I know am a wimp for even suggesting a 25 or 27 but I really do like having a bail out gear to spin up the hills. I am 43, doing my 1st IM but am a relatively strong cyclist. I am able to train on hills around here, so I am hoping to be acclimated to the rollers by judgement day. Opinions?
If you are a strong cyclist a 12-23 should be fine. 12-25, maybe if you are a fast uphill spinner. Definitely not a 12-27.
i disagree. my generic advice is: if you have a 12/27 then definitely use it!! (I’m assuming 700cc wheels plus 39/53) But if you have a 25 but not a 27 then I would stick with the 25. It is your first IM so likely your strategy will be to have a conservative bike, especially on the few steep hills on that course where you can really trash your legs before you know it.
not needing it but having it is a LOT better than not having it but needing it!!!
I am a middling-weak long course cyclist, and I brought a 12/27 triple set up to IMLP last year. I rode 6:31, and I don’t think that I was in the granny for more than a few minutes, if at all.
If the course is hilly and you are not strong, then a 12-27 will give you piece of mind, and it doesn’t really have a downside. In many cases, though, the 12-25 is plenty. If you are strong, then you don’t need the 12-27.
of course what we all really need is 36/50 compacts with an 11-23…
Andrew was right the first time - the 12-27 is a bit of overkill but it won’t hurt you to have the extra gear. however the compact is a bad idea - you need the 53-12 when you are on the flats and false flat downhills if you are a strong cyclist. If there is wind at all you’ll want it with you are being pushed along as well.
The hills are short and you shouldn’t need to do too much spinning to get up them if you are a strong cyclist. I would put a 12-25 on for sure, but if you already own one I wouldn’t go out and buy a 27 just for this race.
If you need a 27 on that course then you really wouldn’t be what I would call a “strong cyclist” as the original poster did.
If you plan on riding 5:30 or less you won’t need a 27, or probably even a 25.
Triman - Where do you live?
I’ve raced Moo once and ridden the course 6x. I’m going back this year to tame the tiger. Moo is more like hill repeats than riding L’Alpe d’Huez. Comparision to IMLP is apples to oranges…
Pros will use 23.
Most folks will use 25, although 1/2 of them should really be using 27. I sat on a hill spectating last year in disbelief at folk’s set-ups.
My approximation…assuming 53/39
under 5:30 - 23
Under 6:10 - 25
Over 6:20 - definately a 27
Good luck!
I rode around 6:00 last year at Moo. I had a 27. I do not know how many times I used it, but I suspect that as I spun up the two or three climbs I went that far into my gearing. If you have it put it on the wheel and use it if necessary.
I can think of two hills where you could really use a 27. Old Sauk and then the last hill before you go back (I think…) into downtown Verona. I see nothing wrong with spinning up the hill in a 27 if you’ve got the gears but then again, this DOES spread out your gearing for the flatter sections and may make it harder to find a gear you like.
I rode it in a 25 last year and I will probably do the same this year (unless I have enough money for a 27 closer to race time). I got out of the saddle on the second lap on the tough hill after Old Sauk but then again I was really hurtin by then.
If you’ve got a 27-use it. I’m a decent cyclist-5:50 at IM MOO, 5:45 at IM Canada, and if you are asking this question, It’s not going to hurt you to have it (as long as you don’t create a big gap in the cassette somewhere else).
All this talk about strong cyclists using fewer teeth is nonsense. Speed on the bike is driven by the combination of gearing and cadence. Some of you trudge through an Ironman with a cadence of 75, while I ride at 95-100…I’ll need at least 4 extra teeth to keep the same speed-does that make me a lesser cyclist? You’ll have to ask Jan Ullrich about that one.
amen! Love my compact.
I live right on the course and ride it often. I use the 27 for 2 climbs on the course that are pretty steep .(for me they are) The course is a loop so you will have to ride them twice. It’s nice to have just in case but not necessary.
All this talk about strong cyclists using fewer teeth is nonsense.
It’s not nonsense. Like everything it is a trade off. If you have a 27 then you give up a gear in the middle range which you will definately use and need. This is the right choice if you don’t need the 27, which if you are a strong cyclist you won’t at IMMOO. None of those hills are tough. They can be easily spun up with a 23 and very easy with a 25. A 27 is simply overkill and sacrifices your mid gear range which you will definately need. You would essentially be turning your 9 speed into an 8 speed or your 10 into a 9.
I agree. I rode LP last year in just under 5:40 with a compact 50/34 w/ 11/23. And this included back issues from mile 80 on so I couldn’t stay aero very well, as well as a mechanical on the second loop on the long downhill. Somehow my cassette locking ring backed out, causing my cogs to shift, resulting in my chain locking up. I’m not a great biker, but reasonably respectable. I’ve gone under 5 hr at IMF, and I’ll use compacts there this year with a tighter gearing.
A 27 is simply overkill and sacrifices your mid gear range which you will definately need.
I don’t think a 27 is overkill. I trained on the IMMOO course a lot in 2002. Unfortunately, I got injured and wasn’t able to race that year. But I was expecting to ride about 5:20-5:30 and I was going to use 12-27 (53x39 and 700C).
Exactly. The gear you are taking out is a gear you will use much more if you are a strong cyclist. It’s a trade off. I did IMMOO last year in 5:24 with an 11-23. I did not feel I needed a 25 let alone a 27. On long steady sections it’s nice to get in the groove with that perfect gear.
If you think you need the 27 then by all means use it. From my personal experience guys going under 5:30 will be throwing away a gear if they go with a 27. None of the hills are very long or steep to warrant it.
The gear you lose by going from 12-23 to 12-25 or 12-27 is the 16T. For me, 53/16 is my sweet spot gear for Olympic distance. I don’t miss that gear for Ironman where I am going slower and my sweet spot gear is 53/17. I tend to ride with higher cadences, 100rpm in Oly and 90rpm in Ironman.
Everybody is different. Even two riders who ride the same time may need different gearing.
If you switch from a 12-23, then yes, you lose the 16T. But the top 8 gears are the same on the 12-25 and 12-27. The difference is a 23+25 or a 24+27.
I agree with the above posters who said use a 27 if you’ve got it, but a 25 is fine, too. I ride ~5:25 at IMWI and use a 25, but will probably use a 26 this year.
The gear you lose by going from 12-23 to 12-25 or 12-27 is the 16T.
Remember, it is a running race. I doubt you’ll lose more than 10 mins on the bike by using a 27, but you could definitely lose more than 10mins on the run if you overpower the hills. Everybody is different, but I used a 12/27 (53/39/700) for a 5:35/3:40 combo. That said, I’m sure a 25 would have been fine, but not a 23 for me.