This morning Zev and I left at 6:45 up Route 38 to Ramat Raziel, one of the hardest climbs in the country. I've done it numerous times, including once on my second Alyn Ride and most recently in January. It doesn't get easier.
Since I had all the time in the world today, I decided to do a complete circuit. After climbing the 8 kilometers to the top of Ramat Raziel, I was rewarded with a fabulous, miles-long descent into the Jerusalm Forest valley where I reached some very high speeds but never felt uncomfortable. I reached Haddasah Hospital and then began a long, steady climb up to the top of Nes Harim (from the other side).
I got to Bar B'Har after two hours and eleven minutes of riding. I felt very strong and not too hot. Starting early has its advantages, especially on Ramat Raziel where we rode almost entirely in the shade. After a Coke and a short break, I completed my ride down the Nes Harim hill again and back down to Ramat Beit Shemesh. On the way out of Bar B'Har, I took some video on my iPod Nano. As soon as I figure out how to do so, I will post it here. It's pretty cool.
I was finished in 2:55, burning 1500 calories and hitting an average heart beat of 156. (I did 1100 on Friday with a similar average heart beat (but hitting a max of 179 as opposed to 174 today)
It's been a great two days of riding. I'm feeling pretty good about my prospects of keeping on the back of the Challenge Riders four months from now on the Alyn Ride.
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You sound nice and healthy B"H. Don't know how you average a HR of 156, doesn't it drop on the descents?
ReplyDeletePretty hot/humid here now too, although the sun is a lot less brutal. I remember baking a few years back on the Nes Harim climb - especially that long exposed straightaway.
At least 2 guys from my shul are doing Alyn this year - one a newbie. I noticed Maale Akravim is on the menu. Psyched?
PS Got any elevation data? Calories not that interesting...
ReplyDeleteI didn't take my Garmin. No elevation data. As far as my heart rate, it was in the mid one-sixties much of the climbs and the 140s in the descents. It never got much below that. Could have been the heat.
ReplyDeleteZev will be joining me the last two days of the ride. I am thinking of using his new Giant carbon bike (which has a triple) for the first three days of the ride (including Tuesday, when we do Maale Akrabim). He would then bring my bike and he would use his for the last two days. Thoughts? (I don't think Dura Ace comes in anything bigger than a 12-27, which I already have).
If you're comfortable on the Giant I would definitely use the triple for Maale Akravim. You've got the fitness for the steep climb but not the muscle mass for mashing your way up on big gears. Dura Ace now goes to 28 - still not enough.
ReplyDeleteOn my "travel" bike I've switched to Sram. They can go as big as 36 in the back so I dont need to resort to the weight and funky shifting/redundant gears of a triple. Went to the Pyrenees in May with 13 guys and did 53,500 feet of climbing in six days. Had a 32 in back and they all made fun of my "girlie" gears. Blew all but two of them away...
dumb question (since, while comfortable with the Giant, I much prefer sticking to a compact double): Do you have to change your entire gearing to Sram or is it compatible with a Dura Ace crank? I assume it is not but was just wondering.
ReplyDeleteNot dumb at all. The compatibilties are confusing and constantly changing. I find that many bike shops do not understand them fully.
ReplyDeleteGeneral rules:
1) Shimano and SRAM "can" be compatible. Campy almost always isn't.
2) Shifters and derailleurs must be same company.
3) # of cogs (speeds) of rear cassette must match the # of speeds of rear shifter.
Divrei Tana Kama. As with any set of rules there are exceptions which can be violated with "off market" devices. Last year I was hit by a car and my bike with the triple was trashed. Wanted to do the Hillier Than Thou race in NJ but knew I couldn't climb the 18-25% grades in a 12-27 with a compact. Bike shop said nothing could be done since all mountain cassettes were 9-spd. I was successful in mating the 10-spd shifter with a 9-spd cassette and completed the ride.
But I digress... SRAM came out with a 10-spd mountain group for 2010 and Shimano will do so for 2011. I'm assuming you have a 10-spd so your only "reasonable" option is the SRAM 11-32 or 11-36 cassette. Problem is the Dura Ace derailleur only has the "capacity" for up to 28 teeth.
Summary: You will need to switch your rear derailleur to shimano mtn (XT is the best bang for the buck) and purchase one of the above SRAM cassettes (pricey).
Did that help or are you totally lost?
Thanks. It helped a lot but I still need to do some more research. I think the short answer is that Since I have no problem getting up the hills in J'Lem (and the fourth day in the Negev doesn't seem too difficult) I'm going to go to my plan of switching bikes with Zev for the first three days of this year's ride and using my bike for the last two. I will start thinking about major gear renovations for next year.
ReplyDelete