Any question answered...

Hippy- Mobidog got Tom Donhou to machine his freehub: http://www.lfgss.com/thread106713.html

My question:

I could do with some advice from people with experience of long climbs.

21km at an average of just over 7 percent (although the profile looks like long sections of just under 10 percent with slightly flatter bits in between).

It's going to be ~12 degrees at sea level falling to around 4 degrees at the summit.

Hopefully it's not going to rain.

I'm thinking that flexibility would be desirable- so standard bibs with leg warmers, base layer plus jersey, arm warmers and gillet, and a rain jacket shoved in a pocket?

My first thought was base layer plus Pro Team Jacket, but I'm concerned that I'd cook, given that we'll be going quite slowly (10 mph average I'm guessing) whilst trying quite hard.

Any idea where Tom Donohue is based?

I always take as little as possible up the climbs. I might nearly die of hypothermia on the way down but that's a small price to pay. Shorts, maybe knee warmers, undershirt unless it's stinking hot, jersey and maybe a gilet if looking cold/damp. No rain cape unless it's already raining when I leave.