ride around hebden bridge this weekend?

[ColinJ]

I have to fess up to use of 24 inch gear Svendo. Even then I was slipping all over the place. Good luck with the Impossible hills guide.

I like the sound of that - I think I'll write one for my blog!

 

[Svendo]

Thanks Colin, nice list there.

I've been up Church Lane quite a few times over the years. Shore Road from Cornholme, up to the long causeway is a hidden gem, and if you look carefully here: http://maps.google.c...271.77,,1,10.24 you can see the Tyranosaurus Rex tied up in the woods. The other climb on the other side of the road, Carr Lane is also good, in fact all three routes up to the top are steep climbs, Sourhall Road and Doghouse Lane (The one behind Tod station). Need to find out if the fourth, Stones Lane is a through route or one of Google Maps 'made up' roads last passable in 1650.

Had a look at those behind Hebden Co-op on google. I think you may be able to get through some of the lanes not street mapped. Guess I'll have to go and have a look!

@Jayp:

24" That'll explain it, that's a triple with a 32 tooth cassette? , I was in 39x25 (31") so well into pedalling squares territory. Still impressive though.

 

[potsy]

Colin- Please do not feel the need to include any of those hills into any future cc ride

until we both hit the 13st mark anyway

 

[ColinJ]

Had a look at those behind Hebden Co-op on google. I think you may be able to get through someof the lanes not street mapped. Guess I'll have to go and have a look!

You'd have to be really careful on a road bike - they are really more suitable for a mountain bike. Unless you like this kind of thing on skinny tyres ...

 

[ColinJ]

@Jayp:

24" That'll explain it, that's a triple with a 32 tooth cassette? , I was in 39x25 (31") so well into pedalling squares territory. Still impressive though.

I make that 42"!

I have a 30x28 bottom gear which I make 29".

 

[JayP]

Quote from Svendo
"24" That'll explain it, that's a triple with a 32 tooth cassette? , I was in 39x25 (31") so well into pedalling squares territory. Still impressive though"

I'm a bit embarrassed now with you thinking I'm a mountain goat. Fact is 24" inch gear = 2 X 12 inches, thats two feet = walking!!

Just off for my weekend ride now. Over to Llangollen - only piddling little hills over there.

 

[Svendo]

Quote from Svendo
"24" That'll explain it, that's a triple with a 32 tooth cassette? , I was in 39x25 (31") so well into pedalling squares territory. Still impressive though"

I'm a bit embarrassed now with you thinking I'm a mountain goat. Fact is 24" inch gear = 2 X 12 inches, thats two feet = walking!!

Just off for my weekend ride now. Over to Llangollen - only piddling little hills over there.

Doh... I see now. I would blame my metric education but I'm not quite that young!

 

[Svendo]

I make that 42"!

I have a 30x28 bottom gear which I make 29".

Ah typo on my part. Sheldon says 41.2", but he has his own way of working gearing out.

 

[ColinJ]

Quote from Svendo
I'm a bit embarrassed now with you thinking I'm a mountain goat. Fact is 24" inch gear = 2 X 12 inches, thats two feet = walking!!

I haven't seen that one before - ha ha - I like that!

Ah typo on my part. Sheldon says 41.2", but he has his own way of working gearing out.

My calculation was based on a 'standard' 27 inch wheel size which may not correspond exactly to our actual wheel sizes.

I'm usually just trying to work out if one ring/sprocket combination is a higher or lower gear than another so I don't work in gear inches, I just calculate the ratios. My lowest gear is 1.07:1 and my highest is 3.71:1.

 

[Svendo]

OK, had a go at The Buttress today. On the third go I got most of the way up the first stretch to where there's a drain channel across which stands a few inches proud and would be difficult on any bike as it's about 30% there. TBH I don't think it's doable with my tyre and gearing and being uneven cobbles. Walked the rest of the way up, two people passing said "it's easier on the way down!"
The first go amused some onlookers as I had a bit of a clipless moment! no harm done as it's so steep there's not far to fall !

 

[ColinJ]

OK, had a go at The Buttress today. On the third go I got most of the way up the first stretch to where there's a drain channel across which stands a few inches proud and would be difficult on any bike as it's about 30% there. TBH I don't think it's doable with my tyre and gearing and being uneven cobbles. Walked the rest of the way up, two people passing said "it's easier on the way down!"
The first go amused some onlookers as I had a bit of a clipless moment! no harm done as it's so steep there's not far to fall !

That pretty much fits in with what I thought. You'd have to be able to power your way up the first bit fast enough to get you over that channel without falling off, and then it eases off to just plain hard rather than stupidly hard.

If you used super-low gearing to try to get up it then you'd have problem with the front of the bike lifting and/or losing traction

I've never attempted it because I've always been too frightened of keeling over onto the cobbles and breaking a hip, wrist or collarbone!

Here's a more straightforward challenge for you Svendo - a steep concrete Hebden Bridge cul-de-sac, Highfield Crescent.

 

[ColinJ]

Update: Check out the current issue of Cycling Plus. Being only late April, that is naturally the June 2011 issue!

There is an article titled 'Big Rides: English Cobbles'. I recognised the first photograph straight away - The Buttress!

They did a photoshoot on it as part of a 45.5 mile local loop. They not only rode up it, but they also rode down it!

(So they claim, that is! )

 

[Garz]

Damn if only they were filming or shooting and had evidence of svendo mid clipless moment!

 

[Svendo]

I saw the article too. I also had another look yesterday on foot when visiting Hebden Bridge with family. I reckon it must be easier in the dry. And they must have had compacts or triples. I notice there's no clear shot of their chainsets. Might have to have another go this week if it stays dry!

 

[ColinJ]

I saw the article too. I also had another look yesterday on foot when visiting Hebden Bridge with family. I reckon it must be easier in the dry. And they must have had compacts or triples. I notice there's no clear shot of their chainsets. Might have to have another go this week if it stays dry!

Oh, definitely try in the dry! This time of year when there aren't great patches of slippery moss and leaf mulch about is the time to have a go. It's hard to even walk up it sometimes in the autumn and winter.

My suggestion - start off from the right hand side and power your way up diagonally towards the left, partly to slightly lessen the effective gradient, but mainly because the drainage channel on the left is low enough to ride over whereas on the right it isn't.