Kona veterans…
I’m registered for the Hawai’i 70.3 next month.
How bad is the climb to Hawi? Is it doable on a 1x setup geared 50/11-28 or do I need to gear down? I’m not an uber-cyclist. Very MOP at best.
Kona veterans…
I’m registered for the Hawai’i 70.3 next month.
How bad is the climb to Hawi? Is it doable on a 1x setup geared 50/11-28 or do I need to gear down? I’m not an uber-cyclist. Very MOP at best.
You’ll prob want another gear or 3. Check this out: http://www.bikecalc.com/speed_at_cadence. Put 50 into the chainring, and 28,32 into the cogs.
I rode the route a bunch of times, and from a quick look I was doing ~10 mph up the hill (at about 4w/kg, 60 kilos). For a 50x28 that would be about 70 rpm. For a 50x32 it’s more like 82.
So if you are heavy and solidly in MOP you may do something more like 7-8mph. That’s 50-60rpm on the 50x28, but 60-65rpm on the 50x32.
You may want a 50x11 in case there is a tailwind on the course. I’ve spun out on a 52x11 on a nice tailwind there before. I personally think a 2x setup is much more flexible given the variety of conditions, but am guessing that may not be an option for you. In your case I think you should get a bigger cog to put on that bad boy.
Kona veterans…
I’m registered for the Hawai’i 70.3 next month.
How bad is the climb to Hawi? Is it doable on a 1x setup geared 50/11-28 or do I need to gear down? I’m not an uber-cyclist. Very MOP at best.
You’ll prob want another gear or 3. Check this out: http://www.bikecalc.com/speed_at_cadence. Put 50 into the chainring, and 28,32 into the cogs.
I rode the route a bunch of times, and from a quick look I was doing ~10 mph up the hill (at about 4w/kg, 60 kilos). For a 50x28 that would be about 70 rpm. For a 50x32 it’s more like 82.
So if you are heavy and solidly in MOP you may do something more like 7-8mph. That’s 50-60rpm on the 50x28, but 60-65rpm on the 50x32.
You may want a 50x11 in case there is a tailwind on the course. I’ve spun out on a 52x11 on a nice tailwind there before. I personally think a 2x setup is much more flexible given the variety of conditions, but am guessing that may not be an option for you. In your case I think you should get a bigger cog to put on that bad boy.
We’re about the same weight. Thanks for the insight.
Kona veterans…
I’m registered for the Hawai’i 70.3 next month.
How bad is the climb to Hawi? Is it doable on a 1x setup geared 50/11-28 or do I need to gear down? I’m not an uber-cyclist. Very MOP at best.
You’ll prob want another gear or 3. Check this out: http://www.bikecalc.com/speed_at_cadence. Put 50 into the chainring, and 28,32 into the cogs.
I rode the route a bunch of times, and from a quick look I was doing ~10 mph up the hill (at about 4w/kg, 60 kilos). For a 50x28 that would be about 70 rpm. For a 50x32 it’s more like 82.
So if you are heavy and solidly in MOP you may do something more like 7-8mph. That’s 50-60rpm on the 50x28, but 60-65rpm on the 50x32.
You may want a 50x11 in case there is a tailwind on the course. I’ve spun out on a 52x11 on a nice tailwind there before. I personally think a 2x setup is much more flexible given the variety of conditions, but am guessing that may not be an option for you. In your case I think you should get a bigger cog to put on that bad boy.
I’d say this advice is spot on. Keep in mind, it’s not really a climb but more of a slow grind. However, (wind) conditions are going to dictate proper gearing so if you constrain yourself to a 1x setup then you may pay the price. Note his comments on the downhill section. It’s quite common to run out of gears with the slightest tailwind and most of that section is dead straight. Having the another gear going downhill can be equally important.
I can’t speak to the uphill section but I rode the downhill last month. I can see how it would be very easy to run out of gears. I had a good tail/crosswind and rode the brakes, no pedaling, for the first 6-7 miles. I could have been at 40mph+ without even thinking about it, not that I would have with those winds.
Kona veterans…
I’m registered for the Hawai’i 70.3 next month.
How bad is the climb to Hawi? Is it doable on a 1x setup geared 50/11-28 or do I need to gear down? I’m not an uber-cyclist. Very MOP at best.
Start to finish 8 miles. First 5.5 are slow grind and fairly easy, picks up in the last mile. On IM day, the wind shifts at mile ~6 and turns into stiff headwind. For half I expect you will beat the winds and heat and will not be that bad. Note that it is really the downhill that is nasty, make decision at top whether or not to descend aero because you will not want to get out mid descent. Pre ride it and make note of miles for race day.
Race well!
I’ve done Honu 3x and always rode around 2:40. I feel that the climb to Hawi is misunderstood by most people. It’s not that bad…it’s actually barely even a hill…rather a really long false flat that has an annoying head wind. People feel justified to sit up during the climb, which is a huge mistake. Stay down on your bars and spin. I’ve done it with 39/28 as my easy gear and barely needed it. Most of the time I was in 39/21 and cruising along at 11-16 mph. Those who sit up and try to treat it as a climb suffer HUGE aerodynamic drag penalties and get blown all over the road from the crosswinds due to their increased frontal area and higher center of gravity.
The descent likewise isn’t that fast. Even with a ripping tailwind, I’ve never hit more than 41.6 mph, and the overall descent averages around 35 mph. After 38 mph, I generally just tuck down and bring my knees into the top tube. The lower part of the descent is more rollers and after that is the climb out of Kawaihae which to me is more of a “real climb” at 4.6%. You’ll want to save your legs for those sections…and then of course the run.
All that said…I don’t think 50/28 is nearly enough gear for you. My 2:40 bike split is usually around 250-300th out of 1500. If you’re solid MOP, you’re probably riding 2:55-3:05 for this course and climbing Hawi at 9-14 mph and up Kawaihae at 8-9 mph. That would put you in the 60-70 rpms for extended amounts of time. Even slower if you’re forced to sit up. Doable…sure. Let me know how that run goes for you. 
I’ve done Honu 3x and always rode around 2:40. I feel that the climb to Hawi is misunderstood by most people. It’s not that bad…it’s actually barely even a hill…rather a really long false flat that has an annoying head wind. People feel justified to sit up during the climb, which is a huge mistake. Stay down on your bars and spin. I’ve done it with 39/28 as my easy gear and barely needed it. Most of the time I was in 39/21 and cruising along at 11-16 mph. Those who sit up and try to treat it as a climb suffer HUGE aerodynamic drag penalties and get blown all over the road from the crosswinds due to their increased frontal area and higher center of gravity.
The descent likewise isn’t that fast. Even with a ripping tailwind, I’ve never hit more than 41.6 mph, and the overall descent averages around 35 mph. After 38 mph, I generally just tuck down and bring my knees into the top tube. The lower part of the descent is more rollers and after that is the climb out of Kawaihae which to me is more of a “real climb” at 4.6%. You’ll want to save your legs for those sections…and then of course the run.
All that said…I don’t think 50/28 is nearly enough gear for you. My 2:40 bike split is usually around 250-300th out of 1500. If you’re solid MOP, you’re probably riding 2:55-3:05 for this course and climbing Hawi at 9-14 mph and up Kawaihae at 8-9 mph. That would put you in the 60-70 rpms for extended amounts of time. Even slower if you’re forced to sit up. Doable…sure. Let me know how that run goes for you.
This doesn’t sound too horrible. I’ll probably be conservative coming back because if I crash and end up road-rashed or worse and ruin my wife’s “thank you for putting up with me training for Texas” vacation, she’ll be pissed. 
I plan to do all my running this month on what was supposed to be the golf course in my subdivision. I figure 4 weeks of that in Louisiana May heat should have me prepared.
You’ll be fine. Not much of a climb, probably tops out at 5% but the wind is tough. I ride 1X11, you’ve got enough gears and range, the only problem is sometimes you don’t have your favorite gear.
It is wind dependent. as it is not that steep. Just long.
You could do a 50/28 and just slow your cadence to stay at a lower power.
more info would be needed about your abilities.
your 50/ 11 will really hurt your down hill speed as you can coast at 55 or go at 65-70 while pedalling ( wind dependent)…
You will struggle more mounting your bike up the steep hill out of the swim and to the highway.
I’ve spent many weeks before the IM over the years and the wind is always different and the difficulty can vary very much but I always ride a 41 x 26 and days I wished a slightly smaller gear and times I only hit it very briefly but I always used it and really found it perfect for me. Strong cyclist around 80kg and ride in the 70s to 80s cadence on the climb.
you will want more, for sure.
As mentioned above the “climb” to Hawi is nothing to be afraid of.
The 1x may give you more trouble on the short pinches like the return from Kawaihea on the Akoni Pule Hwy up to the Queen K. This is not a long climb but at the back end of the ride can hurt bad with the wrong gearing.
Also, the climb to Hawi is not ALWAYS a headwind. Sometimes you’re lucky and get a tailwind to Hawi, then a headwind on the descent. This is great because it means you don’t run out of gear on the descent. We got that in the 2016 Honu race, and I got my fastest-ever bike split (out of 8 times doing the race).
That said, it’s USUALLY a headwind to Hawi.
I’ll be there once again this year - have fun!
Ian
I rode 55-42 with a 11-28 and used every gear, I rode 2:20ish and it’s certainly one course that doesn’t suit 1x11.
Hawi “climb†isn’t worth worrying about, the only spot you would used the lower end of your gears is back up to the queen k from Kawaihae
your 50/ 11 will really hurt your down hill speed as you can coast at 55 or go at 65-70 while pedalling ( wind dependent)…
Unless you weigh about 300 pounds, and are running a 85 tooth big ring…I call BS.
Presume they mean kilometres per hour?
Presume they mean kilometres per hour?
damn the metric system. LOL
kilometers not Miles. geez
As others have said–it’s a long medium ‘ish’ hill. The ride up and out of T1 is brutal steep have your gearing set for that most definitely. I’ve done Honu three times–including the inaugural one when it was OLY distance. I’m a big guy on a big heavy softride so I just geared down and plowed up the hill to Hawi–coming back down was the bomb! loooook out below ha
GL