Show Us Your Gradient %

[Heltor Chasca]

Hmm...I'd question the Veloviewer "max gradients". I've climbed all four of those. Monsal Head maybe has something like 21.5% for a short stretch. The others have nothing like those gradients. Maybe it's a metre or two or maybe it's a mapping inconsistency

Having said that, the top three are all hard climbs

But how do you *know* what the gradient is? My GPS struggles to give an accurate grade% as I am going so slow. So I've taken Veloviewer as a better litmus. I'm keen to know what the best 'methode de bon geography student' is rather than anecdotal measurements.

 

[nickyboy]

But how do you *know* what the gradient is? My GPS struggles to give an accurate grade% as I am going so slow. So I've taken Veloviewer as a better litmus. I'm keen to know what the best 'methode de bon geography student' is rather than anecdotal measurements.

I know what a 10% gradient feels like (tricky), I know what a 20% gradient feels like (really hard)...both of those are available for longish stretches around here. But 30%? Maybe on the inside of some daft hairpin

My point is that my anecdotal evidence based on riding up hills with a real, measurable gradient of up to 20%, and having ridden up all 4 that are mentioned, means I don't recall any stretches with those 30% type gradients.

Here's a guy doing Winnats Pass with his stats in real time, including gradient. It doesn't get above 22%


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIb5APIXX1E

 

[CUBE CRD]

Quite. I have no idea what my gear inches are. I know my lowest gear is 34/27 so if someone is talking about a 39 front ring, I can quickly work out that 31 rear gives the equivalent gearing. Nobody I know talks about gear inches, it's all about front/rear teeth

I don't care for gear inches or teeth....someone tackled a tough climb and succeeded,but shortly after there's the 'but unless you reveal your gearing it's not relevant' .... a climb is a climb,some are fitter than others....big deal.

 

[mikey951r]

I cycled up out of Robin Hoods Bat yesterday on a bog standard Specialized Tricross. The people in the pub half way up we're cheering me up the 30% gradient and my wife said it was a good effort for a bloke of 50 years old.

I felt a proper dickhead having to go back down again to get my mobile from the cafe where I'd left it.....doh

 

[HLaB]

Hmm...I'd question the Veloviewer "max gradients". I've climbed all four of those. Monsal Head maybe has something like 21.5% for a short stretch. The others have nothing like those gradients. Maybe it's a metre or two or maybe it's a mapping inconsistency

Having said that, the top three are all hard climbs

Veloviewer/ Strava max % gradients are a load of cr@p. There's no way the max for me was 42%, 31% which other site say is more believable. I've also been up winnats a few times and there's no way it maxes at 30%. Ive done Rowsley bar too and similarly there's no way its 39%.

 

[HLaB]

I know what a 10% gradient feels like (tricky), I know what a 20% gradient feels like (really hard)...both of those are available for longish stretches around here. But 30%? Maybe on the inside of some daft hairpin

My point is that my anecdotal evidence based on riding up hills with a real, measurable gradient of up to 20%, and having ridden up all 4 that are mentioned, means I don't recall any stretches with those 30% type gradients.

Here's a guy doing Winnats Pass with his stats in real time, including gradient. It doesn't get above 22%


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIb5APIXX1E

Lol, I was on the hill at about that time. I remember having to track stand at the last cattle grid to let that cop car go through and thats my mate at 13.24

 

[Bazzer]

Winnats is my steepest and I too was surprised at the reference to 30%.

 

[swansonj]

Quite. I have no idea what my gear inches are. I know my lowest gear is 34/27 so if someone is talking about a 39 front ring, I can quickly work out that 31 rear gives the equivalent gearing. Nobody I know talks about gear inches, it's all about front/rear teeth

I'm guessing, therefore, that you don't know anyone who has a Brompton, or a hub gear, or even a 26" wheel mountain bike, and wants to compare the gear ratios with a full size bike...

 

[al3xsh]

Hmm...I'd question the Veloviewer "max gradients". I've climbed all four of those. Monsal Head maybe has something like 21.5% for a short stretch. The others have nothing like those gradients. Maybe it's a metre or two or maybe it's a mapping inconsistency

Having said that, the top three are all hard climbs

Yeah - average gradient is a much better measure.

Monsal Head is hard, but so short I'm at the top before the pain really kicks in, and Curbar isn't all that bad (it's quite a regular on my way home). But Winnats and Rowsley bar are absolute b*stards. I've done both (once) just to say I survived, but they certainly don't feature regularly on my rides!

I know what a 10% gradient feels like (tricky), I know what a 20% gradient feels like (really hard)...both of those are available for longish stretches around here. But 30%? Maybe on the inside of some daft hairpin.

I'm pretty sure thats the case with Rowsley Bar. The gradient on some of the hair pins is ridiculous. I actually avoid coming down there now, as the safest line is in the middle - but that brings you up against cars (and for a steep and narrow road, it's surprisingly busy!).

A

 

[Tilley]

Draycott Steep on a recumbent trike, so steep I lost traction and came to a holt twice. Have changed the rear tyre and adjusted the seat position to improve weight distribution since. Looking to try it once more, possibly next year now, unless we get that indian summer.

 

[si_c]

Rosedale Chimney Bank, with a 32/34 gearing. Bike and I do weigh something North of 100kg though.

 

[PaulSB]

I have ridden Hardknott which is 1:3 (33%) on a wet misty day - so wet the road was covered in water by the end. I was on a compact double.

By the time I hit the top visibility was so poor it was dangerous to continue my planned route of a 19 mile circuit (we were staying in Eskdale about two miles from the foot of Hardknott). No choice but to walk back down much of the way as my brakes couldn't hold the bike back and any sort of speed was out of the question as I would not have been able to stop.

It's a bugger to get going at the bottom as I found I had to dismount to cross the cattle grid.

Met a guy trying to drive up in a camper van. He couldn't get up - cyclists rule!!

 

[Siclo]

More than a pinch of salt required with the online tools. The most accurate way is contour counting on a decent scale OS map but even that won't give a true number

 

[nickyboy]

I'm guessing, therefore, that you don't know anyone who has a Brompton, or a hub gear, or even a 26" wheel mountain bike, and wants to compare the gear ratios with a full size bike...

TBH, never seen anyone in the Peaks with a Brompton, hub gear or other than standard MTB. Everyone I know that rides around here rides on a standard road bike, it's too hard otherwise

 

[400bhp]

View attachment 371412

Bwlch y Groes Pass. I had to stop for a minute to take a photo

AKA the Grim. Did that a couple of weeks ago. Shitty road surface for the steepest part (bottom) means you're losing traction. Not, IMO 30% though, like your Garmin is showing. Maybe max 20%?

There was a car behind us (+5 mates). No way was I stopping to let him pass. Not sure I would have got going again.