Popular Post Reverend_Maynard Posted December 28, 2020 Popular Post Share #1 Posted December 28, 2020 You may recall how I rode halfway up the Mt Washington Auto Road on a fat bike a few years back. I'm going back again this year! I found this cool site that ranks hills, mostly in the north east, but some from all over, and found what looks like the hardest mile in RI to train on. I'm thinking doing 5 or 6 laps of this hill on my fatbike once or twice a week will be really good training... https://www.brentacol.com/h/plain_meetinghouse What's the toughest hill in your area? 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted December 28, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted December 28, 2020 For those that don't click links... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted December 28, 2020 Share #3 Posted December 28, 2020 Ouch, that 13 looks fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted December 28, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted December 28, 2020 Just now, Dirtyhip said: Ouch, that 13 looks fun. Yup. Just over 100M of it. I can feel the burn already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted December 28, 2020 Share #5 Posted December 28, 2020 Just now, Reverend_Maynard said: Yup. Just over 100M of it. I can feel the burn already! We have some killer steeps here. Not sure how you find out their grade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted December 28, 2020 Share #6 Posted December 28, 2020 my street rises 140 feet in 1/4 mile for an average of 10%. It is however hill/flat/hill so the two climbs are steeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdc2000 Posted December 28, 2020 Share #7 Posted December 28, 2020 The rollers on the east side of Horsetooth Reservoir near Fort Collins have some 14% sections. In my area there are 2 rides just east of town with some 11% sections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted December 28, 2020 Share #8 Posted December 28, 2020 I have never climbed this on a bicycle but have driven it many times as my kids played ball against a local school on top of the hill. Park Ave is a road that takes you up to the top of a coastal range from Laguna Beach. It’s about 2 miles long and a 18% avg gradient. I’d honestly be afraid to descend as well. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12300852?lang=en There are numerous mountain roads that take you up to local ski resorts, GMR being one discussed here before. Those are longer & probably harder due to the total elevation gain but Park Ave is just a freaking wall you go right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted December 28, 2020 Share #9 Posted December 28, 2020 looks like fun good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted December 28, 2020 Share #10 Posted December 28, 2020 This hill was around the block from my old house, I used to do repeats by running or riding around the block. I don't know if I could walk up it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted December 29, 2020 Share #11 Posted December 29, 2020 I never understood why there aren't more mountain bikes doing the hill climb. I figured they'd have the gearing for it. Take of the knobby tires and off you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted December 30, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted December 30, 2020 First training ride today... 4 laps plus the ride back up to the car. I found a public parking lot for a wildlife management area about a mile up the other side of the valley that's pretty convenient. The road is pretty rural, light traffic, 25 mph. there's a varying width shoulder, 3ft to nonexistent. on the mtb it's easy to hug the shoulder. there's some soft dirt and leaf litter outside of that, but it looked a bit loaded with trash, maybe glass, so I stayed out of that. It was a good start. i can see adding a couple more laps, then maybe adding in challenges, like staying in a certain gear, standing for a whole lap, etc. https://ridewithgps.com/trips/60850477 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted December 31, 2020 Share #13 Posted December 31, 2020 18 hours ago, Reverend_Maynard said: It was a good start. Yup, it's surprising how 4600 feet in just 7.6 miles wears you down. Did you ride up as part of the official race? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted December 31, 2020 3 minutes ago, Square Wheels said: Yup, it's surprising how 4600 feet in just 7.6 miles wears you down. Did you ride up as part of the official race? Half way up on a fatbike, with snow. Trying again this year. https://greatglentrails.com/ski-shoe-fatbike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted December 31, 2020 Share #15 Posted December 31, 2020 5 minutes ago, Reverend_Maynard said: Half way up on a fatbike, with snow. Trying again this year. https://greatglentrails.com/ski-shoe-fatbike You're crazy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapr ★ Posted December 31, 2020 Share #16 Posted December 31, 2020 Portland has an unofficial hill ride called the De Ronde. There used to be Lion of Flanders markings on the road. It got too popular & had to go underground This hill is on the route 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted December 31, 2020 Share #17 Posted December 31, 2020 3 minutes ago, Scrapr said: Portland has an unofficial hill ride called the De Ronde. There used to be Lion of Flanders markings on the road. It got too popular & had to go underground This hill is on the route @Reverend_Maynard, go out there and practice that, it looks like the top of Mt Washington. Except with Washington, there's a teeny tiny little hill to climb before you get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groupw Posted December 31, 2020 Share #18 Posted December 31, 2020 There is a gravel road near here I have ridden a couple times. There is a short but steep hill that I almost had to walk going up, but managed to make it. Not sure of the grade, but I hit 39.6 on the descent on my MTB! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted December 31, 2020 Share #19 Posted December 31, 2020 On 12/28/2020 at 5:19 PM, Square Wheels said: I never understood why there aren't more mountain bikes doing the hill climb. I figured they'd have the gearing for it. Take of the knobby tires and off you go. I would think weight would be a factor though. A super light XC hard tail is still around 20 lbs. You can easily get to 16-17 lbs on a road bike and if you really try & have the funds could get down to 14 lbs. I think I’d rather do a hill climb with a 34X32 on a 16 lb road bike than a 32X50 on a 21 lb bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted December 31, 2020 Share #20 Posted December 31, 2020 On 12/28/2020 at 5:07 PM, Reverend_Maynard said: What's the toughest hill in your area? I guess it depends on "area". I live in a fairly "flat" with short hills area, so what tough hills we have are generally only a couple minutes to climb I can get a little farther from home to find some sustained climbs - usually Skyline in Shenandoah NP - but even those are just long but reasonable <10% grades. So, from a hill perspective, we're looking at a lot of 1/3 to 1 mile in length ones rather than fun sustained and hard ones. These run will be in the 10+% range but short enough you never get worn down, and when averaged out as a "segment", more in the 5-10% avg than anywhere near a double digit avg. Nothing like what Mt Washington seems to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share #21 Posted December 31, 2020 23 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: I guess it depends on "area". I live in a fairly "flat" with short hills area, so what tough hills we have are generally only a couple minutes to climb I can get a little farther from home to find some sustained climbs - usually Skyline in Shenandoah NP - but even those are just long but reasonable <10% grades. So, from a hill perspective, we're looking at a lot of 1/3 to 1 mile in length ones rather than fun sustained and hard ones. These run will be in the 10+% range but short enough you never get worn down, and when averaged out as a "segment", more in the 5-10% avg than anywhere near a double digit avg. Nothing like what Mt Washington seems to be. Sounds pretty similar to around here... thus why i will need 5 or 6 laps of this hill to equal the same elevation as mt washington. Even then, there are only brief stretches that are steeper than the average grade on mt. washington. There's just no perfect substitute. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted December 31, 2020 Share #22 Posted December 31, 2020 On 12/28/2020 at 8:19 PM, Square Wheels said: I never understood why there aren't more mountain bikes doing the hill climb. I figured they'd have the gearing for it. Take of the knobby tires and off you go. What was your gearing for your Mt Washington ride? I would guess a typical compact - 50/34 with an 11-28? My Roubaix from 06 was 50/36 and 12/27 10sp, and I remember being envious of the 50/34 folks for that one extra baby gear (or two if they had the 28 rear cog). Nowadays, even my lighter Tarmac with the 50/34 and an 11sp 11-28 (the bailout gear I envied), is seemingly a tough option for Mt Washington. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisL Posted December 31, 2020 Share #23 Posted December 31, 2020 48 minutes ago, Razors Edge said: What was your gearing for your Mt Washington ride? I would guess a typical compact - 50/34 with an 11-28? My Roubaix from 06 was 50/36 and 12/27 10sp, and I remember being envious of the 50/34 folks for that one extra baby gear (or two if they had the 28 rear cog). Nowadays, even my lighter Tarmac with the 50/34 and an 11sp 11-28 (the bailout gear I envied), is seemingly a tough option for Mt Washington. IIRC SW had a custom set up for the event. Like a 28 tooth chainring or such. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted December 31, 2020 Share #24 Posted December 31, 2020 Just now, ChrisL said: IIRC SW had a custom set up for the event. Like a 28 tooth chainring or such. I just saw it in the basement last weekend. I think I had a 30 or 32 in the back, and whatever you can get for a mountain bike in the front, 28 sounds about right. The thing was a wheelie machine. Just a little force and it came right up. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinneR ★ Posted December 31, 2020 Share #25 Posted December 31, 2020 On a mt bike, probably Phillips Ridge. 9 mile climb. It takes a couple of hours. Climbing Snow King is a great local climb you can do on foot, bike, or skis. On a road bike, probably Teton Pass. 15% at the steepest part. ELEVATION (feet)6,142 Start 8,512 Peak 20 Descent 2,390 Gained GRADIENT 8.1% Average DISTANCE 5.6 Miles On foot: The Grand Teton 13777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share #26 Posted March 1, 2021 Today was the day! Conditions were warm and a little soft, causing some traction issues on the steepest spots, but maybe getting off the bike for those few seconds was good to keep from burning out just spinning, and spinning, and spinning... Trimmed about 1/2 hour off my time! Top 10 finish in my age group... 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted March 1, 2021 Share #27 Posted March 1, 2021 Congratulations 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted March 1, 2021 Share #28 Posted March 1, 2021 very nice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddmaxx ★ Posted March 1, 2021 Share #29 Posted March 1, 2021 Good show. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share #30 Posted March 1, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share #31 Posted March 1, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Wheels Posted March 1, 2021 Share #32 Posted March 1, 2021 That is awesome. How far up do you go? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share #33 Posted March 2, 2021 30 minutes ago, Square Wheels said: That is awesome. How far up do you go? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share #34 Posted March 2, 2021 That climb certainly got the blood flowing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted March 2, 2021 Share #35 Posted March 2, 2021 On 2/28/2021 at 8:37 PM, Reverend_Maynard said: Trimmed about 1/2 hour off my time! Top 10 finish in my age group... AWESOME! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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