# TDF Gears for climbing?



## Aoresteen (Aug 4, 2004)

What gears do Lance, Ivan, Jan ect use when they are doing the mountian climbs?

I assume that they are in their small chainring (39t) but what are they running in the back? A 21t? A 23t?

On major climbs like Alpe d'Huez, do they use larger rear cogs?

Thanks!

Tony


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## jimjo (May 18, 2004)

Aoresteen said:


> What gears do Lance, Ivan, Jan ect use when they are doing the mountian climbs?
> 
> I assume that they are in their small chainring (39t) but what are they running in the back? A 21t? A 23t?
> 
> ...


decent climbers can do ADH in 39x25 average can do it with a 39x27 LA could probably do it with a fixed gear. but yes 23 or 21 is probably likely he said that when he did the Col de Gavia he was using a 27 in that


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## Cerddwyr (Jul 26, 2004)

*Gears of the Gods*



Aoresteen said:


> What gears do Lance, Ivan, Jan ect use when they are doing the mountian climbs?


I read somewhere that LA was thinking of going to a 25t, so I would think that the usual back end would be a 12-23 or even an 11-21 (Jan?) I need to go plug the numbers into my gearing calculator and see just how fast LA can spin up a mountain at 120 rpm in a 39/25 gear. Lots faster than my fat butt can grind up said mountain at 80 rpm (if I'm lucky) in a 30/25 gear 

Gordon


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

Aoresteen said:


> What gears do Lance, Ivan, Jan ect use when they are doing the mountian climbs?
> 
> I assume that they are in their small chainring (39t) but what are they running in the back? A 21t? A 23t?
> 
> ...


Armstrong averaged 23.4 kph for Alpe d'Huez. Assuming an average cadence of 120 rpm, the average gear would have been around a 39X25. The grade for the climb was fairly steady.


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## chrisbaby (Feb 20, 2004)

jimjo said:


> decent climbers can do ADH in 39x25 average can do it with a 39x27 LA could probably do it with a fixed gear. but yes 23 or 21 is probably likely he said that when he did the Col de Gavia he was using a 27 in that


I read somewhere (CYCLE SPORT, I think) that in 2001, Jan Ulrich rode up alpe d'huez in 41 X17. Hence, the cadence of about 40 rpm.


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## Coot72 (Nov 11, 2002)

*Udo Bolts says...*



asgelle said:


> Armstrong averaged 23.4 kph for Alpe d'Huez. Assuming an average cadence of 120 rpm, the average gear would have been around a 39X25. The grade for the climb was fairly steady.


Udo Bolts who is now retired but rode many years with Telekom said that the pros would ride their 39x17 to 39x21 or 23 on the climb. The corners are flat, so they shift gears on Alp D'Huez. 

Cyclingnews or some other cycling sports news website like velonews had a report that Lance likes to use a 20-21-22 to finish his 9-speed cluster. Of course Shimano will give Lance whatever he wants. To average 14-15 mph on the alp, Lance used no lower than a 23. That's what 450+ watts can do for you!

Coot


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## vo2 max (Apr 10, 2004)

Lance used a 39 x 23 in this years Alp D'Huez. TT


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