12-23 or 12-25?
Depends on your fitness, strength and the winds - most perticularly the winds.
Calm to moderate winds - 12-23
Howling winds - 12-25
Problem is, it’s always calm in Kona. The wind and the weather can be completely different out past the airport on the Queen K and then on up to Hawi.
Fleck
12-23 or 12-25
12-21
If you’re biking under 6 then I think the closer ratios will be more use to you than having 39-23 or 42-23 which you would probably only use coming back through the village at mile 80 it there’s a headwind and going up Palani at mile 9.
well what is the safest thing to do?
well i have 650 wheels and not sure how big is my big chain ring. But i know i don’t feel comfortable with a 12-21
Marisol. Ask your coach. This is a useless question on the forum. Without knowing your seat position, strengths, expected bike time, typical cadence, front chainring sizes etc etc etc, the questions is meaningless.
If anything, always err on the side of having easier gears.
Most of the dudes on this forum ride around with Lance Armstrong like gearing (53/39, 11-23) when their engines are not even within 50% of the guy.
Sophie - 12/23 since you have 650 wheels. There are no “climbs” like in Indian Hill except out of T1 up to the higway, but lots of long, gradual rises into the wind once past Waikeola up to Hawi. You won’t need a 25, but on the way back, the extra gear in the middle area might be nice.
11-21 will be your choice after the camp
11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-21
.
speaking of camp… I have the 11-25 on my wheels now. should I switch that for camp?
no. 11-25 is fine.
Francois should I even bother bringing my small chainring to camp?
Bring your 60/56 - that ought to do it.
yes sure…56-52 is fine
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Wow 60-56 combined with the 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-21 cassette mentioned earlier, I would just have to cancel all of the running. Maybe if I eat more ice cream I could push a 60.
Who really runs anyway?
One of these days I’m going to get a Dickee Dee truck and park it just outside of T2. Let’s see how fast you mofos are then!
…I don’t think even my car has 60/56 with 11-11-11…21 gearing. You guys are studs.
I am still claiming the title of fastest “slowtwich poser with a 48 tooth chainring” until another 48 tooth guy breaks 2:23 in a half Ironman 
No cassettes, you want 8-track tapes.
I’d recommend some Don Ho, to get you in the island mood. 
12-23 or 12-25?
Never heard of them… Blink 182 is good, or for retro 10cc is good… other than that I dont’ know any other bands with numbers in their names.