Reality check

[caimg]

So after a good couple of years after doing consistent road cycling, I finally made myself get bitten by the bug this week and got back on my Planet X Pro Carbon (yeah, she's a beaut!).

I should explain that my neglect for my lovely pearl white baby has been because I work as a fitness instructor and PT, including teaching a whole ton of spin classes. My legs are almost always fatigued and the thought of being up to standard outside the gym as well as in them wasn't particularly motivating.

Anyway...this week I hyped myself up, got on the bike, set off from my flat in Crouch End (North London) where I'd moved to recently, and headed for Muswell Hill. F*ck me, no amount of spin classes had me ready for that piece of crap. Totally made me realise how many miles I'll need to do on the road regardless of the hours a week I spend teaching spin to feel competent on a half decent climb!

Hopefully, there are members here who'll sympathise with that particular climb...I hope Any stories from others who'd been caught out by a route or section whilst out and about?!

 

[tallliman]

I found spin classes were good for my general fitness but the road was what helped me improve. I think its the air resistance and actual lumps in the road.

There's a hill about a mile from my house which isn't long or steep but I never seem to manage to spin up it. Quite frustrating but it's the way it is!

 

[NorthernDave]

Birdsall Bank (or Birdsall Brow, depending who's talking about it) in East Yorkshire.
A near vertical climb* out of Birdsall, with a false summit about two thirds of the way up, approached by a steady mile or so of ascent that robs you of any meaningful momentum before it ramps up.
I discovered it during a 100 mile sportive a few months ago. It would have been a tough challenge at the start of the ride, but to put it at the 80 mile mark was just sadistic...

I got to the top but only through sheer bloody mindedness and I needed a couple of minutes at the side of the road to put my lungs back in.
The descent down the other side into Leavening was fun though.

* - well, that's how I remember it...

 

[hoopdriver]

It is like the difference between doing bench presses on a weight machine and using an Olympic barbell with real weights on it. You spot the difference immediately. One is far more 'real' than the other.

 

[Milkfloat]

For some reason I have found that real life cycling is a little more realistic than tapping the inside and outside of your handlebars whilst doing press ups/dipping a shoulder. The music is better too in real life.

 

[Cycleops]

Muswell Hill, that is one tough climb. I remember my dad's old Standard 10 would only just about make it up there!
Why didn't you stick to the gentler grades around Ally Pally?

 

[caimg]

For some reason I have found that real life cycling is a little more realistic than tapping the inside and outside of your handlebars whilst doing press ups/dipping a shoulder. The music is better too in real life.

Nah mate, not with the playlists I do sounds like you've been to some lame ass spin classes if any! What I will say is that wind resistance, lateral movement of the bike + the current outdoor temps make it a whole different ball game.

 

[caimg]

It is like the difference between doing bench presses on a weight machine and using an Olympic barbell with real weights on it. You spot the difference immediately. One is far more 'real' than the other.

Yeah as I replied elsewhere, this is definitely the case with controlling lateral movement of the bike. You have to do more with your body with each stroke on the road than on a stationary bike!

 

[caimg]

Muswell Hill, that is one tough climb. I remember my dad's old Standard 10 would only just about make it up there!
Why didn't you stick to the gentler grades around Ally Pally?

Because I decided I was a badass and would smash it out without much bother. I was so utterly wrong!

 

[caimg]

Birdsall Bank (or Birdsall Brow, depending who's talking about it) in East Yorkshire.
A near vertical climb* out of Birdsall, with a false summit about two thirds of the way up, approached by a steady mile or so of ascent that robs you of any meaningful momentum before it ramps up.
I discovered it during a 100 mile sportive a few months ago. It would have been a tough challenge at the start of the ride, but to put it at the 80 mile mark was just sadistic...

I got to the top but only through sheer bloody mindedness and I needed a couple of minutes at the side of the road to put my lungs back in.
The descent down the other side into Leavening was fun though.

* - well, that's how I remember it...

Wow after the 80 mile mark that IS harsh...kudos for hauling yourself up!

 

[NorthernDave]

Wow after the 80 mile mark that IS harsh...kudos for hauling yourself up!

Thanks - hauling is probably the right word, I was so slow that the auto-pause on Garmin kicked in a few times...

 

[ColinJ]

I had a quick search and if I found the right hill (A504?) it seems to be about 0.5 km at 10%? If so, then sorry - that's just a 'London reality check'!

I got a West Yorkshire reality check on this climb ('Mytholm Steeps') when I first started cycling up here ...

I got up the 10% bits which led into the 14% bits as a prelude to the 18% bits and I even managed to get up this 25% ramp ...

The problem came when I was coming to the evil bend where that black car is in the photo above. The bend steepens to probably 35+% so the only way for a normal human being to be able to cycle round it is to be pull out into the middle of the road and take it wide.

Unfortunately a moronic nobber driver cut me up and forced me onto the inside of the bend where those cobbles are. I came to a dead stop and couldn't unclip in time to stop myself toppling over. Fortunately, I fell left onto the grass, not the other way.

 

[classic33]

I had a quick search and if I found the right hill (A504?) it seems to be about 0.5 km at 10%? If so, then sorry - that's just a 'London reality check'!

I got a West Yorkshire reality check on this climb ('Mytholm Steeps') when I first started cycling up here ...

I got up the 10% bits which led into the 14% bits as a prelude to the 18% bits and I even managed to get up this 25% ramp ...

View attachment 361131

The problem came when I was coming to the evil bend where that black car is in the photo above. The bend steepens to probably 35+% so the only way for a normal human being to be able to cycle round it is to be pull out into the middle of the road and take it wide.

View attachment 361130

Unfortunately a moronic nobber driver cut me up and forced me onto the inside of the bend where those cobbles are. I came to a dead stop and couldn't unclip in time to stop myself toppling over. Fortunately, I fell left onto the grass, not the other way.

Those cobbles are the footpath, get on the road!

 

[Dirk]

I don't even bother to try this one near me.....

 

[tallliman]

@Dirk, that reminds me of the drop into Grosmont, 33% down and 25% up. Managed the ascent but couldn't do the descent!