What's the steepest/longest/biggest hill you've climbed (on a bike?)
- Thread starter ComedyPilot
- Start date
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- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
I regularly ride the Long Mynd so I'm spoilt for choice. Steepest is definitely Asterton Bank which climbs around 550 feet in the first 0.6 of a mile out of Asterton and is rated as 10/10 in Simon Warren's book.
The climb from Leebotwood through High Park to Duckley Nap is my longest route onto the plateau, climbing roughly 1080 feet in 3.25 miles. A further 167 feet can be added if you complete the ride to the summit at Pole Bank.
Most famous is the Burway which rises 950 feet before you reach Boiling Well less than 2 miles up the road and is well known for the sheer drop on one side which a lot of people find disturbing. I haven't ridden this one for a couple of years as it gets a bit too busy with tourist traffic for my liking.
They aren't the biggest climbs in the world but are challenging enough for most people.
The climb from Leebotwood through High Park to Duckley Nap is my longest route onto the plateau, climbing roughly 1080 feet in 3.25 miles. A further 167 feet can be added if you complete the ride to the summit at Pole Bank.
Most famous is the Burway which rises 950 feet before you reach Boiling Well less than 2 miles up the road and is well known for the sheer drop on one side which a lot of people find disturbing. I haven't ridden this one for a couple of years as it gets a bit too busy with tourist traffic for my liking.
They aren't the biggest climbs in the world but are challenging enough for most people.
swee'pea99
Squire
Take your pick:
(None of them particularly steep, in truth, but boy do they go on...and on...and on...
I should in all honesty mention too that I never did complete the final one - got swept up by the broom wagon about 8 miles from the top.)
(None of them particularly steep, in truth, but boy do they go on...and on...and on...
I should in all honesty mention too that I never did complete the final one - got swept up by the broom wagon about 8 miles from the top.)
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
As long as you have low enough gears it's easier to ride up than walk upYou rode up ?
Walking up 41% would have me falling over backwards never mind on a bike.
. It's simply easer to maintain a vertical body position on an bike than on foot while maintaing your balance properly. However 22:36 with 26x2.15" tyres often feels a little too high 
.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I suppose if you didn't know that it was in your way then it could be a bit of a shock ...
When I first rode up it on a very windy day, it took me over an hour. On my first post-embolism ride, it took me 42 minutes. My best time ever was 23.5 minutes. If I eventually make a full recovery, I aim to do it in 20, but that seems like a fantasy at the moment ...
The hardest climb that I have ridden up is probably Park Rash on the way to Coverdale in the Yorkshire Dales.
Local climb Mytholm Steeps (Church Lane) is a bit tough.
Longest climb was the Tudons from Benidorm. That goes to just over 1,000 metres from sea level in 20-odd kms.
I've been up places like Holme Moss (both ways) Nick O Pendle, Sutton Bank, Cow and Calf, Otley Chevin, Norwood Edge, Fleet Moss.
Plenty of others that I don't know the name of, but as for the steepest............I did see a road sign on one climb indicating 28% but how accurate it was I can't say.
It felt like 28% for sure and the steep bit was probably no more than 50 yards or so.
Odd isn't it that after you get through a really steep section you might get onto a section of 15% or so and it seems so much easier. Yet the 15% before the steep bit was a bugger.
Plenty of others that I don't know the name of, but as for the steepest............I did see a road sign on one climb indicating 28% but how accurate it was I can't say.
It felt like 28% for sure and the steep bit was probably no more than 50 yards or so.
Odd isn't it that after you get through a really steep section you might get onto a section of 15% or so and it seems so much easier. Yet the 15% before the steep bit was a bugger.
asterix
Comrade Member
- Location
- Limoges or York
Have done the Raid Pyrenean twice, 1st the tourist one with camping stuff for which you get 10 days then the Randonneur in 100 hours with van support.
28 cols for the touriste and 18 for the randonneur, including such climbs as
Col Bagargui1319
Col d'Aubisque1709
Col du Soulor1464
Col du Tourmalet 2115
Col d'Aspin1489
Col de Peyresourde1569
Col du Portillon1293
Col de Mente1349
Col de Portet d'Aspet1069
Col de la Core1369
Col de la Trappe1111
Col d'Agnes1570
Port de Lers1517
Col de Marmares1361
Col de Chioula1431
Col de Pailheres2001
Col de Moulis1099
Col de Garabel1267
Col de Jau1513
Col de Palomere1036
None of them have the steepness of UK's hardest but they are longer and higher.
In a few days I'm setting off to do some of the alpine climbs from France but we have no firm itinerary except we'll be camping and taking in the scenery (weather permitting!). Any recommendations would be appreciated.
28 cols for the touriste and 18 for the randonneur, including such climbs as
Col Bagargui1319
Col d'Aubisque1709
Col du Soulor1464
Col du Tourmalet 2115
Col d'Aspin1489
Col de Peyresourde1569
Col du Portillon1293
Col de Mente1349
Col de Portet d'Aspet1069
Col de la Core1369
Col de la Trappe1111
Col d'Agnes1570
Port de Lers1517
Col de Marmares1361
Col de Chioula1431
Col de Pailheres2001
Col de Moulis1099
Col de Garabel1267
Col de Jau1513
Col de Palomere1036
None of them have the steepness of UK's hardest but they are longer and higher.
In a few days I'm setting off to do some of the alpine climbs from France but we have no firm itinerary except we'll be camping and taking in the scenery (weather permitting!). Any recommendations would be appreciated.
betty swollocks
large member
Just follow this:- http://www.losapos.com/great_alpine_road
I did two years ago: it's luvly.
I found day two from Le Grand Bournand to Bourg St Maurice the hardest. Three cols and an extra 700m 17km detour because of landslip/road blockage, the hardest. I earned my evening pizza and chips followed by poire belle-helene that day.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
It is easy to walk up a ladder, but I wouldn't fancy trying to cycle up one no matter what gears I used!As long as you have low enough gears it's easier to ride up than walk up
There are plenty of 25% climbs round here and I have suitably low gears for them, but the balance question is not as easy as you make out. It can be a very fine line between the front of the bike lifting and the back wheel slipping. If the road is dry, and dust- and gravel-free then it easier to maintain traction, but it can be nightmare in the rain!
The Passo Pordoi and the Falzarego pass on the Maratona Dolomiti route are the longest I've done but I wouldn't like to tackle anything that gets any steeper than the road climb on Great Dun fell. It has the huge benefit of almost certainly being traffic-free due to the vehicle restrictions and if you could arrange a following wind, it'd make it easier than our sojourn up it last year. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/184675096
oldfatfool
Guru
longest single climb, probably the Lautaret at 34.5km but only 1320m
hardest, probably the Bonette at 23.5km with 1585m
Both fully loaded touring.
hardest, probably the Bonette at 23.5km with 1585m
Both fully loaded touring.
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Okay you can climb up a ladder or stairs easily enough. Now put a bit of unfinished ply on your ladder or staircase & try to walk up it… Oh look it's quite hard now! If you were to try riding up it you'd find it easier if you have a low enough gear. This is why I can ride a bike up a car transport trailer when it's set at 30 degrees but have to scramble up it on foot.It is easy to walk up a ladder, but I wouldn't fancy trying to cycle up one no matter what gears I used!
There are plenty of 25% climbs round here and I have suitably low gears for them, but the balance question is not as easy as you make out. It can be a very fine line between the front of the bike lifting and the back wheel slipping. If the road is dry, and dust- and gravel-free then it easier to maintain traction, but it can be nightmare in the rain!
As for the front wheel coming off the ground. Front wheel lifting at 25%?.. Are you sitting bolt up right or have you got a multi-kW output? Only with the steepest bits of off-road riding do I need to stand up to get my weight far enough forward when putting >800w into the rear tyre. Anything bellow 30% and I hardly need to bend my arms.
Creamcrackered
Über Member
- Location
- 2,000' above Gloucestershire
Oh alright then:
Ak Baital Pass, Pamir Highway, Tajikistan, 4,644m
Khunjerab Pass, Karakoram Highway, 4,690m
Both fully loaded touring.
PS. Mrs CC did them too.
Ak Baital Pass, Pamir Highway, Tajikistan, 4,644m
Khunjerab Pass, Karakoram Highway, 4,690m
Both fully loaded touring.
PS. Mrs CC did them too.
Spinney
Bimbleur extraordinaire
- Location
- Back up north
Bealach na ba from the Applecross side.
We stopped for a rest a couple of times, but did NOT walk any of it!
One day I aim to do it without stops, then try it from the other side!
We stopped for a rest a couple of times, but did NOT walk any of it!
One day I aim to do it without stops, then try it from the other side!
