Gradients

[Simontm]

Can someone help me on gradients.
I was used to old money - 1 in etc - but for the life of me, I have no idea what these % ratings mean and my google-fu fails me for an explanation.
Can someone help this luddite and translate % back into old money for me?

cheers

 

[Simontm]

I feel quite thick now

 

[SpokeyDokey]

A mildly amusing explanation of the effect of grades:

http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/

 

[DaveReading]

Don't tax your brain, that's what calculators were invented for.

Whatever the % number on the road sign is, just divide 100 by that number and the answer gets you back to your familiar "1 in xxx".

So a 5% gradient is 1 in 20 (because 100 divided by 5 is 20).

 

[classic33]

 

[Smokin Joe]

View attachment 106391

Ha, that's bollocks.

The 10% round here are much steeper than that, closer to the 50% on that chart.

 

[Ihatehills]

I googled this the other day and wiki just confused me (not hard to do ) @classic33 this is much clearer , thanks

 

[classic33]

Ha, that's bollocks.

The 10% round here are much steeper than that, closer to the 50% on that chart.

Like a few 20% round here. 30° actual slope incline.

 

[Crackle]

10% - hard
15% - Good gawd
20% - Christ on a bike
25% - Seeing stars
30% and up - You've got to be farking kidding!

 

[numbnuts]

10% - hard
15% - Good gawd
20% - Christ on a bike
25% - Seeing stars
30% and up - You've got to be farking kidding!

Yeah that's more like it

 

[Saluki]

There are only 2 grades. Them you can ride up and them you can't. Or so my Father used to say on a fairly regular basis.

 

[DaveReading]

Now I'm waiting for someone to explain why you lose more time climbing hills than you make up when descending the other side.

 

[400bhp]

I can help:

0% - flat

5% - oohh I can tell it's going uphill but I can spin along.

10% - Should I / Shouldn't I get out of the saddle.

15% - Honk

25% + - You're having a firkin larf

 

[ColinJ]

Now I'm waiting for someone to explain why you lose more time climbing hills than you make up when descending the other side.

You will always lose time when you climb hills that slow you to less than half your normal speed. It does not matter how fit you are, or how steep or long the hill is!

For example: Imagine that your speed on the flat is 20 mph, but you can only climb a tough 5 mile hill at 5 mph. You will take an hour to get up it. Turn at the top and ride down as fast as you can. It doesn't matter how fast you ride - you had already lost 30 minutes before you even began the descent because you could have done 10 miles on the flat in only 30 minutes.

That applies in every case. The fitter you are, the less time you will lose, but flat roads are faster.

 

[totallyfixed]

One of my [many] jobs is to set up dr_pink's hill climbing bike, as you might expect the percentage of the climb, and to some extent the length, dictates the lowest gear ratio. Up to 22-23% it is 39x25, over 23% 39x27 and this will easily get her up hills right up to 30% without difficulty. If not racing then just leave the 39x25 on. A bit bonkers really.