Thank God for the pizza dish

Started my 'hill training' on Saturday. It's not the length of hills that's the problem, it's the gradient. A couple of sections of my training loop are knocking on 15%, just for a short period, but I figure if I can get up those I can get up anything. Well, I got up everything... but had to stop and poke my lungs back into my chest a few times. It wasn't pretty.

I've got a compact with a 12-28 at the back, and whilst pros would pooh-pooh the idea of anything bigger, winching yourself up an inch at a time is still better than walking. Why is it that we cyclists try and force ourselves to use the same equipment as the pros? I watched the F1 yesterday afternoon, and I wouldn't drive a Red Bull to the shops?

One more thing. When you stall on a hill, and stop to get your breath back... how the hell do you get the left SPD clipped back in again before you need to push on it?

I love the fact that on the trike, no-one mentions gearing, apart from the shock that its 30 speed.

I have a 9-34 cassette with a 30-39-52 triple. I like that two of my cassette rings out tooth my granny ring aswell.

All the more Pizza for me

PS: Of all the hills I've climbed in UK, the Bwlch and Rhigos on Dragon Ride route were definitely closest to Continental gradients and feel. Good training ground for the mountains by British standards.

I did the Tourmalet a few years ago with a compact and 28 and the Galibier et al a couple of years later with the same sprocket. All the big climbs were seriously painful and at times I would have gladly sold my soul for SRAM Apex, but I made it up them all without needing the sag wagon except on Hautacam. That said, on hills that tough I'm not sure how much physical difference those extra teeth really make, although psychologically I can imagine they do. Off to the Stelvio and Mortirolo in June have have already ordered my 30 cassette, there are cols and then there are Dolomite cols! Screw the purists, though - even Contador used a 32 on the Vuelta and he wasn't just on Jelly Babies either. Spinning up hills is more pleasant and better for your knees, end of. I don't care what the armchair climbers say.

If someone commented that I had a pizza dish, I think I'd be inclined to tell them either that it was an indicator that I also had a life, or to just piss off.

It is certainly an advantage of ever larger numbers of gears on the rear- easier to have both high and low without awkward gaps.

I'm going to be tackling the Alpe d'Huez in June and I'm currently using a compact with an 11-26 cassette on the back. I'm torn between keeping that on so I can try and force myself to get up there at a fairly reasonable pace, or sticking a 28 or 30 on the back so I can guarantee getting up there without getting off the bike.

I'm going to have about 630 miles in my legs from the week before so I might be being slightly over-optimistic...

It's "only" about 2,000m climbing - 2645m is the height above sea level. Bet that makes you feel better

'Hmmm. I think I’m going to need a bigger pizza dish.'

Less pizza might work too!

May have to check the roads are open over Madeleine/Galibier as the snow has been epic this year and it will still require a massive clearance of snow to enable you to reach the top - even in June!

Ps ; just back from snowboarding in Tarentaise and i was looking at every switch back on the road with excitement. Am envious of your trip and will definitely plan one of my own soon! Enjoy the pain...

I love my pizza dish. I really do. Running a compact with a 30T means I never have, and (hopefully) never will walk up anything. Guys are always impressed as I crawl past them pushing their bikes up the odd 20%...

There's no shame in gearing your bike so you can actually spend 100% of the time attached to the pedals, with minimal suffering - and triples have never floated my boat.