Competitive Hill Climbs - Anyone do them?

[Norry1]

I've looked for a Thread about competitive Hill Climbs but can't find one, so I started this.

Over the last few years I have entered a few competitive Hill Climbs and have quite enjoyed them. I was wondering if anyone else is doing them and wanted to share thoughts, advice etc on here?

There is a Midland Hill Climbing League which I joined, which age-adjusts results of the 10 Hill Climbs in their series so even old codgers like me can compete on an even basis.

I am thinking about doing the National Championships in October (Porlock Hill, Minehead).

Anyone?

 

[matticus]

Don't forget your front/back lights, and helmet!

 

[DCLane]

I have done, including nationals. This year I'm not fit enough however.

 

[Norry1]

Don't forget your front/back lights, and helmet!

Yeah, I got a friend along to one hill climb this year and he had no lights. I should have warned him but assumed he'd know as he had done Time Trials before. Luckily I had a spare rear and the organisers had a spare front, so he could compete.

 

[fossyant]

I used to at the end of the time trial season, but they were very unpleasant. Did not enjoy riding hard enough to nearly pass out and throw up. It was a bit much after a busy season.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Last year or the year before I rode down one in the Surrey Hills - it just happened to be on my route. Lots of cowbells and merriment and people grimacing in dreadful distress riding up the hill. I didn't have a clue what was going on so I had a chat with the people at the bottom who assured me that I would love it if I entered the next one. I didn't believe them. I told them I'd think about it. I was lying.

 

[Norry1]

My Road Race this Sunday (tomorrow) has been cancelled due to roadworks, so I can now do a Hill Climb in the Midland Hill Climbing League - Maxstoke Hill.

 

[mjr]

Last year or the year before I rode down one in the Surrey Hills - it just happened to be on my route. Lots of cowbells and merriment and people grimacing in dreadful distress riding up the hill. I didn't have a clue what was going on so I had a chat with the people at the bottom who assured me that I would love it if I entered the next one. I didn't believe them. I told them I'd think about it. I was lying.

I like racing so I deliberately visited at least two, to be one of the people with cowbells and merriment. :-) But I've not been to one or any other time trial since CTT adopted their low-evidence helmet rule even for hill climbs, where the risk of rider overheating surely outweighs the risk of a fall, and overheating further increases the fall risk, while helmet use increases the risk of a driver hitting the rider. I doubt I'll go to one again. Irrational zealots are ruining the sport and its traditions.

 

[BrumJim]

My son has done one this year, but the season mostly clashes with the cyclo-cross league.

 

[Legs]

My son and I rode Monsal yesterday. I dropped back 7s on my time from last year to finish in 1:43.6, which was a touch disappointing but no better than I deserved because I haven't really been focussing my training on this kind of explosive effort.

Daniel (9) was riding his first ever bike race and put in a fabulous effort to get up the 1-in-6 gradient on his 20"-wheeled MTB. Oli Bridgewood did a feature for GCN on our bikes, which really made my lad up - he's looking forward to it appearing on the YouTube channel. The Monsal crowd were fantastic and, considering that Daniel had an early start, there were still loads of people out cheering him on 🥰.

I might have got something in my eye as he crossed the line.