Silly Hills Why so Hard?

[martint235]

Hmm, Barley or Newchurch-in-Pendle perhaps?

It's not that good a picture actually now I look at it. It was taken at sunset from a pub called the Shooters' Arms on the other side of Nelson (my old local)

 

[ColinJ]

It's not that good a picture actually now I look at it. It was taken at sunset from a pub called the Shooters' Arms on the other side of Nelson (my old local)

Blimey, I just looked up where the Shooters' Arms is - over 5 miles from Pendle Hill, hardly nestling in its foothills!

I cycle round that way a lot. I often ride through Trawden and call in at Coldwell Activity Centre cafe on the way home via Widdop. Oh, that's an excuse for photos of another 'silly' hill - the steep one at Thursden!

 

[Downward]

So how much climbing do the london commuters do say per 10 miles ?

 

[Downward]

Ooh, I love it round Pendle Hill and the Ribble Valley! We quite often do forum rides from Hebden Bridge out to the cafe at Waddington and sometimes go over the Nick o'Pendle - that's a 'proper' hill!

To get back on topic...

One of the 'hills' I hate most is the false flat coming back from Burnley towards Todmorden on the A646. It is only about 2% or so but I usually hit it when I'm feeling tired after a long ride and I just slow right down. It looks so easy that I feel that I should be doing 15-20 mph, but normally I'm only doing 8-10 mph.

Hills steeper than about 8% feel quite tough so there is no shame in finding them hard going.

What's the vital stats of this bad boy (drool)

 

[martint235]

Blimey, I just looked up where the Shooters' Arms is - over 5 miles from Pendle Hill, hardly nestling in its foothills!

I cycle round that way a lot. I often ride through Trawden and call in at Coldwell Activity Centre cafe on the way home via Widdop. Oh, that's an excuse for photos of another 'silly' hill - the steep one at Thursden!

Used to do this on an MTB. I'd hate to do it on the racer. And I think that bad boy is about a 1:10

M

 

[ColinJ]

What's the vital stats of this bad boy (drool)

Here it is on an OS map.

It rises about 155 m from Sabden village in about 1,550 m so the average gradient is about 10% but some sections of it are about 17-20%. The Clitheroe side has one short ramp which I think is nearer to 25%.

The climb was used for the National Hill Climb championships in 1988, won by a youthful Chris Boardman. I think that might have been from the Clitheroe side though.

 

[ColinJ]

Used to do this on an MTB. I'd hate to do it on the racer. And I think that bad boy is about a 1:10

M

It might only average 10% or so but, as you know, there is a downhill section in the middle. The first ramp is about 20% and the final section after the dip is probably at least 15% for quite a long way. It's a right bugger if you get a head wind on it!

 

[Cubist]

Ha - I was just thinking of you!

I'm doing a 75 mile ride with Calum on Sunday and we will be coming back over Scapegoat Hill from Slaithwaite! Over 9,000 ft of Pennine hilliness in total, including long steady climbs, short 20% ones and nasty longish, steepish ones like Scapegoat Hill.

Southerners, eh!

Slaithwaite to Scape via the Clough? On a road bike? Ooh, ow!
I've only ever done that on the MTB, lots of granny twiddling. Round Ings is bad enough for me on the compact.

Call in for a cuppa. First turning right past the bus shelter on Scape High St, round the hairpin to the right and look for the green Disco

 

[jimboalee]

What's the definition of long and steep?

Obviously, we don't have anything which is 15% for 10 km because that would exceed the height of Ben Nevis, the highest point in the UK.

We certainly have plenty of hills which are 10% for a couple of km or so which I rank as pretty long and pretty steep. I can think of a few locally which are harder than that.

Here’s the definition.

Steep – a chevron on the OS map, or >14%.

Long – The human body can hold about 500 – 600 kCals of energy within it’s circulatory system and liver for immediate usage.
Up a 14% hill, a rider will be outputting about 300 Watts to keep a steady 4.5 mph. It computes to just over 200 kCals per mile, so 600/200 = 3 miles.

Long and steep is a gradient over 14% which is 3 miles long.


You mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find such a hill,,, globally?

You might reply with “There isn’t one”. So logic says ‘a long steep hill doesn’t exist”, so get it out of your brains that there ARE long steep hills.

 

[Cubist]

^^ That's very reassuring Jim!! ^^

 

[ColinJ]

Slaithwaite to Scape via the Clough? On a road bike? Ooh, ow!
I've only ever done that on the MTB, lots of granny twiddling. Round Ings is bad enough for me on the compact.

Call in for a cuppa. First turning right past the bus shelter on Scape High St, round the hairpin to the right and look for the green Disco

Nice of you to offer but I suspect that I'll be scared to stop for fear of not getting going again! We'll still have a few hills to do on the way back to Hebden Bridge because I'm not riding through Sowerby Bridge on a sunny Sunday afternoon after my previous encounter with hundreds of local drunks!

If you fancy a laugh, we will probably be climbing the hill some time between about 16:00 and 16:30. I'll be the big guy grovelling at the back and Calum will be the young 'un romping up ahead of me!

Here’s the definition.

Steep – a chevron on the OS map, or >14%.

Long – The human body can hold about 500 – 600 kCals of energy within it’s circulatory system and liver for immediate usage.
Up a 14% hill, a rider will be outputting about 300 Watts to keep a steady 4.5 mph. It computes to just over 200 kCals per mile, so 600/200 = 3 miles.

Long and steep is a gradient over 14% which is 3 miles long.


You mission, if you chose to accept it, is to find such a hill,,, globally?

You might reply with “There isn’t one”. So logic says ‘a long steep hill doesn’t exist”, so get it out of your brains that there ARE long steep hills.

Hmmm... I think I'd find Mont Ventoux long and steep but it isn't according to that definition! Even the dreaded l'Angrilu doesn't average that.

I'm sure that I read about some roads in Patagonia that are ridiculously steep for many kms but I haven't managed to track one down yet and I won't be riding one any time soon!

 

[Cubist]

Shame, I'll be at work when you come past.... never mind, always next time!

 

[Andy 71]

Shooters Hill is horrid esp. when you have come up through the park or over Blackheath Hill

You could just cheat like I used to, i.e. use the Westmount Rd, Rochester Way route. It's a far more sane route, and although the Rochester Way does have a little climb towards Falconwood, it's nowhere near comparable to Shooters.

Shooters is a 'fun' kind of hill, good for leisure but a bit severe for regular commuting. I used to race my bikes down there as a kid to crack the 'Magic 30mph' , but wouldn't want to do it on any regular kind of basis.

In fact, Shooters cyclists have it easy now compared to the 50s. Dad told me that a lot of cars in that era would conk out before the top, so they sliced a bit off the top. Hence, near the water tower, the side of the road has a 6ft high embankment where a chunk of hill used to be.

 

[HaloJ]

So how much climbing do the london commuters do say per 10 miles ?

Just over 500 feet on my 8.5 mile homebound route.

 

[jimboalee]

Just over 500 feet on my 8.5 mile homebound route.

1/ What's the difference between your start elevation and your finish elevation?
2/ How many roads on your route have a chevron?

Ans 1 is "< 500ft"
Ans 2 is "None".

Downward and I are from the West Mids. I'm hard pushed to find a 'steep' hill here too.