Just use what you need, when you need it. If it were me, I would have switched to a compact + 11-30 just for the event (or similar special occassions), knowing that it was more about surviving and finishing. For every day use that setup is not necessary. If you're training properly, your gearing is largely irrelevant unless you spend every day in the mountains while being sorely undergeared.simurs4 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2019 2:45 pmMy next step now is to imrpove my climbing or my sustainable power, as the ride I signed up for had ALOT of constant double digit gradient climbs, whch I have not ridden on very much, which I think is what finally did me in. It is a totally different experience for me coming from flat as a tack Melbourne, to where I am now.
I am still running standard 53/39 cranks but I opted for a 11-30t cassette which is as big as I could go without changing anything else. Would the next step be to move to a Compact crank or should I try to increase my fitness level first with my current setup? I am not sure how to move forward in the best way.
FYI 53/36 11-30 gets you about the same bailout as a 50/34 11-28 so that's something worth considering trying out before shelling out a lot of cash (guys like Bardet and Contador have used this combination on occasion in Grand Tours)