chainset. How cost effective either option would be depends a bit on the type of gears you've got on the bike at the moment. Your LBS will be able to advise accordingly.
FWIW Alpe D'Huez never gets much above about 10 or 11% although there are some long stretches at about those gradients. There are some easier sections too though.
You've got some time to prepare so you'll probably fine even with your current gears provided you pace yourself on the day and you're prepared to grind and suffer a bit.
Max
without knowing more about your specific groupset it might not be that simple, but it's worth asking someone who knows what they recommend.
the Alpe isn't that steep, but will be much longer than anything you can find in Newbury. I've always found long efforts on the flat/on the trainer to be better training for long climbs than repeating short climbs, if that's of any use.
For anyone under 3.0w/kg, you're going to have a really hard time without a compact crank and an 11-28.
FWIW, using bikecalculator.com and bikecalc.com for the gearing..........a 34 ring and 28t rear cog at 80rpm up 8% is about 260w for someone weighing about 190lb body plus bike.
To get down under 200w, you'd need an 11-32 AND a cadence under 80 rpm. On an 11-28 at 200w, you'd be grinding it at 60 rpm on a size 34 ring.
That's assuming you can hold that as your hour power, not 20min. I don't think many people have really spent that much time climbing at 90% of threshold a few thousand feet up.
Cost wise, the cassette change will likely be cheaper. I looked up your bike, and if it has a tourney then that will do a 28t in the back.
A 28t might make it doable.
Just a thought...........maybe rent a bike there instead? Have something to rent with likely whatever gearing you'd want on it.
M
Hello Max, I'm Newbury based too - Walbury Hill and that area is about the best you will get around here, there's a decent one at Lambourne, and also Blowingstone further north.
Cracking target by the way, definitely on my bucket list - I look forward to hearing how you get on.
I've also cycled in Tuscany (We used to house sit near Lucca) and it's bloody wonderful cycling roads, and weather most of the time. VERY jealous!
Those ratios sound like a bit of a battle - and as you say it is only a £100 bike.
A new compact crank, rear cassette and chain will likely set you back 80% of the cost of the bike, although if you choose wisely you could take those bits off as and when you came to sell it, and recoup some of the money.
I don't think you would get much back if you sold the bike with those new bits fitted, if you know what I mean.
How many gears is it running at the back - 8?
Do you tend to spin, or grind - with those ratios, I am guessing more the latter?
You could go second hand I guess, BUT to my mind a second hand cassette and chain would be a bit of a lottery, and likely a false economy - chainsets perhaps less so, as it's a bit easier to see the amount of wear on the teeth, and sometimes you can get some crazy bargains on them if you are lucky in the sales.
Who is your bike servicing guy - Cristian, someone from Banjos, or someone else entirely?
EDIT: One alternative that has just occurred to me, and your bike guy might be able to advise, is whether you could simply change one or both of the chainrings on your crankset - ie the cheapest option (If the derailleur can handle it) would be to fit a 36 to replace the 39. I have replaced the inner and middle rings on a triple I had, and they only cost me around £10-£15 each - forget the make, stronglight perhaps and one was a legit Shimano one, think I got them from CRC and Ribble.
IF that would work, then you could look at a cheap 8 spd cassette (Assuming yours is 8 spd), and a chain, which might set you back as little as £10 a piece - that is the beauty with the lower end componentry, it is as cheap as chips.
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
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Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
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Basically I'd recommend a 34 inner ring with a 30t cassette at the back. I have ridden up big climbs with extremely fit riders and they all use compacts, the only one that tried a 39 inner ring regretted it instantly!
Daniel, we normally stay near Pistoia (San Baronto) but I'm yet to use a road bike around there as it's always been spinning on a mountainbike. I'm now grinding and dogmatically hooked although Claypits Lane up to Walbury is quite horrible at the moment! Yes it is Cristian by the way! The chainring suggestion is good and I'll get Cris' opinion. The Lambourn hill (if it's the one from Shrivenham) is a corker; may be one for this weekend.
Max
Enjoy the climb, it's savage for the first 3 km so don't go too hard from the outset!
Not familiar with that area, but it's all gorgeous over there, as is the food and drink!
Looking on Google maps I can see it's no distance at all from Lucca, well less than 30 miles at any rate - I can highly recommend a visit there, or even a ride there if you fancy it.
The Lambourn Hill I was referring to is the B4000 heading south west out of Lambourn - 6-8 minute climb for most people.
I ride out along that same road though, but hang a left before Shrivenham, and go through Bourton, before heading back to Foxhill, and then back through Aldbourne, Chilton Foliat and Hungerford - lovely route imho.
Thinking more about the chainring situation, if as alluded to above your rear derailleur would only allow you to go to a 28, then it might be cheaper to replace both front chainrings, and then you can stick with the old rear cassette AND chain.
That way, if the bolt patterns will work and your chainset is constructed as such that it will play ball, then you could conceivably look to go to something like a 46\30 or 32, and then could either stick with that when you get back (If you want to get more spinny) or just change them back out for the originals.
Those kind of front cogs are along the lines of the lower two you might find on a triple, or on a CX bike - although the latter would probably rock a wide range cassette on the rear, such as an 11-32.
This is the type of chainring thing I am talking about - although Cristian could advise you on compatibility or not:
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/stronglight-dural-130mm-shimano-8-9-10-chainring/#pid=21671
And CRC have some from £5 a pop!
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/s?q=%20chainring&sort=pricelow
Here is how to measure the BCD for the chainset if you want to have a look yourself:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_bo-z.html
If you don't mind me asking, do you have any plans or aspirations to buy a better roadbike at any point?
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18
I know people are saying it's not that steep but I took 70 mins to do it and the bottom ramp looks up at about 45 degrees.
Lower gears and a decent bike will make it more manageable. It's a great climb.
It's not really a hard hill - just keep turning the pedals round at a comfortable speed and you'll get there.
I'd hire a bike there if you're happy with your gearing for everything else - but I would bet that you'll enjoy cycling more generally if you invest in lower gears.
As most have said - the 1st couple of km’s are the toughest so take it easy so you can enjoy the remainder of the climb. The views are stunning and it’s an iconic climb - some decent training beforehand should allow you to enjoy it.
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Although I don't think he can do that alone, as he has a 52 up front - too big a difference for the derailleur to handle?
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18
I think you'll find most hire places doing a 34x32 lowest gear which is a hint.
It's also improbable that his rear mech will accomodate a sprocket much larger than a 27.
Best bet would be to fit a compact chainset - IF the front mech will slide down far enough to accommodate it - or hire a bike more suitable.
https://www.cyclehuez.com/rates-enquiries/
- 9 speed shifters
- 34/50 chainset
- front and rear derailleurs
You could just swap the chainset over or get a new chain & cassette and fit the whole lot.
He'll still need a bike though, as I get the impression he plans to ride in Tuscany - the ultimate destination.
Won't get a better offer than that I would wager, top man Kingdav.
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18
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Daniel, you should try Pistoia - San Baronto - Lamporecchio and back - great climbs and I believe San Baronto was the patron saint of cyclists; there's certainly no shortage of bikes constantly up and down. San Baronto is on the saddle of the Montalbano ridge and there's a great coffee stop at the top (they own the cliff-top restaurant opposite) with amazing views over to Livorno.
KG, you're absolutely right; the aim is to enjoy it!
KingDav, please PM your details - many thanks, Max.