During the planning for this trip to France, I quizzed my friend Ben who has spent many months riding in the French Alps. Questions were mainly on where to stay and ride, but also included what gearing would be necessary. He suggested getting a compact crankset or at least fit a bigger cassette. Given I want to keep data from all the rides, the cranks had to stay which meant finding a bigger rear cassette.
Originally I had plans to use a 13-26 cassette. But after looking at the profiles for climbs I was including in the trip schedule and that these would be ridden day after day, I finally conceded and bought a 13-29 cassette. As the regular Campagnolo rear derailleur can only handle a cog up to 26 teeth, it meant I needed to buy a new rear mid cage derailleur! Hopefully though armed with a low gear of 39*29 combined with the training I've done to date will get me over the climbs I have planned.
Other updates to the bike in preparation for the trip have been to rebuild the right lever (love Campagnolo for the fact you can rebuild rather than throw out), new cables, new tyres and tubes and a new seat. Plus general servicing and regrease the headset, pedal bearings and bottom bracket.
As pictured, it's not particularly light at 8.2kg but should hold up well for the trip. Only decision still to be made is if I am willing to add another couple of hundred grams and swap out my KCNC lightweight brakes for the more solid Campagnolo brakes purely due to the extra descending I'll be doing on this trip. The KCNC brakes have performed fine on my many days in the hills locally, but the descents in the Alps will be at a whole different level...
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