What gears in the Tour de France?

[OscarC]

So, I've done searches all over on what gears the riders are using in the Le Tour. I guess they are using 53/39 in the front but what sprockets in the back? Specifically in the Pyenees, 12-23? 12-25? What about in the flatter stages?
Does any body know for sure and is there a link to an article on this? I'm sure this has been asked before and I can't believe I wasn't able to turn up anything...

 

[sideshow_bob]

So, I've done searches all over on what gears the riders are using in the Le Tour. I guess they are using 53/39 in the front but what sprockets in the back? Specifically in the Pyenees, 12-23? 12-25? What about in the flatter stages?
Does any body know for sure and is there a link to an article on this? I'm sure this has been asked before and I can't believe I wasn't able to turn up anything...

They will typically change cassettes between mountain and flat stages. For most riders it's a personal preference. So one mans 12-25 is anothers 12-23, compacts are also not unheard of. I would say from my observations that 12-25 is the most common setup in the mountain stages and 12-23 in the flat stages, though many of the sprinters will be on 11-21 on the flats.

I think you need to ask the question as not "what do riders use" but what does rider X use.

Cyclingnews.com reviews many riders bikes during the TdF. Here's a link to Mayo's Scott as an example:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/200...d=/tech/2007/probikes/tour_mayo_saunier_scott

--brett

 

[sogood]

Cyclingnews.com reviews many riders bikes during the TdF. Here's a link to Mayo's Scott as an example:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/200...d=/tech/2007/probikes/tour_mayo_saunier_scott

Unless I missed it, it doesn't say what cassette the guy uses for a particular stage. How many riders do you think had CT for the Pyrenees?

 

[bobbyOCR]

Also depends on the pedalling style. Spinners will move for lower gears that only extremely steep slopes will push slower pedallers to. I read somewhere that on the big, steep mountain stages, most riders opt for a 25.

 

[pistole]

straight from velonews :

Vaughters:Not really. Everyone pretty much runs an 11-23 for just about everything, these days. Up front, you see 53/39 and sometimes a 53/42. On the back, sometimes you'll see an 11-25 here and there, but 11-21s aren't used much anymore with 10 speed systems. On a relatively flat stage, like today, you'll average about 95 rpm, while pedalling. If you include coasting, it's a lot lower. On mountain stages your average rpm will be mid- to high-80s for the day.​

.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Not the Tour, but during last year's Giro there was a stage scheduled to go up a really nasty climb (Mortirolo?). Although the stage was shortened and did not ascend all the way to the top due to bad weather, it was reported that some riders were fitting 27 and 29 cogs.

 

[hd reynolds]

For alpine stages 26 or 27 without changing the rear der. There are riders that also use compacts up front.