What is a Hill

[eddie coffin]

Ok, I know its a silly question so I'll explain. Only been cycling regularly for about a year and I live near on the Fylde coast (nr Blackpool) and its like cycling on a billiard table round here. As I got fitter, slimmer and quicker I've started venturing further away, to the Trough of Bowland mainly where its more of a challenge. Theres been a few climbs that while I've got up them they have been a struggle. One going north from Clitheroe and one going south out of Lancaster. What I'm wondering is would most cyclists regard these as a climb or am I just deluding myself?

 

[raindog]

I think we did this one two or three weeks ago.

It's a hill if you can freewheel going in the other direction. That's the only meaningful definition imo.

 

[ColinJ]

Theres been a few climbs that while I've got up them they have been a struggle. One going north from Clitheroe and one going south out of Lancaster. What I'm wondering is would most cyclists regard these as a climb or am I just deluding myself?

North from Clitheroe - surely that's Waddington Fell? 280 m ascent in 4.4 km (920 ft in 2.75 miles), an average of 6.4% and including a section which is steep enough to get a chevron on the OS map (at least 1-in-7 or 14%) - of course that's a climb!

 

[gaz]

I think we did this one two or three weeks ago.

It's a hill if you can freewheel going in the other direction. That's the only meaningful definition imo.

If you can freewheel up it, it's not a hill.

 

[Spinney]

Ok, I know its a silly question so I'll explain. Only been cycling regularly for about a year and I live near on the Fylde coast (nr Blackpool) and its like cycling on a billiard table round here. As I got fitter, slimmer and quicker I've started venturing further away, to the Trough of Bowland mainly where its more of a challenge. Theres been a few climbs that while I've got up them they have been a struggle. One going north from Clitheroe and one going south out of Lancaster. What I'm wondering is would most cyclists regard these as a climb or am I just deluding myself?

Where's the one south out of Lancaster?

There's a bugger of a hill (to me, at least) going south-east from Lancaster, via Quernmore and up to the Jubilee tower - if that's the one you mean, it is most definitely a hill!

 

[eddie coffin]

Where's the one south out of Lancaster?

There's a bugger of a hill (to me, at least) going south-east from Lancaster, via Quernmore and up to the Jubilee tower - if that's the one you mean, it is most definitely a hill!

Yep, thats the one. Well thats a relief I dont mind telling you. Was dreading the thought that I was going to get the reply that it was just "rolling countryside"

Its worth it when you get to the top though

 

[marinyork]

Small Hill = 200ft climb or 150ft climb and 14% gradient.
Medium hill = 400ft climb
Big hill = 600ft climb
Very big hill = 1000ft climb
Mountain is somewhere above this.

 

[Dan B]

We did this the other week, but I can't remember the result. For my 2p, it's a hill if you have to use the inner ring

 

[exbfb]

It's up to you if it's a hill or not.

I've slowly started realising that my very modest abilities mean that I probably have more hills than most people.

This is my own local killer section.

186 feet gained in a mile.

My own little nemesis.

To many of you, it would probably mean nothing, to me, it's a nightmare.
Just got to get on with it though.

 

[Cush]

What is a Mole Hill at 06:30 when you are fresh and keen and into your first mile is a very very large hill at 22:00 when you have done 80+miles mostly in to a head wind and you still have a few miles to do

 

[brockers]

We did this the other week, but I can't remember the result. For my 2p, it's a hill if you have to use the inner ring

A group of us were in the Alps a couple of years ago, and one of the group bet another that he couldn't do the Col des Aravis (a 700m 2nd category climb in the TdF) in the 53 ring (23 at the back). He did it too. For a beer. That's what I call desperate!

 

[Holdsworth]

I'm left for dead on hills, even though I have been at this commuting game for 11 months now! The only "hill" on my route is a 7% max gradient for 200 metres from the River Weaver valley up to the bridge going over the Middlewich Canal. No matter how I spin it just knackers me out by the end.
God knows how I made it up the hill through Minera and out to the Horseshoe Pass without dieing, I did admittedly get off and push for a section going up to the Horseshoe.

 

[jamm13dodger]

Where I live (in Cambs) it's a vague swelling of the earth which slows you down a bit.

 

[pip ryder]

One going north from Clitheroe and one going south out of Lancaster. What I'm wondering is would most cyclists regard these as a climb or am I just deluding myself?

The definition varies from person to person. www.mapmyride.com have an objective way of measuring climbs they're ranked, with 5 being the easiest and 1 being the steepest. I consider anything that makes it on the rating a hill. The toughest hill I've been up is a 3 though (Ditchling Beacon) I do 4s and 5s quite regularly.

 

[gb155]

For me, a speed bump used to be a hill

now anything over 4% is , anything under and im happy to pretty much hold any speed I hit it with