The Annual Lunacy Climbing Challenge Chatzone

[bluenotebob]

Like others I’m working out my challenges for 2026. I’ve settled on:
1. 50 miles/50 km each month
2. 100 km each month
3. 13 x 1300m of climbing as per lunacy climbing challenge.

I’m most concerned about doing both the 50s and the 100 km again at the ends of the year, simply because I’ll need enough weekends free from other activities or weather. It was really quite a stretch this year. Adding the lunacy climbing should give me an alternative target if I have to drop out of one of the distances. Thanks to all the organisers!

Welcome to the challenge @geocycle

Don't forget that the Lunacy Distance challenge is another alternative should the unthinkable happen and you have to drop out of one of the monthly distance challenges

 

[bluenotebob]

I'd like to try for 13x 2000ft / 600m please.

Good luck @Pgd !

If you're going to be riding in the Weald or the North Downs, you might well come across @Dogtrousers who also cycles that terrain as part of this challenge.

The thread for posting your rides this year is here:

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/2026-annual-lunacy-climbing-challenge.309274/

and this thread is for general Lunacy Climbing chat.

I look forward to seeing you post your first ride.

 

[lazybloke]

Thought about joining for 2026, but my previous stats are atrocious. Will double-check excel again, and see if there's a target that won't be too embarrassing to commit to.

 

[FrothNinja]

My target ascent last year was 1,031m (stretch 1,067m) and I actually made it to 1052.
Part of the reason for going past my initial target was being forced to use my bike for commuting - which I did not enjoy (50sh miles on scary roads) and I do not want to repeat. I have yet to replace my car so I am stuck with having to get into the office without one.
Quite enjoyed todays ride as I also had to to do a biggish diversion to do a site visit and took the oppurtunity to finish off with a bit of mud plugging before heading home.
Also didn't change out of my riding kit so counting today as part of the half century challenge.
Anyhooooo...that's a long winded justification for making this years target 1032m with an initial stretch of 1053.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm going to have to ask @FrothNinja...

Why the oddly specific targets of 1031/1067 last year and 1032/1053 this year. Where do these numbers come from?

At first I thought they might be round numbers of feet, converted to metres. 1067 is 3,500' roughly. But the other numbers aren't interesting.

I've tried other theories, to no avail.

 

[FrothNinja]

I'm going to have to ask @FrothNinja...

Why the oddly specific targets of 1031/1067 last year and 1032/1053 this year. Where do these numbers come from?

At first I thought they might be round numbers of feet, converted to metres. 1067 is 3,500' roughly. But the other numbers aren't interesting.

I've tried other theories, to no avail.

The base ones are just a year on thing - this will be my 5th year and I think I started with a bit over a 1000m in 2022.
My stretch this year is quite simple - it's what I actually achieved last year plus 1

 

[bluenotebob]

@Pgd

Please go ahead and post your 600m+ ride (from Jan 28th) in this challenge as well.

There's no problem in posting a ride in both a distance and climbing challenge - in fact, most of us do.

 

[Pgd]

Thanks @bluenotebob , have now done so!

 

[FrothNinja]

Would it be classed as childish to ride up and down the nearest hill to your house until your head unit showed your target ascent for this challenge?

 

[bluenotebob]

Would it be classed as childish to ride up and down the nearest hill to your house until your head unit showed your target ascent for this challenge

I wondered how you got such a specific figure - now I understand. Easier to do for 'distance targets' but I guess it also works for climbs.

How much longer did you have to stay out to reach 1032m ? And were the neighbours watching (and wondering what you were doing)?

 

[FrothNinja]

I wondered how you got such a specific figure - now I understand. Easier to do for 'distance targets' but I guess it also works for climbs.

How much longer did you have to stay out to reach 1032m ? And were the neighbours watching (and wondering what you were doing)?

Indulging in such behaviour does produce bemused looks from those who notice, though no-one paid attention yesterday. Mind you in this case I added the extra height in a couple of minutes.
If I walk said slope I end up more or less level with the house roof at about 18ft, which shrinks to 1 metre if I am trying to add height at the end of a ride but varies between 3 and 5 when I am setting out. The cycling equivalent of waiting for the kettle to boil?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Would it be classed as childish to ride up and down the nearest hill to your house until your head unit showed your target ascent for this challenge?

Absolutely not. I've done this. Just as I've done laps of railway station car parks in order to make up distance challenges

 

[FrothNinja]

2 out of 3 over my stretch so far - good start. I suspect that as it gets warmer/drier I will be less inclined to take inclined routes when travelling as transport rather than pleasure.

 

[13 rider]

Considering entering this year ,just trying to get my head round how I keep all my challenge rides seperate which is my normal approach or do I make this challenge the exception before I decided on a target

 

[FrothNinja]

Most of us put a ride in both distance and climbing challenges.
If you are unsure on what you can achieve, set a low initial target that you think you can get with a bit of effort. You can then set additional stretch targets - a few of us do that too.