My 20 minute Cragg Vale hill climb challenge

[Jameshow]

It sounds like that tough Shore Rd climb from Cornholme would be ideal for her then!

Church Lane/Mytholm Steeps (Hebden Bridge) would be a similar challenge. The problem with that one though is that it is a narrow, twisty (very steep!) road which can cause problems with parked cars and traffic. Definitely pick a very quiet time to tackle it.

Sounds like a climb to bag one Sunday afternoon!!

 

[Sea of vapours]

Thanks for the suggestions. There are a few 55-64 QoMs in the Dales to tick off before we head over there again, but maybe once those are done. She was 3rd woman overall, any age, on the south side of Fleak Moss, up from Askrigg, last week!

 

[ColinJ]

Sounds like a climb to bag one Sunday afternoon!!

There is often lots of tourist traffic on Sunday afternoons, especially around Hebden Bridge! Sunday morning might be better? (Er, Church Ln... Pre-church hours on a Sunday morning!!)

Or perhaps around midday during the week, avoiding morning/school closing/evening traffic?

 

[Sea of vapours]

It sounds like that tough Shore Rd climb from Cornholme would be ideal for her then!

That does look rather good, having just had a look at it on Veloviewer ( https://veloviewer.com/segment/627919? ) . I doubt we'll invest in driving over there just for the sake of that, but I shall incorporate it into one of my rides that way sometime I think. Not that I'll be trying to go up it fast, what with not wishing to a) experience considerable pain and suffering, b) be unable to cycle home afterwards or, c) be dead !

 

[potsy]

My cycling group are coming over your way in a couple of weeks Colin, be interesting to see some of their times afterwards, don't think they'll be troubling the leaderboard too much 🤣
Sadly I'm not available that day

 

[ColinJ]

I know that my PB decades ago was several minutes quicker but I don't have an exact figure, and think it was a very wind-assisted ride so I will go for bettering my current PB of 27 m 56 s.

Similar wind conditions to that ride this evening... Mainly a crosswind from my left, but with just a hint of tailwind. I was on my heavier bike though and carrying a fairly heavy pannier so any minor wind assistance would largely have been negated by that.

And the result was...

27 m 00 s!

I was pretty pleased with that because I haven't been feeling 100% for a few weeks now, and on top of that I inhaled a bloody fly just before the climb so I spent 5 minutes coughing and spluttering.

Let's see how long it is before I manage a sub 26 minute climb without (much) wind assistance!

I am going to buy a power meter SPD pedal for my best bike as soon as I spot a decent one on eBay for less than £250.

 

[Sea of vapours]

Good one :-)

Might I suggest that, what with these being PB attempts, using your lightest bike and definitely *not* carrying luggage might be .... a better idea ?!

 

[Norry1]

Time for a Cyclechat Hill Climb day at Holme Moss?

Good one :-)

Might I suggest that, what with these being PB attempts, using your lightest bike and definitely *not* carrying luggage might be .... a better idea ?!

When I go for a KOM, sometimes I'll take bottles, lights, pump, bag off and leave at the base of a climb then pick them up afterwards. I have been known to forget to pick them up though

 

[Sea of vapours]

When I go for a KOM, sometimes I'll take bottles, lights, pump, bag off and leave at the base of a climb

Having been there last week, I can't imagine anywhere terribly suitable for leaving things; at least if you expected them to be there on the return! Colin shouldn't need luggage though; he's very local.

 

[ColinJ]

Good one :-)

Might I suggest that, what with these being PB attempts, using your lightest bike and definitely *not* carrying luggage might be .... a better idea ?!

That's the only bike that currently has a power meter.

I didn't actually need to see my power but I find it interesting to keep an eye on it. What I did was to try and stay above 210 W and keep my heart rate at around 150 bpm.

If the HR got to 152+ bpm I backed off slightly to bring it back down because I had burned out on a previous attempt when I did repeated surges at 155+ bpm.

I did make a bigger effort on the mid-climb ramp, hitting high 150s for that. I also stood up and 'sprinted' for the last 3/4 km, maxing out at 161 bpm.

I do carry the kitchen sink on the heavier bike. I don't generally bother adding to or removing things from its pannier so it contains surplus kit e.g. 3 spare tubes plus a puncture kit, a multi-tool etc. for those epic 1,000 km wilderness rides that I never quite do!

There was 0.5 kg of water that was not needed for a short ride like that (just shy of 35 km).

I think I could have saved 3-4 kg by riding my CAAD5 without water and carrying just minimal kit.

Next time I will ride lighter and just go by HR. (The trouble with HR though is the lag. I have my Elemnt Bolt set to display the 3 second average power so I never need to spend more than a few seconds at the wrong level of effort).

 

[ColinJ]

Time for a Cyclechat Hill Climb day at Holme Moss?

Holme Moss is a bit too brutal for me to make a big effort on - just getting up it is enough!

I had toyed with organising a Cyclechat hill climb pursuit on the Cragg Vale climb though... I first mentioned it earlier in this thread. (Blimey, it was about 12 years ago - where did the time go?!!!)

 

[Hicky]

I've just checked strava...just over 27 mins is my quickest time over ten years ago. I don't think I've ever done the climb with favourable conditions.....almost every time has been with the belly full of tea and cake or a pie after stopping in Hebden irrespective of wind....I should give it a go soon when I've got some baggage off the tum.
PS what's the CC strava club?

 

[Jameshow]

Good one :-)

Might I suggest that, what with these being PB attempts, using your lightest bike and definitely *not* carrying luggage might be .... a better idea ?!

Hacksaw and drill at hand.....🤣

 

[Dogtrousers]

Good one :-)

Might I suggest that, what with these being PB attempts, using your lightest bike and definitely *not* carrying luggage might be .... a better idea ?!

Marginal gains thinking. Always looking for an edge. You're not Dave Brailsford are you?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The trouble with HR though is the lag

Get some markers on the hill, thst mean you are on target. For example reach point A after 1 min, point B after 5 mins, point C after 10 mins etc…