Is there a need to use the small ring in IM LOU?

Triathlon Forum
1

I just broke the left bar end shifter in my bike and I wonder if I will need it? I’m MOP bike rider (6:13 IM MOO 2007).

2

is not spending $100 bucks worth having a potentially miserable race?

3

Yes, you will need it.

4

If you plan to run after you get after the bike you will need the small ring. However, you can get up all the climbs in the big ring on this course if money is that tight.

5

Funny, I found myself wishing I had more gears on some of those rollers (esp the dog leg out and back! :).

6

I would HIGHLY suggest you have access to the small ring…there are a bunch of spots where you will want that (Wolf Pen Branch Road, Ballard School Road, the middle of 1694, a a few spots on 42 early after the country store and then the hill coming back towards Wolf Pen Branch)…can it be done without…probably but I would not be able to run afterwards…

YMMV!

Paul

7

You totally need the small ring! I went as far as getting a compact crank set for IMLOU. I did it and it was totally worth it, you might feel you don’t need it but it was good to keep the legs a bit fresher

8

Can’t you rig it the other way so it stays on the small ring the whole time? Problem solved!

These damn fast people & their big rings…

9

The real question is how the heck did you break it? It’s a friction shifter so is it related to the shifter or the derailuer?

10

Yes, you will need it (assuming a 53 large front chainring). The out/back part has a pretty long, reasonably steep hill that would not be fun to stand and mash over. I didn’t need it for much else, and I was riding pretty easy in the inaugural year heat (5:29 split). A compact would be great on this course since you will find yourself shifting a LOT with the rollers/small hills.

11

The small ring is like a parachute- you don’t need it very often, but when you do, you need it *bad *and nothing else will do.

I’d suggest everyone needs their small ring on this course.

12

I know Ill have to replace the shifter, I was just wandering if I could postpone it, its not so easy to get a shifter here (my LBS don’t have it nor her supplier), It was stuck and I tried to adjust it when I broke it, my bad. Thank you for all your responses.

13

A resounding YES. I did about 60 miles of the course on my roadie, and was thankful that I had the 27- because I only used it a couple of times, but I didn’t have to run off the bike…

14

Did you check the classifieds? Maybe someone is selling a set.

15

Nah, you’ll be fine…right up until Wolf Pen Branch Road.
Get the shifter fixed.

16

http://www.tri-zone.com/Details.html?cat=72&item=SHUBE

http://www.trisports.com/sh10barendsh.html

At trisports you can use the code “TNO” for 15% off I think, I think there is a slowtwitch specific one, but I don’t know what it is.

17

The small ring is like a parachute- you don’t need it very often, but when you do, you need it *bad *and nothing else will do.

I’d suggest everyone needs their small ring on this course.

Haha this is a great analogy, love it, so so true. I remember ridding the big hill at Wildflower and realy realy enjoyed having a back 2nd patachute on my triple, but I still wanted more by the end of that climb. Hit 67 mph on the way down though and allmost needed a real parachute :stuck_out_tongue: