Gearing for Ventoux

[T4tomo]

No camping gear just me on the bike. Incidentally I should have added am going up from Malaucene not Bedoin.

Same difference - its a similar-ish profile. Enjoy!

 

[YellowV2]

Chain length is not an issue. As we are talking Campag it’s not cheap so nothing is pennies! £276 for the crankset.

 

[YellowV2]

Same difference - its a similar-ish profile. Enjoy!

Thanks.

 

[YellowV2]

Do you have a smart turbo and an app like Zwift that has Ventoux, such as Zwift's Ven Top?

Given the odd virtual climb I've done of this monster, I suspect it's going to take you approx 2+ hours at endurance pace.

Any local hills of similar ~8% gradient you can climb and descend for 2+ hours and see how you do with current gearing?

I can't be certain, but I think this Ven Top ride was 100% trainer difficulty with 34/50 rings and 11-34 when I was approx 78-80Kg back in Xmas '20, so ~2.5W/Kg and a z2 endurance effort.

Yes to all the above and plan to do just that, don’t mind 2+ hours.

 

[ColinJ]

So anyone can get up it, on any bike, if determined ...

Anyone in good health, maybe. It certainly would not be possible for many unfortunate people no matter how determined they were!

 

[matticus]

Anyone in good health, maybe. It certainly would not be possible for many unfortunate people no matter how determined they were!

Indeed. (although I thought that went without saying in the context of this thread! )

 

[Pblakeney]

My take having done a lot of high mountains on Campag with both 34x29 & 34x32 is that you’d barely notice the difference.
34x34 should be perfectly adequate, and you’ll probably only be looking for easier at the 15%+ mark.

 

[Spiderweb]

Have you considered just fitting a 32 inner in place of the 34?
I'm sure it is outside of the recommended teeth difference, but in my experience when I swapped a 39 on a 53/39 for a 36, it behaves perfectly - that is DA 9100 in case that makes any difference.

How much is an entire chainset?
The inner ring on it's own is probably relative pennies - my genuine DA inner was £36 iirc.
Arguably, for speed and simplicity, it would be easier to just swap out the entire crankset, although you'd need to swap pedals as well I suppose.

Do you know yet whether you can have a suitable chain length that would accommodate both setups, and or will you also have to tinker with the FD height, relative to the largest cog I wonder?

It sounds like the OP has a 110 BCD chainset, I thought the smallest inner chainring available for this was 33 teeth?
Can you get a 32 teeth for this set up?

 

[Dan Lotus]

It sounds like the OP has a 110 BCD chainset, I thought the smallest inner chainring available for this was 33 teeth?
Can you get a 32 teeth for this set up?

Ah perhaps that is a possibility, hadn't considered BCD, and have to admit to not being familiar with Campagnolo at all really.

 

[Legs]

 

[YellowV2]

It sounds like the OP has a 110 BCD chainset, I thought the smallest inner chainring available for this was 33 teeth?
Can you get a 32 teeth for this set up?

I have Super Record crankset which unfortunately isn’t compatible with Chorus 12s chainrings, they are unique BCD’s to each. The 32/48 combination is only available on the Chorus. I don’t think it’s worth the cost for such a small difference tbh.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's entirely up to you. Gearing is personal.

My own motto is that you can't have too low a bottom gear.

That said, I've ridden up the Grand Colombier and the Tourmalet on 34/32 cos that's what the hire bikes had and I don't think I put out anything remotely like 3w/kg over the 2hr or so it took me to winch myself up them.

My own bike has a 46/30 chainset now giving me a luxurious bottom gear of 30/34.

 

[si_c]

I have Super Record crankset which unfortunately isn’t compatible with Chorus 12s chainrings, they are unique BCD’s to each. The 32/48 combination is only available on the Chorus. I don’t think it’s worth the cost for such a small difference tbh.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

One choice might be the Super Record WRL power meter crankset which comes with 48/32 chainrings as an option.

 

[YellowV2]

cost is more than the trip! Thanks for the suggestion though.

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[Exlaser2]

I did it in 2013 . I had a campag triple at the time running 30x26 which I did change to 30x28 before doing the trip .
Suffered like a dog ( I didn’t do enough climbing training ) but at no time did I think I needed a lower gear.
So I think you will be fine with 34 x 34 as that’s even lower than I used. 😀