Well, I ended up with 39x25 and that seemed to work well. Managed to get up Col de La Ramaz and Joux Plane with no problems (albeit rather slower than the Tour went over) Not sure a lower gear would have been neccesary, the slope wasn't much it was the length that was the problem.
Gearing for alpine climbs
- Thread starter bobbyp
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HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
A bit OT. I was just reading about the first TdF; the early riders only had one gear but if they flipped their hub they got a 2nd; their second gear for the Alps/ Pyrenees was a 46 x 25 
If you are really fit and you do a lot of climbing you can get up the Ventoux on a 42 X 22 but if you suffer 'le fringle / bonk ' a 39 X 26 will be very welcome. Worth noting as a frequent traveller on the Ventoux a large majority of the people that overtake you after Le Chalet Renard have in fact roof racked the bike for the first 20km 
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- The TerrorVortex
Ah, well at least I didn't do that.
I may have needed stupidly low gearing even though I was in the best form I've had for over a decade, I may have chosen the easiest route up, but I did it. No walking, no cheating, just me, the bike and the hill. [/smug mode]
I may have needed stupidly low gearing even though I was in the best form I've had for over a decade, I may have chosen the easiest route up, but I did it. No walking, no cheating, just me, the bike and the hill. [/smug mode]
Half their speed or two thirds their speed? This makes a big difference to our level of respect.
