Ironman Lake Placid : Official Thread (Page 22)

X2.  This is something you want to do ASAP.  Well, at least before your Sprintime Long Rides - which will be here before we know it. 

Mooseman is around 4200 feet of climbing for the 1-loop and although Lake Placid is approximately 3300 per loop;  on the second loop the hills seem much steeper and longer.  Unless you are a giffted/elite/superb cyclist (95% of us ARE NOT - myself included!!) you want a MINIMUM of 27 teeth on that back cassette.  A minimum.   If you are NOT a strong hill climber you should also strongly consider a compact crank. 

Of all the banter and baloney that will be talked about in this thread (what running shoes, what bike shoes, what tires, race wheels, nutrition, race apparel, hotels to stay in, wetsuit - sleeveless or sleeved, what to pack in transition bags, what to pack in special needs bags, weather reports, lake temperature, where to line up in the swim, run & bike course profiles and strategies, blah blah blah blah)  I'm going to say of all the things we can control and pick to use, BIKE GEARING will be the most important.  (Training and Race Day Nutrition is at the top of the list, too).  But if you go into this race with a stock 25 cassette and you have not properly trained on Long Rides of similar hill terrain to Lake Placid, you will get crushed on the Bike and it'll be a long, slow, painful marathon, and nothing else will matter.  No matter how many training hours you logged over the past six months, or how well-planned your Race Day nutrition is; none of it will matter cause your legs will be toast.

80% of the 140.6 miles is covered on the BIKE. 

I've made this mistake early in my triathlon career on the Harryman bike course.  I rode the course with a stock 12-25 and on the steepest climb I got crushed.      

...properly trained on Long Rides...

I think this sums it up Bobby....

Very good reply.

Cassette/crankset questions:

All this talk has gotten me thinking...

My current set-up is a 50x34 chainrings with a rear 12-25 cassette. It seems most are recommending 12-27, correct? Would I have to change my crankset too?

I usually do not worry about this as I live in flatlandia....

We did bike one loop the IMLP course on our road bikes (which I think is 12-25 as well); felt okay, but I know my tri bike is not going to climb near as well as my road.

Thanks for all the help!

hahahahaha.  well played, james! 

and to the rest of you, ya ya i'm here.  i refuse to say i'm back b/c let's get real, who knows.  

i'm gonna swim with fred so i'll have proof.  plus it will help his ego b/c right now he'll be faster than me.  :P  

I think you'll be very thankful on the 2nd loop if you invest in a 27 cassette.  And your run will likely benefit from it, too.  None of the climbs at Lake Placid are super-steep or exceptionally challenging. 

IMO, over the 56 miles there are three distinct sections of moderately challenging climbs.  The first loop is not the problem; it's the second loop where they begin to wear on you and grind you down.  I used my 27 casette to just spin up these three sections during the first loop, and it allowed me to ride them strong during the second loop. 

How long have you had your current chain - how many miles?  I've been told to change my chain roughly every 3,000 miles. 

I've changed casettes and used the same chain and it wasn't too much of an issue.  I did experience some jumping around when changing gears, and my derailleur definitely had to be adjusted.  A bike wrench explained it to me that a chain 'marry's' with a cassette; meaning, they become compatible after many many miles.  If you have a newer chain perhaps it hasn't fully married with your current cassette; if you have close to 3K miles might as well get a new one. 

I Love you JeNNy.

SRAM red!!  Are you kidding me!  I'm guessing you'll see a minimum of a full 1 MPH of speed, maybe 2!!   

Fred D - 2012-01-17 3:58 PM Almost wish I was doing lp this year as a lot of the old gang seems to be active here. Oh well

We wish you were too!  Come up anyway!  I'm doing Jorge's camp the 2nd or 3rd week in June I think if you feel like coming up to train then too.  I'm thinking about renting a house or condo this year so that friends who are not racing have the option to come.  

Speaking of which, does anyone have a Realtor or Rental Agency they recommend?

gopennstate - 2012-01-17 7:02 PM

Fred D - 2012-01-17 3:58 PM Almost wish I was doing lp this year as a lot of the old gang seems to be active here. Oh well

We wish you were too!  Come up anyway!  I'm doing Jorge's camp the 2nd or 3rd week in June I think if you feel like coming up to train then too.  I'm thinking about renting a house or condo this year so that friends who are not racing have the option to come.  

Speaking of which, does anyone have a Realtor or Rental Agency they recommend?

im renting from adkview.com

try that they have nice houses but not really in placid mine is down in keene

I just bought this on thursday and used it on friday!
it was amazing how i didnt have to count and 1500m just went by quick!  I was able to focus more on my technique.  I can vouch for this little thing, awesome device!

 
No the chain should work just fine provided the chain is not wore out.  I do know some that will put on a fresh chain with a new cassette.  Some even recommend it to have even wear and optimum shifting smoothness.
 
Chain replacement is a variable thing depending on your maintenance, riding style and conditions.  I have replaced them anywhere between 1000-5000 miles.  No pre stretched chains Shimano andSRAMwill stretch over time wear and shifting becomes poor.  There is a simple little tool to determine this.  Here is a good tutorial link to determine chain wear.  http://bicycletutor.com/chain-wear/
 
I do a lot of bike maintenance and chain cleaning is something I do a lot of.  You can get a lot of drag from a dirty and or worn out chain.  Combine that by 112 miles.  I use a “Connex” quick link by Wippermann to make it very easy to take the chain off and clean it.  Taken it off it the best way to get the dirt out of in-between all the links. 
 
http://www.connexchain.com/Connectors/Connex-link/1_309.html

Any questions please ask!

Santa brought me this wonderful training tool back in Christmas of 2008.  I've used it for every single pool swim since and it has performed amazingly well, and I am still yet to change the battery.  I have the red one and it has paid for itself many times over.

MY lap counter

1 1 1 1 1 1, 2 2 2 2 2 2, 3 3 3 3 3 3, 4 4 4 . . OH S*%#, 3 3 3 3 3 3, 4 4 4 4 4 4

what do you expect one to many blows to the head.

I used the speedo version for lots of years until it finally gave up the ghost. Now I just don't do very many sets that require a lot of counting, but when I do I use a Finis Swimsense.

The only problem with the Swimsense is it makes it impossible to lie to my coach.

That, and it does not recognize my butterfly as such. But that is kinda ok, because no one else at the pool does either.