Ok,

So my mate this morning dragged me off for a 40 mile road bash via Mytholmroyd and I was on my hardtail, I don’t have a road bike, but I did have Marathon plus tyres on.He told me of the famous Cragg Vale climb which is 6 miles and is the longest stretch of continuous gradient road in England according to the start sign :?!
So off I went in a very strong head wind! 28 minutes and 34 seconds later I made it to the junction.
I’m told that the top roadies do it around 20 minutes but probably on very light carbon road bikes.
Any body else done this on there mountain bike and if so, what have been your times?
For the roadies, what have been your times?

22:35 for me on a road bike but I’m a fat bugger.

http://app.strava.com/segments/646914

An awful lot longer than that!
Especially on the rare occaisions that the pub’s open.

Would anyone be interested in posting their times for the descent as well?
Or a combined up & down time?
That sounds like much more fun.

Ok,

So my mate this morning dragged me off for a 40 mile road bash via Mytholmroyd and I was on my hardtail, I don’t have a road bike, but I did have Marathon plus tyres on

Sounds great – what route did you do?
If you really fancy properly hurting yourself, can I recommend the flog up to Heptonstall from Hebden?
The flog up Horsehold lane (next to the Co-Op, turn right at the junction) to Erringden Grange is much underrated by most masochists, but leads onto London Road & the Stoodley area for those of a less technical bent.

Rusty Spanner!

The down hill bit back to Ripponden was brilliant. I touch 47mph! 😯

Wow! 17 minutes to do that is so far the fastest time,(on a road bike) not a heavy mountain bike! 😉

Rusty,

Started in Shelf/Northowram and down to Halifax to pick up Burnley road to do the Cragg Vale climb, back through Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, Copley to Brighouse up to Queensbury via Norwood Green, Shibden Valley and at long last back to Shelf! 7.30 am to 10.00am :-).

Don’t forget you had a head wind too eh?

I’ve much respect for those who do the really tough road rides round here.
It’s not the total ascent that’s the problem, it’s the severity of some of the climbs.
There’s only so many times you can batter yourself into submission in one day. 😀

I’ve given up doing the big climbs around here, I was never going to get good at them and they hurt too much so I avoid anything now that has 20%+ climbs in it

Jota,

I seem to get a lot out of spinning for 2.5 hours on the road stuff around here. I suppose it’s the continuous pedalling and not the stop start mountain biking as it has tended to be with the weather/mud as it has been. I’m convinced that it helps me with my mountain off road stuff around here! I’m not a spring chicken but since I’ve started road riding as well as off roading, I’m definitely fitter!

If you like riding around the Calderdale area on a road bike, check out Ali and Emma’s Sportive that’s going off on the 14th October.
Em dragged me round the 70mile route last Sunday, but I bailed at 46 miles before the loop out to Bacup.

http://www.mytriclub.co.uk/mills-hills-sportive-14th-october/

70 mile route here – http://app.strava.com/rides/21384281

Strava segment up Cragg Vale (stops at end of ressy, not at road junction).
http://app.strava.com/segments/646914

I agree with you, nearly 6hrs for me today

I just avoid climbs like this now
It starts with a hairpin and a gradient of about 25% so no momentum at all – I hate it and will never, ever do it one more time 😆

Never timed it but I’ve only ever done it twice. Once on a singlespeed Roadrat with 1 brake and the other on my Blur 4X with 2.35 Super Tacky High Rollers on my way home (after I’d ridden from Hebden to Tod and back either side of the valley.

Its hellish. Not steep at all. Just a continuous drag…

I think i’m a little odd, i prefer to go up it than down it!

Mainly ‘cos i’m rubbish at descending at speed on my roadie bike and the sight lines are often obscured which puts the fear of god into me.

My dad lives on that climb, just by the robin hood.

It was a pretty strong head / cross wind today. About 33 minutes so far (but I’m overweight and probably ridden less than 20 time in the last 18 months) and I doubt a ‘very light carbon road bike’ would make much difference to me. I used to ride on a rigid mountain bike with slicks and reckon I used to be faster on that (and fitter then ) . My Strava ranking is much higher for the descent into littleborough 😀

Did an Ogden/Oxenhope route today (had planned to go to Lee Quarry but couldn’t be arsed driving) so had to ride from home to the start.

8 miles-ish, all up. Lightcliffe, up through Hipperholme, then up through to Queensbury, past Raggalds, up Perseverance Hill and then back down to get to Ogden. Nothing crazily steep but just a long, long, slog. Warms up the legs though.

Needs to, you get to Ogden and then have that climb up Withens. B***ard it is.

154!

It’s a regular route for me, but you’ve got to do it to get to Ogden and it certainly warms you up!

My mate lives on the Hill, never done it on the grounds it would be rude to ride past without saying hello… Also I can’t be arsed!

Rode some of it again this morning tk46hal, up the roundabout at Shelf and then to Judy Woods. Quick ride. Felt all that climbing from yesterday in the legs mind!

I went up the climb on my road bike, not a carbon fibre one, and glad of the granny ring too. My time was 39 minutes from the main road at the bottom to the junction, mind you I am 59,and was hurting at the top. How that guy went up there under 17 minutes!!! Bet it takes that long to get down.

I quite often go in the pub ( Robin Hood). In fact, it’s quite likely I’ll be in there this evening….just waiting on a text back from my mate Jon the postie around those parts.

They were thinking about having a board up with people’s (unofficial) climb times.
If I do end up in there this evening, I’ll ask.
Chris