Bike for the Alps

Colin Campbell said:

Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
the best?

I think dragging a bike to and from Europe is getting to be more of a
pain. I'd train on the compact double. I'd hope for the best but
remember dat de wesp in de binnenband steekt.

Since you are going to be doing some climbing taking your own bike
makes a lot of sense unless you intend to buy a new bike in europe. Or
unless you are prepared to spend a equal or greater amount for a new
bike. If you are then you should have the bike and price figured out
before you get there. You should also consider purchasing a hard frame
shipping case.

I would like to travel in europe on a bike without all the hassle of
panniers. It would be nice if there was a convenient way to have my
luggage shipped ahead each day to my next hotel.

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro. The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier). I asked if any would have triple chainrings,
and the answer was, "No, they have compact doubles, though."

That worries me. I'm 64, in pretty good shape, riding a ton of miles at
sea level, and climbing better than I have for years. But for the tough
climbs in Southern California, such as Mt Palomar and Glendora Mountain
Road, I feel like I need my triple. We'll be staying at a ski resort at
1600 m (5000+ feet) altitude, and doing some pretty tough rides, like
the Selle Ronda, and maybe Passo dello Stelvio if we can make
arrangements to get there and back. The Stelvio ascends at 8 - 9% for
kilometer after kilometer, and goes to 2757 m (over 9000 feet).

Should I tote my climbing bike from home? (Back in 2002, I took my bike
to the TdF. I used a soft sided bag, and my scandium framed bike got
damaged by United Airlines on the way home. I had problems with the
altitude then - I just couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. That was at
Les Deux Alpes, 5,000 to 6,000+ feet.)

Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
the best?

Oh, and how should I train for riding in the Dolomites? I don't think
I'll be getting an altitude tent to sleep in, but I can get to good,
tough mountain roads without too much driving.

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro. The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier). I asked if any would have triple chainrings,
and the answer was, "No, they have compact doubles, though."

Could you ask what size cassette and chainrings the bike have? And
then possibly bring a bigger cassette (and of course your own shoes
and pedals)...and perhaps a new chain...and even a smaller inner
chainring? Of course, the max size of the cassette (and min of the
chainring) will be somewhat determined by the model of rear
derailleur.

That'd still be cheaper and easier than shipping your own bike, I'd
think.

Jim

Quoted message said:

Colin Campbell said:

Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
the best?

I think dragging a bike to and from Europe is getting to be more of a
pain. I'd train on the compact double. I'd hope for the best but
remember dat de wesp in de binnenband steekt.

I had to Google on that - you think I should "train" that way, huh?

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro.  The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier).  I asked if any would have triple chainrings,
and the answer was, "No, they have compact doubles, though."

That worries me.  I'm 64, in pretty good shape, riding a ton of miles at
sea level, and climbing better than I have for years.  But for the tough
climbs in Southern California, such as Mt Palomar and Glendora Mountain
Road, I feel like I need my triple.  We'll be staying at a ski resort at
1600 m (5000+ feet) altitude, and doing some pretty tough rides, like
the Selle Ronda, and maybe Passo dello Stelvio if we can make
arrangements to get there and back.  The Stelvio ascends at 8 - 9% for
kilometer after kilometer, and goes to 2757 m (over 9000 feet).

Should I tote my climbing bike from home?  (Back in 2002, I took my bike
to the TdF.  I used a soft sided bag, and my scandium framed bike got
damaged by United Airlines on the way home.  I had problems with the
altitude then - I just couldn't seem to get enough oxygen.  That was at
Les Deux Alpes, 5,000 to 6,000+ feet.)

Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
the best?

Oh, and how should I train for riding in the Dolomites?  I don't think
I'll be getting an altitude tent to sleep in, but I can get to good,
tough mountain roads without too much driving.

What is the real problem here? Are you too old to get on an EPO
doping program? EPO packs for travel a lot easier and more compactly
than a bicycle.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Colin Campbell said:

Quoted message said:

Colin Campbell said:

Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
the best?

I think dragging a bike to and from Europe is getting to be more of a
pain. I'd train on the compact double. I'd hope for the best but
remember dat de wesp in de binnenband steekt.

I had to Google on that - you think I should "train" that way, huh?

I think you should not worry. Cervelo's "entry-level" bike is the
Soloist Team, the aluminum version of their high-aero road bike.

http://www.cervelo.com/bikes.aspx?bike=SLT2008

The default components are an Ultegra build using an FSA compact
crankset (probably a 34/50, worst case is a 36) and a 12-25 cassette.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

SLAVE of THE STATE said:

What is the real problem here? Are you too old to get on an EPO doping
program? EPO packs for travel a lot easier and more compactly than a
bicycle.

Sidi shoe boxes work well, allegedly.

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro.  The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier).

Hi Colin, just wondering if you are aware that those are plastic
frames.

Remember, nothing rides like good ol steel Columbus slx.

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Fabrizio Mazzoleni said:

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro.  The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier).

Hi Colin, just wondering if you are aware that those are plastic
frames.

Remember, nothing rides like good ol steel Columbus slx.

What happened to you, Fabrizio? Next you're going to tell me you reject
the entire Pinarello lineup out of hand.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

Quoted message said:

What happened to you, Fabrizio? Next you're going to tell me you reject
the entire Pinarello lineup out of hand.

I love the old Montello SLX and Gavia TSX framesets.
The were good enough for Greg and Big Mig.

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Colin Campbell said:

Quoted message said:

On Mar 7, 1:51 pm, Colin Campbell <[email hidden]> wrote:

> Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
> the best?
I think dragging a bike to and from Europe is getting to be more of a
pain. I'd train on the compact double. I'd hope for the best but
remember dat de wesp in de binnenband steekt.

I had to Google on that - you think I should "train" that way, huh?

I think you should not worry. Cervelo's "entry-level" bike is the
Soloist Team, the aluminum version of their high-aero road bike.

http://www.cervelo.com/bikes.aspx?bike=SLT2008

The default components are an Ultegra build using an FSA compact
crankset (probably a 34/50, worst case is a 36) and a 12-25 cassette.

Supposedly, the bikes are "CSC Pro Team bikes" - I take that to mean
bikes from 2007 and maybe before that are no longer being ridden by the
team, but are still serviceable. (Maybe I'll get one of Jens Voigt's
bikes - we're about the same size.) Of course, I'll know if I'm right
when I get there and get a bike set up for me.

I rode my Trek with the Record compact double today, and it went OK. I
climbed "golf course hill" with no problem, so I should be good to go on
a 7,000 foot alpine pass, right?

SLAVE of THE STATE said:

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro. The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier). I asked if any would have triple chainrings,
and the answer was, "No, they have compact doubles, though."

That worries me. I'm 64, in pretty good shape, riding a ton of miles at
sea level, and climbing better than I have for years. But for the tough
climbs in Southern California, such as Mt Palomar and Glendora Mountain
Road, I feel like I need my triple. We'll be staying at a ski resort at
1600 m (5000+ feet) altitude, and doing some pretty tough rides, like
the Selle Ronda, and maybe Passo dello Stelvio if we can make
arrangements to get there and back. The Stelvio ascends at 8 - 9% for
kilometer after kilometer, and goes to 2757 m (over 9000 feet).

Should I tote my climbing bike from home? (Back in 2002, I took my bike
to the TdF. I used a soft sided bag, and my scandium framed bike got
damaged by United Airlines on the way home. I had problems with the
altitude then - I just couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. That was at
Les Deux Alpes, 5,000 to 6,000+ feet.)

Should I just go train on my compact double equipped bike, and hope for
the best?

Oh, and how should I train for riding in the Dolomites? I don't think
I'll be getting an altitude tent to sleep in, but I can get to good,
tough mountain roads without too much driving.

What is the real problem here? Are you too old to get on an EPO
doping program? EPO packs for travel a lot easier and more compactly
than a bicycle.

Can you send me the "materials"? I don't know who to ask locally, and
of course, I have to maintain my reputation for being slow because I
don't dope.

Jim Feeley said:

Colin Campbell said:

I'm going to Italy during the Giro. The event is "CSC Employee Week",
and they will supply us with road bikes (Cervelos, probably team bikes
from 2007 and earlier). I asked if any would have triple chainrings,
and the answer was, "No, they have compact doubles, though."

Could you ask what size cassette and chainrings the bike have? And
then possibly bring a bigger cassette (and of course your own shoes
and pedals)...and perhaps a new chain...and even a smaller inner
chainring? Of course, the max size of the cassette (and min of the
chainring) will be somewhat determined by the model of rear
derailleur.

That'd still be cheaper and easier than shipping your own bike, I'd
think.

Jim

The tour company told us that the bikes would have compact 50 / 34
chainrings. They didn't say what the cassette gearing was. My Campy
equipped compact setup has a 12 / 25 cassette.

I believe Team CSC uses Shimano components. Shimano offers cassettes
from 11 / 23 to 12 / 27 in the Ultegra lineup, and 11 / 21 to 12 / 27 in
Dura-Ace. So maybe I should just buy an Ultegra triple and front
derailleur to carry with me. eBay might just be my friend in this case....

Colin Campbell said:

Jim Feeley wrote:

The tour company told us that the bikes would have compact 50 / 34
chainrings.  They didn't say what the cassette gearing was.  My Campy
equipped compact setup has a 12 / 25 cassette.

I believe Team CSC uses Shimano components.  Shimano offers cassettes
from 11 / 23 to 12 / 27 in the Ultegra lineup, and 11 / 21 to 12 / 27 in
Dura-Ace.  So maybe I should just buy an Ultegra triple and front
derailleur to carry with me.  eBay might just be my friend in this case.....

What's your lowest gear on your bike with a triple?
Probably 30/25, a ratio of 1.2. That's about the same
as 34/28. Find out whether the CSC bikes have Campy
or Shimano gearing, and buy the matching cassette that
goes as big as their road derailleur will handle. I know
both will go up to 27 at least. The difference between
27 and 28 isn't going to kill you. Don't futz around with
trying to change out the crank on a borrowed bike.

The bigger issue is learning how to moderate your
efforts so you don't blow yourself up at altitude. It's
not incredibly high - you will probably find walking
around feels normal. But you have to moderate
aerobic activity a little. The initial feeling from your
leg muscles is not that different from sea level,
so it's possible to ride or run at your normal pace
for a few minutes and then realize you're breathing
much faster than normal and have ridden yourself
into a hole.

Also, bring sunscreen. If it's clear, you can get
sunburned really quickly; there's more UV and
less haze.

Finally, stop worrying about the cycling vacation of
a lifetime, you lucky dog.

Ben

Quoted message said:

Colin Campbell said:

Jim Feeley wrote:

The tour company told us that the bikes would have compact 50 / 34
chainrings. They didn't say what the cassette gearing was. My Campy
equipped compact setup has a 12 / 25 cassette.

I believe Team CSC uses Shimano components. Shimano offers cassettes
from 11 / 23 to 12 / 27 in the Ultegra lineup, and 11 / 21 to 12 / 27 in
Dura-Ace. So maybe I should just buy an Ultegra triple and front
derailleur to carry with me. eBay might just be my friend in this case....

What's your lowest gear on your bike with a triple?
Probably 30/25, a ratio of 1.2. That's about the same
as 34/28. Find out whether the CSC bikes have Campy
or Shimano gearing, and buy the matching cassette that
goes as big as their road derailleur will handle. I know
both will go up to 27 at least. The difference between
27 and 28 isn't going to kill you. Don't futz around with
trying to change out the crank on a borrowed bike.

The bigger issue is learning how to moderate your
efforts so you don't blow yourself up at altitude. It's
not incredibly high - you will probably find walking
around feels normal. But you have to moderate
aerobic activity a little. The initial feeling from your
leg muscles is not that different from sea level,
so it's possible to ride or run at your normal pace
for a few minutes and then realize you're breathing
much faster than normal and have ridden yourself
into a hole.

Also, bring sunscreen. If it's clear, you can get
sunburned really quickly; there's more UV and
less haze.

Finally, stop worrying about the cycling vacation of
a lifetime, you lucky dog.

Ben

I'm on a 53 / 42 / 30 triple with a 13 / 26 cassette, so my smallest
gear is 1.153, versus 1.36 on my compact double.

I'm just about positive the CSC bikes use Shimano shifters, derailleurs,
and cassettes, though they use FSA cranksets, Zipp wheels, and Speedplay
pedals.

My friend who is going with me told me he has an Ultegra 12 / 27 (1.26)
cassette that I can take along. and I'll question the organizers a
little more closely about what gearing is on the bikes (they did say 50
/ 34 chainrings, but didn't mention the cassette).

And of course, you're right about "don't worry, be happy" with regard to
the trip!

Hmmm sounds like a great trip. You don't want to focus on altitude and oxygen really. Training good before and so forth you will be able to pace yourself. I'm sure this trip is over by now, 2008. Its now 2015.

Sounds like an awesome experience. It's best to take things slow and easy due to your age. I'm a lot younger than you, and I would still be cautious about tackling that ride. I would also like to take my time and take in all that wondrous scenery.