Hi,
I've been inactive most of the year due to various personal reasons but I was able to test my current shape a few weeks back on the Ventoux (holidays closeby), I barely got to Chalet Reynard. Although I'm not a pure climber.
I do want to start preparing for next season again, I'm an avid classics cyclo participant in Belgium (except for the past year). So i'm checking to see what I should be starting with again. I bought my R3 with Q-rings 2 years ago (50-36 11-28) and i tried the Ventoux with NoQ 50-34. I'm thinking of trying my Q-rings again. I'm just not sure what to go with at this moment.
I could do a 50-36 Q-ring (was adviced in the store to swap the 50-34 ultegra with when I bought the R3) with either an 11-28 or 11-30 cassette. Or I could use a Q-ring 34 as well. I know i'll have some issues getting up hills the early months, but I assume a 36 will smooth out the shifting a bit (and it seems the equivalent of a 34 round, at least its what I'm told). So i'm thinking of just getting used to the 50-36 Q again and maybe start with the 30 cassette, to swap that after a while.
Or should I rather start with a 34 and swap that later, and keep the 28 cassette? I usually run typical Belgian roads, flat with short classics climbs.
Thanks in advance