A step too far?

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Alan O

Über Member
Location
Liverpool
...climbing disproportionately extends the time required to do a given distance...
Absolutely that. Steep hills can reduce my speed to around 3-5mph, and I only need a few miles of that to add a considerable time to my total.
 
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cabbieman

cabbieman

Senior Member
Does anybody know how I can get the gradient of the route. Ride with gps doesn't look like I can gather info
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
Does anybody know how I can get the gradient of the route. Ride with gps doesn't look like I can gather info

Are you using a PC to map the route? On mine I go into the route, and on the right hand side there is a panel that tells you maximum gradient, and the elevation profile tells you the spot gradient as you move the mouse over it.
 
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cabbieman

cabbieman

Senior Member
Are you using a PC to map the route? On mine I go into the route, and on the right hand side there is a panel that tells you maximum gradient, and the elevation profile tells you the spot gradient as you move the mouse over it.

I'll have a look on my pc tonight. Thanks
 
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cabbieman

cabbieman

Senior Member
How do you mean "the gradient of the route"? RWGPs should give you the total ascent and distance (edit: and average gradient in the "metrics" tab) and when you position your cursor on the elevation profile at the bottom (when in view mode, not edit mode) it will show you the gradient at that point. Or you can drag and highlight a bit of the elevation plot to zoom in.

Edit. And when you do select a bit in the elevation plot and zoom in (a particular hill maybe) the "metrics" tab will show you the average gradient for that hill.

Thanks. I want to look at the hills to see if there's anything beyond my capabilities.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I would be surprised if there aren't ramps of at least 20% somewhere on the Exmoor route. @cabbieman - what is your bottom gear ratio? I use very low gears for the steep stuff (28/30, 34/36 or 26/28).

I wouldn't fancy that route on something like 39/27, especially if I still weighed 15+ stone!

I tackled Exmoor weighing 13.5 stone and used my 28/30 gear quite a lot. I probably could have got up most of the ramps on a higher gear but why bust a gut grinding when a nice spinning gear is available?
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
It is very easy to get caught out by average gradients over a certain length of road. I took a quick look at the climb from Flint on @nickyboy's Llandudno ride and concluded that it seemed easy enough to tackle on my singlespeed bike ...

Flint climb is easy.png

There are a few fluctuations but it looks okay, doesn't it? :whistle:

But in reality it was very hard on s/s! Take a closer look ...

Flint climb not quite so easy.png


When you take an even closer look you will see ramps of 8.5%, 7.7%, 12.0% and 9.4%. Not killers with 20+ gears to choose from but leg-shredding in a 52/19 gear!
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
It is very easy to get caught out by average gradients over a certain length of road. I took a quick look at the climb from Flint on @nickyboy's Llandudno ride and concluded that it seemed easy enough to tackle on my singlespeed bike ...

View attachment 420764
There are a few fluctuations but it looks okay, doesn't it? :whistle:

But in reality it was very hard on s/s! Take a closer look ...

View attachment 420765

When you take an even closer look you will see ramps of 8.5%, 7.7%, 12.0% and 9.4%. Not killers with 20+ gears to choose from but leg-shredding in a 52/19 gear!
Well you could have learnt your lesson after the first year!
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Well you could have learnt your lesson after the first year!
I DID learn my lesson, so I intended to go the flat coastal route. For some reason, I thought that the cycle path started at Flint but I overheard nickyboy saying that there were miles of A-road to ride along to get to it, so that put me off!

Unfortunately, I hadn't put the hilly version on my GPS and took a wrong turn. Cue lots of hilly singlespeed meanderings ... At least I managed to ride further up the hill this time though, before having to dismount.
 
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cabbieman

cabbieman

Senior Member
Well. I went out last night for a 50 miler to test the water a bit and to be honest, the last 10 were a bit of a slog. I couldn't imagine doing that twice over with a lot more hills. My elevation last night was 2500ft which is just over a quarter of the Exmoor route. I know I'm not ready yet. I'll do a couple of 75 miles in the next few weeks and then choose a relatively Flatish route around by me.
Thanks again though for all the good advice. I will use it soon.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
Well. I went out last night for a 50 miler to test the water a bit and to be honest, the last 10 were a bit of a slog. I couldn't imagine doing that twice over with a lot more hills. My elevation last night was 2500ft which is just over a quarter of the Exmoor route. I know I'm not ready yet. I'll do a couple of 75 miles in the next few weeks and then choose a relatively Flatish route around by me.
Thanks again though for all the good advice. I will use it soon.

It's always good to understand your limits as that is what will help you to plan for the longer routes when you decide to do them.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Well. I went out last night for a 50 miler to test the water a bit and to be honest, the last 10 were a bit of a slog. I couldn't imagine doing that twice over with a lot more hills. My elevation last night was 2500ft which is just over a quarter of the Exmoor route. I know I'm not ready yet. I'll do a couple of 75 miles in the next few weeks and then choose a relatively Flatish route around by me.
Thanks again though for all the good advice. I will use it soon.
A wise decision. Onwards, and upwards ... just a little more slowly! :okay:
 
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