On what hill did it force you to ride at your LOWEST cadence ever ?

[Jameshow]

Porlock hill is one I've come a cropper on tbh..

 

[GuyBoden]

In the 1980's, on my rides in the Welsh mountains with a lowest gear of 48T front and 24T rear, I got off and pushed many times during a long day out.

The 'B' road from Betws-y-coed to Conwy is carved indelibly into my memory, even after a very pleasant lunch in a Betws-y-coed cafe.

 

[Ajax Bay]

The 'B' road from Betws-y-coed to Conwy is carved indelibly into my memory, . . .

Big ring ride going north up the Conwy valley's west side with a gentle undulation after Tyn-y-Groes. Another road etched in your memory perhaps?

 

[chrisleuty]

Last year, I rode my singlespeed with 44:16 gearing up Pym’s Chair (21% max gradient) with inevitable very low cadence - so low that I unclipped twice, but I did manage to set off again.

 

[Ian H]

Porlock hill is one I've come a cropper on tbh..

It's a long time since I rode up the main road (just the once). I've overtaken a motorcycle going down it.

 

[Donger]

I was once overtaken by a jogger on Frocester Hill, Gloucestershire.

Now regard it as a funny story rather than an embarrassment, as I made it to the top without giving up when most people I know would never even attempt it.

 

[HLaB]

The aptly named Gloom Hill saw me at circa 42rpm it averages over 15% and is supposed to be over 25% at the top. (2010 with a 39-25 ratio) https://www.strava.com/segments/983273

More recently with lower gearing (2021 with a 34-28ratio) I was 49rpm on the Masca climb; probably lowered by track standing at congestion points :-D https://www.strava.com/segments/673830

According to strava, Masca averages 29.5% for 0.22miles in the middle, my cadence though was marginally higher cadence wise at 50rpm https://www.strava.com/segments/4991010

 

[Hover Fly]

I’ve always found it better to get off and walk rather than strain myself-and the bike-grinding up stupidly steep Cumbrian pack-horse roads.

 

[Jody]

Chapel gate coming out of Edale is apparently only 14% max but that was a tough old climb

The other would be a short road section in Coed Y Brenin. No idea of the gradient but we struggled to walk up it. At times it felt comically steep.

 

[EckyH]

Every b**dy hill I go up (unless it's really gentle)?

Can comprehend that.
Three weeks ago the conviction over a through road (similar to an A-Road) caused cramps in both upper thighs.
Perhaps it wasn't helpful that I didn't have breakfast nor lunch that day and just two cups of white coffee were a bit sparsely for hydration...

Spoiler: Probably...

it wasn't the hill alone but my own stupidity was the main culprit...

E.

 

[Tomm Williams]

There is a local hill I’ve yet to try, Its the steepest I’ve ever seen in the area at a rating of 19% by a county marker. It’s only about 150 yards long but would not surprise me if sections might be over 20% by a touch.
I’ve zero doubt that would be a snail grinder for me and I have exceptional gearing for climbing with a 34t chainring and 52t cassette.

 

[Alex321]

Slight route mis-calculation took me up a very steep (15-20%) gravelly lane a couple of times in Wales - on 39x26 - I walked - took shoes off and pushed. Gone are the days doing 20% on a 42x21 with 30 rpm - I'm not 20 anymore.

Hardest recently was Mam Nick that's about 16% and windy, but again it's on a 39x26. It was a grind, but I got up. I've got a CX bike now, as well, with a 34x32, which will get up most stuff quite easily, far easier than my two road bikes.

The lowest gear on my road bike is a 34x32 ("compact" 50/34 chainset, 11-32 cassette).

I have no idea what my lowest cadence is, because if I'm working that hard, I'm not looking at the Wahoo in that detail. And it has gone into auto-pause when I've been at the slowest anyhow. It will probably be somweher between 20 and 40 RPM, but that is as much as I can say, until I get around to getting a new camera for the bike.

[EDIT] Just looked up one of my rides up Witches Hill, and the loest cadennce was recorded as 47, so maybe not quite as low as I suggested there.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I have no idea what my lowest cadence is, because if I'm working that hard, I'm not looking at the Wahoo in that detail. And it has gone into auto-pause when I've been at the slowest anyhow. It will probably be somweher between 20 and 40 RPM,
[EDIT] Just looked up one of my rides up Witches Hill, and the loest cadence was recorded as 47, so maybe not quite as low as I suggested there.

I wonder over what period a Garmin (or whatever) averages cadence. The display flashes to zero within a couple of seconds after ceasing pedalling and comes back up to a believable number very quickly when ceasing freewheeling.
Clearly at the crux of a climb a rider's balance will determine how close to a track stand they can cope with.

I feel some experimentation coming on, but the jeopardy is as @IanH describes, going to the top-of-dead-centre brink, clipped in.
Climbing Wrynose (below) going west was interesting: I was getting chain suck and when that happens on a steep climb , you're down, albeit at 0kph. Had to manage Hardknott immediately after in the middle ring (42t) so 37" gear.

 

[ianrauk]

Posting in another thread, reminded me of this hill near to home. The well known beast that is Cudham Hill. Very slow going as not only is it 25%, it's on a bend and also thrown in for good measure, on a camber. Makes for a very slow cadence ascent.

 

[Solocle]

Hardknott Pass. So low and slow I ended up having to walk bits.

The local fun little hill is Gold Hill, but although it's over 20% and cobbled, it's short enough that you can just attack it and power up it, so the cadence never drops too low.