Via Capri

Kimba · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 4:20 pm

Any gearing tips on how to tame this beast? I have done it several times but it always hurts, a lot. First time was with a 42 -23, last time a 42-28. Oddly enough the 42-23 time seemed easier. My riding buddies that do this run compact cassettes and seem to have an easier time of it. Does a smaller chainring make that much of a difference, as opposed to the size of the cog?

danimal · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 4:51 pm

They say the size of your cog doesn't matter. So give "the beast" (great name by the way - mine is little danimal) and your "riding buddies" just the tip and it won't hurt so much...unless you do continue to do it several times.

Kimba · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:17 pm

What has been read cannot be unread.

EMFC · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:45 pm

I tried to resit the compact temptation for a long time.....and I suffered A LOT, stuff up here is steep! I broke down this winter and got a compact Red crankset and wow what a difference. You wouldn't thing a couple of teeth would matter but hell yea it does. Sometimes I miss the big 53 in front for the fast downhill or flat stuff, but I have learned to deal with it.

Belizean · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:54 pm

This sounds like a good reason to upgrade something

Compact crankset with a 25 in the rear; with the watts you are putting out :thumbsup:

you'll climb a wall.

J.A.M. · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:55 pm

Go compact 11-28. You will gain far more in climbing than you will loose descending.

I suppose you could go with a MTB rear der. and a 11-32.

Compact would Look a lot better.

Mudd · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:46 pm

Ya, the guys with compact gearing fly uphill for sure. The Roadster is running my hardcore 39/56 up front with 12/27 in back. Gotta say the 56 loves to hammer on the flats!

I'm thinking 11/28 cassette for more range.

Kimba · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:49 am

Thanks for the feedback and info guys. I'm going to look into a compact for the road bike.

Danimal, I barely know you and you obviously have a very strange sense of humor. What is it about a legitimate bike question posted on a bike site that makes you feel the need to go homosexual? Are you that much of an "animal?" If you are gay, I am not so leave me alone. If it's the roadie aspect of the question, you are clueless. I do remember stuff about you: Don't call me Phonger again, or else that Otter of yours may find himself at a bris. "All look same" = don't go there. While we're at it, if you see a pickup truck with a badge on it at Calavera, we will be sure to distance ourselves from you so you won't have others to blame in your pathetic attempt to save your own skin at the expense of everyone else. :wave:

Belizean · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 9:47 am

I'll be da Ref' on this one, this should be quick

Bris, not commonly used but I like it :lol:

OldDogDan · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:01 pm

^^^ Wow, while inappropriate sexual innuendo is something of a DT tradition, there's clearly some unpleasant history here I know nothing about.

Sooo...back on topic. Mike, have you played around with Sheldon Brown's gear calculator? Really helpful http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/. On the chain ring vs cog question, effort-wise, I think it's more just what the resultant ratio is, although there is an advantage chain-path-wise in not having one of them very large or very small, so the closer in size the ring & cog are the better.

danimal · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:29 pm

I do have a strange sense of humor and was just having some laughs. Didn't mean to offend you...and sorry I called you the wrong name too.

Kimba wrote:

Thanks for the feedback and info guys. I'm going to look into a compact for the road bike.

Danimal, I barely know you and you obviously have a very strange sense of humor. What is it about a legitimate bike question posted on a bike site that makes you feel the need to go homosexual? Are you that much of an "animal?" If you are gay, I am not so leave me alone. If it's the roadie aspect of the question, you are clueless. I do remember stuff about you: Don't call me Phonger again, or else that Otter of yours may find himself at a bris. "All look same" = don't go there. While we're at it, if you see a pickup truck with a badge on it at Calavera, we will be sure to distance ourselves from you so you won't have others to blame in your pathetic attempt to save your own skin at the expense of everyone else. :wave:

Kimba · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:52 pm

Dan, thanks for the link. On real steep grades like Via Capri I am finding I need lower gearing than my current lowest, 42-28, provides. Getting a cassette bigger than 28 is not really an option so a smaller chainring seems like the solution. The crew I'm roading with lately is hitting the steeps pretty hard and I like my knees the way they are.

Danimal, thanks for the comment.

I need to get this Camacho's century over with so I can focus back on the dirt.

danimal · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:43 pm

For the record, that was a while back and I am pretty sure I apologized to Belizian minutes after I did it. What happened was I told everyone that ride that I wasn't comfortable poaching because I hate getting yelled at as a grown man (not to mention I can be anti-poaching). Someone insisted on taking a closed trail anyway and next thing you know, he's gone and we are getting a mouthful from a hiker who knows its a closed trail. So yes, I threw someone under the bus save my own skin but like I said, I called myself out right away.

Kimba wrote:

While we're at it, if you see a pickup truck with a badge on it at Calavera, we will be sure to distance ourselves from you so you won't have others to blame in your pathetic attempt to save your own skin at the expense of everyone else. :wave:

Mudd · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:15 pm

When you're in the North County, check out Double Peak in San Elijo Hills.
12% grade near the top.

http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2010/01/california-double-peak-park-san-marcos.html

Kimba · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:33 pm

Mudd wrote:

When you're in the North County, check out Double Peak in San Elijo Hills.
12% grade near the top.

http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2010/01/california-double-peak-park-san-marcos.html

That's one of my regular grunts, usually over lunchtime, I try to do it once every couple weeks to gauge myself. Let me know if you want to ride it. It's a bitch but not as bad as Via Capri, which is way longer and I think steeper in spots.

Via Capri

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