I read some of the previous discussions and looked at the bike profile for the Steelhead and still am wondering what gearing an average rider/climber would use. For instance how do the hills compare to the Petoskey Tri course (which I thought was steep but fun) or Kensington Metropark or Island Lake Park near Brighton? I’m going to check it out the day before the race and take a couple of different gears anyway.
Thanks,
Richard
I raced there in 2003 and, as I recall, there are really no substantial hills to speak of. Just typicall rolling Lower michigan Hills. There is a long graduall climb near the end of the bike course that can really burn your legs, but even then I might have used a 39/21 ratio. I dont think there is enough cause for you to use anything other than your typical set-up.
Hi Richard,
I heard a lot about the Steelhead course from '04 prior to the race. My most typical training rides around here are to and from our shop in Dearborn to Grosse Ile and back, St. Clair Shores and back and occasionally Northville/Whitmore Lake and back.
Although there have been some changes to the bike course from '04 to '05 I have been told by several people from the west coast of the state that these changes are relatively minor.
That said, the course is flat. There were two very, very minor rollers at the 2/3rds or 3/4’s point of the bike, but I thought they were utterly inconsequential. An 11-23 ten speed cogset with a 39 tooth small chainring is perfectly adequate even if the wind picks up.
There is a nasty stinger on the run though- you’ll enjoy that! All in all, the run is significantly hillier than the bike.
I was originally looking forward to being there but now I am supposed to be in three different places at once that weekend and I can only be one, and it won’t be Steelhead. Good luck, have great race!
I did Steelhead last year. Of the 3 rides you mention, I’ve only ridden at Kensington. The Steelhead course has a few hills in the first and last 10 miles but there is nothing like the hills at Kensington. What hills there are seemed to me to be not at all steep and are more of the type you just go down a gear or two and keep going rather than have to go into “climbing” mode.
Here’s a link to a course profile (last years course) I found this kind of deceiving because of the scale. The course rides much flatter than this looks.
http://michiganoutlaws.com/steelhead.htm
Actually, the bike course was so much fun that I ended up having to walk up the big ass mountain that must be negotiated in the first mile of the run. That was an epic climb . . . .