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ironman-wales-2014
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What have you got on the front with that Tired Badger?
I did it on a compact with a 12-26 and there were no issues. A 28 might have been nice but I don't think a 30 is entirely necessary. There are a few nasty, short steep hills but nothing that I would regear my bike for.
Regarding TT and Road bikes, the opinions I got last year seemed to be that there were no strong feelings either way. I saw people on TT and road bikes. Similarly with wheels. The course is windy but it will take deep section wheels if you have them. I had 60s on. If it's very, very windy ie the tail end of the hurricane we saw in the first year the race was on, then maybe not deep section wheels.
I can't recommend enough going down to practice ride the course. The Long Course Weekend sportive is excellent and will mean that you can decide for yourself how you feel about bikes, gears and wheels. There's plenty of accommodation down there and it's a lovely location for the family so you can make something of it for them too.
Thanks for that Mouse, looked a the long course weekend, and plan to go over a few times over the winter to ride loops of the route so I know what to expect. I've got a compact 54 39 on the front, but was struggling with a 12 - 23 on some of the local hills especially at the end of a long ride. I'll leasve this on for the winter i think and see how I go.
Agree a 23 is going to be a bit nasty!!!
Seren is always a good contact to bike down that way (though it's still a fair drive for her too). It's a very nice route, maybe we can organise some pirate rides down there in the spring when it warms up and we can go camping.
I have just been looking at a profile of the bike course form 2013,
Will it be the same course for 2014 as I noticed you are either going up or going down. I am thinking of heading up there are few time next spring/summer including taking my family up there camping for a couple of weeks in August to get to know the course a bit.
Living on the longest hill in Gloucestershire (A4136 Mitcheldean to Monmouth) may just be a blessing for once. as when ever I go out on the bike Ihave no chocie but to ride the hills unless I want to take my bike for a ride in the car which seems like cheating. The disadvangae of it though is it dambed hard to keep my heart rate out of anything but about zone 12 at the minute
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TB - that gearing is not a compact it's more like a standard double, which is usually 52/39 - you sure it's a 54?. a compact is normally a 50/34 with a 12*23 - or very similar. if you are overgeared that may explain why you've been struggling. you might need to look at your setup for Wales, although training over winter on it will help strengthen your legs
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i'm going to have to go and count gears now, no idea whats on mine but it was described as a compact.
any one who wants to do teh bike course. I'm always a willing to show you the ropes.pick me up in south wales on route if you want
Dadu...I believe that it is either up or down.which makes it tough if you are carrying afew extra pounds
I didn't think the cassette size was linked in any way to whether it was a compact or standard? *most of the bikes I have looked at and indeed bought I had a choice on the cassette ie i have an 11/28 on a compact 50/34
SA good to see you on the list Coach
Seren as I would have to drive retty close to yours iwill take you up on that at some point. Thank you
you're right - the cassette isn't linked. my comment is really about his chainrings which he describes as a "compact" 54/39 - but that gearing isn't a compact, it's a standard which is why he's finding it tough as it's probably overgeared for his legs. if he switched to a 50/34 he'd find it easier.
alternatively change the cage on the rear and stick a wider range cassette on it - perhaps a 12*29
Sorry to hijack this thread but it seems to be a good place to ask this question in view of the discussion above.
my current bike has a 52/39 standard double chainset with 52/38T cassette. I am struggling on some of the hills and although my priority is to reduce a few lbs from my waistline I am wondering what difference difference gearing would make.
Would it be sensible (and relatively easy) to change the cassette and / or chainset to make it easier to tackle the hills.
Current bike is Carrera TDF and will be looking to upgrade next year but want to make the best of this one for the time being. I don't want to spend too much so would it be money well spend changing cassette and / or chai set.
hi everyone,
really considering this event... but before i commit, i would really appreciate your opinion, would 2014 be too soon for an IM, or go for it?
so, i mainly do running (marathons in 2011-12-13), with some gym classes, bootcamp, boxing, some weights, in the last six months i averaged 5-6 workouts per week. i think i am in a good shape (could lose a couple kilos though), but obviously no experience in IM and triathlon training at all. i am really committed though, i looked at some training plans, its tough, but i am really determined to do it.
so, almost registered, but a couple 'one of the world's toughest IM-s' sentences made me think. is it really a good idea to make Wales my first IM? also, i live in London, not really ideal practice here for hilly rides and runs. dont get me wrong, i love a challenge, and i am sure its doable, but i would like to hear what you more experienced guys have to say.
Thanks, Andras
Evening all.
TWM - I think you need to have another look at your cassette... I'm carp at gearing issues, but you need to do another tooth count, I think!
Andras, you sound v fit for fast stuff, but in IM speed counts for little. I'm sure you can do it, given the amount of time left, but you'll really need to switch your focus to endurance especially when Spring comes,
SA - good call!!
Me - just beginning to return to training after a bit of an end-of-season fail....
My typing skills are worse than my cycling ! Cassette is 12-26T
Andras, bags of time to train for IMW 2014, if you chose one of Finks plans (my advice, don't chose the 'just finish' plan for Wales) you wont even start training until the middle of Feb 2014.
Wales was my first Ironman, yes it's daunting, yes it's a hilly ride and yes half of the marathon is uphill and that's what makes it Ironman Wales, the upside is the swim is all downhill.
The ride isn't to be underestimated, Wisemans & St Brides come at the end of the 2 loops but as I'm sure others will testify, Wisemans at 16% is 2 or 3 minutes of suffering and St Brides is not even that, OK you do it twice but the crowd will pull you up those ramps. There's some more ups and downs, personally I found the climb into Narbeth the second time round hardest, I was down on energy and desperate for a feed station to appear! Get out and ride, then ride some more, get to love the hills and ride some more and if you have time ride a bit more.
Tattoedwelsman, I rode a compact with a 12-28 cassette for Wales, in fact Pembrokeshire Bikes in the pre race webcast for this year recommended a 12-28 or 11-28. Swapping a cassette is pretty easy, you need 2 tools, a chain whip and a cassette removal tool, take care when removing the cassette so as not to lose any spacers. To fit the new cassette, line up the cassette with the freehub and have the spacer in place (if any) and reverse the removal. There's loads of You Tube vidoes of 'how to' should take you no more than 10 minutes.
I did Wales last year on a standard double with a 12-28 on the back. It was OK but did struggle on some of the steeper bits, Wisemans / saundersfoot, as next year I;m doubling up with Lanza and Wales I will be getting a compact on the front but will stick with 12/28 on the back
andras.as you are basically fit already then if you are prepared to put the work in then no reason why you shouldn't have agreat race...but you will need to cycle hills and some more hills and then some
Joddly...not really an end of season fail......just not enough recovery time and some luck......an amazing year for you where you achieved so much
Don't forget to run hills as well, I did loads of biking on hills but underestimated how hilly the run is, your basically running up hill for 2 and half miles before turning and running down hill for the same and then a mile loop round the town, you do this four times and it hurts
Andras... go for it, i'm in the same boat as you although living locally will give me the advantage of being able to train the hills. If any of you guys come down at all to go over some of the course, give me a shout, I would love the company. As gears go looking at the previous chats im getting a new bike for Christmas...whoo hoo, with 11-32t on a compact 50-34, all I need now is a small engine and i'll be away!!
TTW - as FRV has said, changing the cassette would be the 1st thing to do and cheapest, as changing the chainrings to a compact would aslo mean changing the front mech so will cost more.
but make sure the rear mech can take a wider spread of rings - if it's a short cage you might struggle getting into a 28 or 29 so you'd need to upgrade to a longer cage.
if in doubt talk to a decent LBS about this as they can see what you have onboard already
I think a course recce in the spring would be a great idea, Only issue is that its a 4-5 hour drive for me, id want to make a weekend of it. Training weekend?
If you make it late enough for people to be able to camp there, it's not too expensive.
Alternatively, if you rent a holiday cottage between a lot of you out of season that may work.
Finally, they were building a brand new Premier Inn on the corner of the road where you turn right running up the street coming out of the swim. That may make your training weekend feasible.
Where the old theatre/cinema was across the road from Barlos basecamp 2012?
Camping at Kiln Park may be a better laff?
Re hotel - yes, the opposite corner to basecamp.
I'd be up for that barley.