Steepest climbs in central London

[Blue Hills]

Well over that. Great minds think alike - just posted links to 2 pics from my old Lewisham Peaks ride. Didn't think you'd ever been on it. Apologies if I have forgotten - can have a dodgy memory - all the best.

Edit - reply to mr rauk's estimate of canonbie gradient.

 

[ianrauk]

Well over that. Great minds think alike - just posted links to 2 pics from my old Lewisham Peaks ride. Didn't think you'd ever been on it. Apologies if I have forgotten - can have a dodgy memory - all the best.

You are indeed right... I haven't.

 

[Blue Hills]

Katie and the Good Doctor

Ah yes, the good doctor, whose bike was wrecked on my other road to hell (most never made it back) which you were definitely on. Good doc didn't hold it against me though as he turned up to the edition of the peaks linked to above just to say hi before having to dash to work. Happy days.

 

[smutchin]

Out of the saddle? I don't know anything steep enough to get me out of the saddle. Don't you have gears?

 

[mr messy]

Does Londinium have similar to Montrose St(very centre of Glasgow), used in both Commonwealth Games and British Road Championships? I've only visited couple of times so limited knowledge.

 

[smutchin]

Does Londinium have similar to Montrose St(very centre of Glasgow), used in both Commonwealth Games and British Road Championships? I've only visited couple of times so limited knowledge.

I've heard it said that Swains Lane is the toughest cycling climb in London - never actually done it myself though.
https://www.strava.com/segments/6691038?hl=en-GB

 

[smutchin]

Talking of Swains Lane...

http://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/1921/urban-hill-climb-two-minutes-in-london

 

[Dec66]

Anerley Hill, going past the Paxton Arms (RIP) can be a bit of a short sharp shock.

Though that's not central, obviously.

I haven't found a London hill I can't do on the big ring, yet (50/28 on my commuter).

 

[vickster]

It's quite hilly generally around Crystal Palace (unsurprisingly, a bit like around Ally Pally)

 

[smutchin]

I used to commute between Bromley and the South Bank, usually going up Crystal Palace Park Rd in the morning and back up Fountain Drive in the evening. Neither are particularly challenging unless you're getting involved in a bit of SCR, which I was occasionally guilty of.

For a variation, I would sometimes go via Kirkdale/Sydenham Hill, which are slightly steeper and shorter. Or via Peckham and Catford and up Bromley Hill - an easy climb but goes on a bit.

Sometimes for a longer ride in the evening, I'd go South Bank to Gravesend - via Maze Hill in Greenwich (short and steep) and Shooters Hill, which is more of a long, steady climb. That's quite a fun one - especially for the descent into Welling down the other side.

 

[Dec66]

It's quite hilly generally around Crystal Palace (unsurprisingly, a bit like around Ally Pally)

It's on my commute, and on my way into London I have four ways up the hill to Crystal Palace; up Anerley Hill from Elmer's End (up and down, with the steepest gradient right near the end); up Crystal Palace Park Road from Penge (long consistent gradient); up Westwood Hill from Sydenham (long, fairly consistent climb, a little steeper toward the end); or up Kirkdale from Sydenham (down then up, quite consistently steep with a couple of sharp ramps).

Coming back, it's usually up College Road/Fountain Drive from Dulwich, though I sometimes go up Court Lane and Lordship Lane to Forest Hill, and occasionally up Sydenham Hill from there if I feel brave.

 

[vickster]

Cool, it's been a while since I lived over that way (grew up in Chislehurst/Bromley Shortlands/Beckenham, school in Orpington), so my memory of those parts is hazy. Through my teens, Summer Hill in Chislehurst was a schlep up after school from the station, on foot that is!

 

[smutchin]

@Dec66 We must have crossed paths en route numerous times without ever knowing it.

 

[Dec66]

@Dec66 We must have crossed paths en route numerous times without ever knowing it.

Possibly... But it's only really this year that my commute took in Crystal Palace. Before that, I was working in Canary Wharf, so I'd go though Park Langley to Beckenham, then over Beckenham Hill and down to The Green Man, then A21 to Lewisham, over the hill, sweep down to Greenwich, and through the foot tunnel.

Quite horrible up Fountain Drive at present, due to the amount of leaf mulch.

 

[ianrauk]

up Bromley Hill - an easy climb but goes on a bit.

I do the climb everyday. Some days you fly up, others it bites back. It's not a hill I enjoy descending though.
In fact, this reminds me of a nasty little, very short climb in Bromley. Ringers Road up to the High Street.

Summer Hill in Chislehurst was a schlep up

It's good to get a good run downwards and as long as traffic is light, you can get enough momentum to take you back up to the top.