Hi! Anybody that did IM70.3 Mallorca? Currently building up my bike with 52/36 and 11-25 as a general TT setup, might get a bigger ring for flat races next year, but this year we’re doing Mallorca. I’m wondering if the gearing would suffice or if I’m better off bringing also a 11-30 block. Race plan would be to have AP and NP as close as possible to 250w, but a slight overpacing att 280-300 would likely be possible on the climb (:
Thanks in advance Slowtwitch
Is it the same route as usual? In that case, Lluc / Fermentia is the only climb. Fairly long, but steady and not real steep anywhere. Depends on what you weigh of course, but I was about 78 kg and did it with 289 avg and 79 avg cadence. Don’t recall exact gearing, but I never had less than 39 as small chain ring up front. Believe i had 25 in the back, but not 100% certain.
Hi! Anybody that did IM70.3 Mallorca? Currently building up my bike with 52/36 and 11-25 as a general TT setup, might get a bigger ring for flat races next year, but this year we’re doing Mallorca. I’m wondering if the gearing would suffice or if I’m better off bringing also a 11-30 block. Race plan would be to have AP and NP as close as possible to 250w, but a slight overpacing att 280-300 would likely be possible on the climb (:
Thanks in advance Slowtwitch
Seems to be same/similar course as 2015 when I did it.
Without weight not possible to say with full confidence, but even a 100kg racer would have a cadence of ~80 up the long 6% climb with 300w on 36/25. There is a short 30 seconds climb in Muro of 10.5%, but so short most can probably muscle up on low cadence.
Hi
I live and train on Mallorca and ride this climb regularly. Assuming it is the same route as in past years, with the climb up to Lluc coming approx 20km into the race (5km at 5% average, steepest sections only 7-8%). Assuming you are average weight and will be tapping out between 280-300w on the climb then a compact chainring and an 11-28 cassette will be your best choice. The times I have raced the 70.3 here it is quite hilarious watching many good age groupers with quality bikes used to racing flat courses, hit the bottom of the climb and find they have totally wrong gearing and literally grind to a halt in the first 100m and retire from the race.
Happy to answer any other Mallorca specific questions.
Ahh Ofc. Yeah I’m about 75 kg on a bad day and should be down towards 72 for race days, but this year it’ll be 75 :). Bike will be 9kg dry and probably 10-10.5 with fluids (:
Hmm getting very different answers from the previous competitors and the local, not sure what to take from this 
Playing devil’s advocate, what’s the realistic downside of running the 11-30? How many times have you ever wished you had fewer gears vs. the opposite?
FWIW, I’ve not raced the 70.3 but have ridden the course several times. You’ll get up Femenia on a 36-25 but your VI will be spiky. If I were racing I’d run the 30T.
I’ve done the Mallorca 70.3 a few times; going out for the full distance on the same date. Been training in Mallorca lots of times and very recently on the course.
As above recommendations; 11-30 is the sensible choice to give you a choice of cadence; 11-25 you will bog down for sure; whilst there is no steep gradients it will be a 45 min grind out at 250-280W.
I have an 50-34 with 11-28 and have a 85+ cadence @ 250W; 63kg though. Since coming back from my recent trip I’m thinking of going 11-30 with 52/36 as I’m geared out on the flats especially with higher speeds in a tailwind
Playing devil’s advocate, what’s the realistic downside of running the 11-30? How many times have you ever wished you had fewer gears vs. the opposite?
FWIW, I’ve not raced the 70.3 but have ridden the course several times. You’ll get up Femenia on a 36-25 but your VI will be spiky. If I were racing I’d run the 30T.
I guess 3 downsides:
Weight
Gearing spacing on the flats
My R9150 derailleur whilst having max cog 30 only has 33 capacity And 30-11 + (52-36) = 35… I’m not sure if this is even an issue since synchro shift will avoid that gear combination…
Yeah maybe you’re all right. 52/36 and 11-30 should give me plenty of spin uphill while keeping the speed on the flats and downhill s…
Have you considered a 53/36? Only a tooth bigger but helps increase the gear range a bit for the downs.
Edit- pretty certain 9150 is a 35tooth capacity not 33? So 53/36 and 11-30 puts you at 36tooth, fine as long as you don’t cross gear which syncro won’t do if programmed.
Hi, i’m doing the 70.3 in Alcudia aswell. My first IM. I feel like i’m terribly unprepaired.
The bike seems to be 20km flat, 20km with some climbing with max 7% incline and the rest is downhill or flat. Largest climb is Femenia.
You can find info about the climb here: http://www.cyclingcols.com/col/Femenia
So you need gearing for both the flats and the climb. Tricky, i don’t like it when my gears are too far apart, but i still need to get up that climb. Where i live and train everything is flat. I have an unconventional 36-50 and 11-25, but changed the 11-25 to an 11-28 for Mallorca. Don’t know if that’s enough. I have plenty of time to do recon. I could go to a 34 in the front, but i’d have to have it fittted there. I’m wondering if there are any decent bike mechanics in Alcudia…
I’m not too worried about gearing out on the flats as 50-11 at 90 rpm would make me go 50+ km/hour.
I have heard that there are a lot of people there that are terrible at decending and it’s a draftingfest on the flats after, so make sure to stay safe.
You will be great with an 11-28.
I live in Palma. But I can tell you there are many excellent bike shops in Alcudia and nearby Pollensa, so don’t stress about that.
Not seen any draft fests in Mallorca; fairly on par with other events.
If you haven’t seen the course it is highly recommended to view the descent via bike or a car; it is great fun.
Not seen any draft fests in Mallorca; fairly on par with other events.
If you haven’t seen the course it is highly recommended to view the descent via bike or a car; it is great fun.
Glad to hear that the draft fest comment i heard might be an exagguration. I have only raced local tris so far.
I’m planning to do some recon by bike. Hope my carbon rims will be OK in the decends…
Carbon rims are fine on the descent. Unless it rains of course!! But that is quite rare on Mallorca in October.
Carbon rims are fine on the descent. Unless it rains of course!! But that is quite rare on Mallorca in October.
2016 Mallorca 70.3… Oh the rain…All other years rare to see any clouds!
I guess i’ll have to take my chances as i don’t have multiple wheelsets lying around for all kinds of circumstances. If we get rain, i’ll be forced decend slower and more carefull. Hoping for sunny, no wind and moderate temperatures though…
I am also doing the race, currently set up with 53-39 and 11-28… any thoughts?
I am about 75kg, and will look to average around 220W…
a Mallorcan resident here - I train regularly on this climb - you will definitely need to change something - probably chainset and cassette, @ only 220w for sure you will not get up the climb with the gearing you propose in your post - I am similar weight, I ride a compact chainset (50-34) and an 11-28 cassette and I need at least 280w to get up the climb.
Every year there are many triathletes stick on the bottom 1/3rd of the climb because they rocked up to race with a regular chainset and 11-25 or 11-28 cassette! It’s almost comical to see the many broken dreams of so many well trained athletes with otherwise beautiful eqpt making such a basic error.
OK great thanks, will sort!
With 52/36 up front and the ability to push 280-300 watt a 27 in the back should work. Depending on your weight the climb should take you less than half an hour and apart from this and the short but steep climb entering Muro (be prepared there, at least do a Google streetview recon) there’s nothing too difficult. Be careful descending. The roads are smooth enough and the switchbacks not very dangerous, but it’s my experience that most triathletes have even more difficulty going down a mountain than going up.
Apart from that it’s a great race, I’ve done it four times and will probably do it again coming May (and this Thursday I fly over to the island for some training).
Enjoy and please post your race review!