I am doing the long course, but the bike for the Oly course is run over the same course with the exception of the starting hill. It is going up Lynch hill this year, which is less steep than Beach, but still pretty steep and it is right there at the transition area - no time to get your bike legs before you hit it. The rest of the hills are decent, but not dramatic - except maybe the hill right after the turnaround. The whole course is pretty much rollers with maybe five total miles of flat - if that. There are no grades like Nasty to bite you at the end.

I could grind up Lynch in a 23, but I would probably put on at least a 26 - of course I am planning on using a 13-29 on the long course to flatten the grades a little bit.

I did the Olympic course last year and on 26 inch wheels used a 55/44 up front and a 12 - 25 on the back. I think I was probably in about 58 minute 40km shape for a flat TT and rode 68 minutes at Wildflower.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org