Would go for 808, with 23-25mm tires and low pressure due the rough surface and slippy turns.

Gearing depends on your strenght: With 3 steep hills (up to 17 per cent) at the end, we need low gearing. Many participants don't manage to bike up. It is slippery in wet weather - what do you need to get up 17 per cent hill seated, without destroying you legs for the run?

Thanks. 17% eh! Holy! So I'm moving my 34/50 compact to my Tri bike then!

Disc going to be good on this course? Or 808 for the climbing?

Thanks eh

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@rhyspencer

Bumpy roads, thight turns, steep climbs -> 808.
- Only a few use disc in that race.

It depends:

If you're M25-29 then the 303s and standard chainset will be fine.
If you're any other age then go for the 808 and disc with a compact.

See you in Tenby ;)

I used the set up as you described. 808/404, 12/27 on a P2, Conti 4000iis, I was 57 on race day. I've used the same gears for Placid, Tremblant and Savageman. The 27 only came into play on the really steep sections. Wise mans bridge and a bit in Saunderfoot. But you can imagine a few short pieces on some of the course. I trained a lot on hills so I was in for no surprises. Would compacts have helped? Mighta been nice on the 17% hill but that's what legs are for and its not that long <500m. Was just over 6 hours and third in AG. Good luck, what an awesome course after you survive the swim hahaha!

I've done wales twice, and been very close to kona twice. So I'm a reasonably strong biker. I had a compact and a 28, an out on the hills I still wanted lower... Spiking power and heart rate up the hills means you'll have a horrible marathon, and the marathon is very unforgiving. It's too easy to spike up the hills as you have so many people screaming and clapping and cheering. The best thing to do is sit up, spin up easy, smile and thumbs up. Beasting the hills will ruin your day later. I wouldn't use a disc as the course is very twisty, stop-start and can be windy: you'd be better off with the 808. I ran 808s front and rear and was fine. 303 would be good on the front if very windy. Good luck...

I've raced this twice and would run a disc every time, you need to be more carefull with the front as my PX50 was a handful in the wind on the coast down near Angle. My Flo60 handled a lot better. I ran standard 39/53 and 11/25, but there are a few short climbs towards the end of the loop where a bigger gear would have been nice. If doing it again, I'd run 36/52 and 11/28.

My first ever IM was Wales last year (2014). I raced on my P3 with a ZIPP 808 wheelset on 25mm tires pumped to 95(rear) and 90 (front) psi. I run a compact crankset with 52 / 38 chainrings (O.Symmetric's) and raced with a 10-speed 12-28 cassette. It covered all my needs just perfectly. The only change I would recommend to make was use thicker-then-usual armpads (or brand-new ones) for the aero-bars.

My race-report is on here - http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...ost=5251659;#5251659. ON the 2nd page of the post, there's a link to another athlete's race-reports. I guess you'll find all you need to know about Wales

One point: Expect to be unreachable (or difficult at least) in Tenby by mobile. Coverage is really bad, especially when the little town get's flooded with a few extra thousand data-hungry athletes.

Enjoy the race, it's a beauty as are the people and the local support.

S.

Raced it last year on a 50 front and tri spoke rear - 53/39 on an 11-27. This year going with 50 front, 90 rear - 53/39 on an 11-30! There is 1 climb that you do twice that really does sap your energy - right near the end as well. 30 is specially for that climb. By the way on those ratio's you ahve to be careful as the extreme's don't work so well! good luck

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.

Great race report, lots of useful detail.

I'm racing there later this year and am hoping that you can fill me in on a couple of things:
You said that you ran a 38x28 low gear and that it was ok - What were your FTP and weight when you raced? (if you remember)

Also, how do O.Symetric rings compare to round rings of the same size? Feel bigger/smaller?

I did IM Wales 2014 for the first time. I'd done the Long Course Weekend in July so knew what to expect from the course - I'd definitely recommend doing the LCW if at all possible. The bike course is very up and down with lots of sharp turns and narrow roads .

I rode Hed 6 on the front and Hed 9 on the back with a 50/34 chainset and 28/11 rear cassette. I weigh the same as you and my FTP at the time was around 260-270, and didn't have any trouble with stability. I like to maintain a relatively high cadence so the compact was fine for me and I didn't run out of gears either up or down. As someone said before, do not try and smash the steep climbs to impress the spectators, but take it easy and enjoy the scenery - you don't wan't trashed legs for the run which is also hilly and has lots of dead turns in the town centre. I biked well within myself and did 6:15, could have gone faster but I had a good run so job well done.

Its a fantastic event, the atmosphere is brilliant - enjoy!!

My weight was around 69kg for a 179cm body. I think my FTP was around 300 and I averaged around 230W NP for the course (that has zero's included). There a lot of dead-spots for pedalling.

When I switched over (coming from q-rings) I noticed the o-symetric's different shape for all of 5 minutes. Afterwards, it feels perfectly normal/natural. I think they feel smaller to a round one as I run a 52-38 combo on a crank that would typically be run with a 50-36. The 2 extra teeth come as a consequence of the double-cam shape. This also limits the smallest size of them (which is a 38 on a 110BCD)

Enjoy the training and even more so the race,

S.

Loved this race last year.
Even the swim is hilly.
I fitted a compact crank and std wheels to my tri bike and despite intially hating myself I was glad of the extra gears I had rather then wishing I had them.
The annoying thing about the course you get no payback on the descents from the climbing due to sharp unsighted decreasing radii bends on or near the bottom that ruin your pace.
I seem to remember there wasnt actually anywhere on the course I thought a disc would've been a benefit.....but as it looks better I'm still going to try and use mine this year!
Correct about the phone reception tho. no matter who your network is its shit.

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Dont complain about the results you did n't get from the training you did n't do.

Raced the first 3 years but not last year as qualified in 2013. Have ridden a pair of 50s in 2011 and 2012 and a pair of 808's in 2013. No difference between the two in my opinion. Always been sub 6:00 on the bike, based on 150lbs and 170cm with FTP 300w I would of rode 5:30 ish in 2013 except for 2 punctures. My fault as I normally only ride conti competitions but used a conti podium on front and hence 2 punctures (1 attempt with pitstop 2nd attempt change of tub) lost 18mins in total.

On the same P3 each year I rode 53/39 with 27/12, only time I rode in 27 was climb from Wisemans, I have ridden this course numerous times (live an hour away) and I don't like to stay in saddle on that climb. But then I don't race with power and find that I run well off a hard bike.

In 2012 ran sub 3:00 (short course) and in 2013 fastest AG run split in 3:09. Both off hard efforts on bike. I'm a poor swimmer so always playing catch up.

So my advice (as you sound similar biker from your FTP) is 808s, good new tyres, 27 rear cassette, good bike handling skills for descents, carry as little weight on bike as possible (I used 1 bottle cage only in 2013) and train on steep hills

Great info thanks! And great reports!!

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@rhyspencer

If you're interested, my wales report is in the September 2014 section of my blog: http://tri4kona2014.blogspot.co.uk/

I spent a fair bit of time training on the course before last year's race and tested a range of options. Ended up going with a 52/36 & 11/27. I'd strongly recommend a compact chainset for this race.

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VALÄ’RE | YouTube

Personally I'd go with the 52/36, and an 11 28... some pinches over 15%, and maintaining a lower NP s hard without really low gearing.

Re the wheels, I'd personally run 404's front and rear.. small aero drop to the 808, easier to climb pitches with... but with your combo, i'd go 808 if dry and calm (not so likely its Wales..), or the 303 if the weather closes in... and perhaps a 303 fr and 808 rear if its changeable (also very likley).....

Tyres 25mm deffo (gp4000s 2 25's open to around 27mm, suggest 90psi, some rough patches of tar ;).... fairer to say some smooth patches really...

The other call is re flats, if its wet there can ne a fair bit of debris oin the road.. (small stones and flints etc).. wise to have 2 tubes, 2 gas min and even a stans sealant bottle...

Best of luck, enjoy...

Cymru am Byth!!!

thanks for the advice...i am going 36/52 with an 11/28 and a 303 front and 808 back bringing my disc cover.

pretty stoked to get there. Arrive Monday.

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@rhyspencer