what mountains have you been up on your bike, and was it worth the effort for the descent?

Loads and loads on the road bike in Europe (50+ categorised climbs), and it was worth the effort to complete the climb and get the sense of achievement.

The descent was a bonus (or hellish depending on conditions).

Descents are not the only reason I like getting up Mountains on the bike. I tend to think that you either get it or you don’t, views, atmosphere, sense of achievement etc… I know MTBers who love biking every bit as much as I do, but hated their experience hike a biking. We’re all different I suppose.

Even if it’s a horrible carry to get up, and not the best of descents, I love the feeling of riding a ridge on a clear day. Awesome stuff.

Hell yes
On a MTB at least

I’ve done a few in Europe. On the whole, the descents are great but some of the more renowned climbs are great for climbing and the challenge of a steep ascent but horrible descending due to the gradient.
Where were you thinking of Ton?

Going to be giving it a go this year. Only thing I’ve done on a mountain scale was Hellvelyn and sticks pass.

Hoping to have a go at Snowdon in the late summer, a very early ascent to be able to catch sunrise from the summit, then a nice blast down the rangers for breaky.

Check out Lukes Munro bagging thread.

Ventoux. Ace up, Ace down.

I’ve only done Snowdon, but it was bloody brilliant. As Nobeerinthefridge says, I don’t think it’s just about the descent, the fact that I’d been up an actual mountain and the views etc. all make it an experience.

I’ve done some mountains with rubbish descents which have still been great rides.

Other way round for me. Love the climbs and usually just happy to survive the descents. Not always, some descents are fun, but there is a narrow window (for me) between boring and scary when it comes to descending and very few natural trails will fit in that window. I guess that’s why trail centres are popular. Bigger bikes and more skills can make that window a bit wider, but the climb up is always fun (even when it’s not, if you know what I mean).

I made a promise to myself that I would get up a big hill/mountain. think I might make a start next weekend with either skiddaw or helvelynn.
been up a few in the alps when I was younger and fitter. need to do it again.

Been up and down Snowdon in Wales and Monte Velo in Italy. Snowdon was awesome, Velo was terrifying, my first ever MTB ride. I did it on a Rockhopper I’d picked up from a local classifieds site, no lid, no spare tubes, just generally no idea.

Almost died getting up there, then almost died on the way back down on spd pedals with hiking books, no lid and no idea that having your saddle all the way up on vertical rocky descents was not the way to go. A map picked up from the tourist information point wasn’t much help either especially when it got dark!

I’d say it’s rarely worth it. Going up and down a mountain is more about the climb. If you want to ride down for fun then getting a lift up makes a lot more sense. Better than 4 hours of climbing for a 30 min ride down. Not saying the climb can’t be enjoyable, just that if the main purpose if you ride is the down bit then doing a massive climb first really takes the edge off.

Numerous in Scotland and the Lakes. It is what all the winter trail centre riding etc is all about for me – so that when the weather allows you are fit enough that you can actually MOUNTAIN bike. The sense of achievement, the view from the top (hopefully) and the hard won beer! Bring on the summer!

everything you need to know in this thread

I only ride for the Up’s. Been to the Middle/Eastern end of the Doli’s loads of times and done the Tour of Lombardie route loads, they’re all bumps there and it’s the up’s I go for.

I’m a big girls blouse downhill so leave that to the folks that have no brain 😆

I did try perfecting my downhill honest, but after being unceremoniously chucked down the decent of Monty Vonty a couple of times and once ending up over the barriers, I’d had enough.

My mate though, he loves it.

that big bugger at Torridon

For the novelty factor, sense of accomplishment and view/photos etc then probably yes. For the actual riding, compared with a day riding good trails probably not, but it’s something different.

I rode this a few years ago

the climb was gruelling with the bike on my back+ armour etc and the ride back down was kind of death on a stick if I let off the brakes or took a wrong line. Still glad I did it though.

Love mountains up and down. But I’ve got to be able to ride up, or very nearly. Loads of pushing and carrying isn’t for me.

Helvellyn, but it was not for the descent, nor for the peak bagging (although that bit’s a bonus).
One in Liechtenstein whose name escapes me. Ditto.
Burma Road, again, that’s not for the descent, and the most interesting bit is flat, along a river valley, although some people might be totally confused as to why an MTBer would descend a landrover track.
Most of the peaks in the PdS. Again. for the traverses and riding along a ridge.

Helvellyn, Skiddaw and Snowdon are all well worth doing if the conditions are alright. Not sure I’d be bothering at this time of year unless it’s a really nice day.

One day I want to have a crack at this:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSaFAPy3jFc[/video]

that big bugger at Torridon

Which one? There’s quite a few big buggers round there…

@jimjam What hill is that?

Helvellyn was the first ride I did on my Heckler back in, ooh, ’02. Rode along Ullswater, up Grizedale, carried up Dollywagon and over the top and down the Dodds. Perfect warm dry day, Easter saturday IIRC. Top of Helvellyn was packed with walkers, I was so nervous, but so chuffed when I cleaned the bit off Lower Man to the cheers of people watching.

More recently, Skiddaw and down Ullock is a favourite, or Helvellyn again with Sticks. Snowdon and Rangers is a good ‘un. Want to try Cadair Idris at some point.

I love getting to the tops of mountains, either on foot on with wheels. Personally I prefer a long ridge descent off it. The kind of thing where you can only glimpse the views cos you’re focussed on the trial, but they’re awesome anyway.

I bet the descent off Sgùrr Dearg is rubbish – can’t imagine why Danny decided to go up that with a bike.

whitestone

@jimjam What hill is that?

Mt. Errigal

The only mountain I’ve ridden is Cadair Idris.

As a bit of riding it was nowhere near as good as CYB that I’d done the day before.

But as an experience it was brilliant.

Hoping to try a couple more proper mountains this year

Ben Lomond for sure and then I’ll see what else I can tackle

IHN – Member
Ventoux. Ace up, Ace down.

+1 on that

Far prefer to do long climbs on the road and descents off road. Maybe I need a butler to meet me top and bottom with a change of bike?

I only enjoy climbing when I’m very fit, the sun is out and with a fun group.
Otherwise I’m too tired to enjoy the descent and more likely to have a bad off.

In Wales I’m only really aware of Cadair Idris and Snowdon that you can ride up and down, are there any others worth doing?

Col du tourmalet on the road is the only one I can think of. 11miles of pristine condition roads with awesome turns and flat out fast sections.

Can’t think of a Mountain in the UK worth riding to the actual summit of in order to make the descent worth it.. Just to say you’ve been to the Summit, yes fair enough, but because the descent from there is awesome, no.

Round here, Skiddaw/Ullock descent, Blencathra, Helvellyn, Grisedale Pike are all worthwhile, giving riding that you’d return to do again and again, rather than just to tick off the summit.

just imagine if you 11 mile tarmac slog up the tourmalet had a 11 mile offroad descent mtbel, would you still use the boring tarmac descent?

It seems perverse that riding a bike up and down a mountain doesn’t really count as mountain biking for many people. The pitch for the GNAR bike park seems to be based on the fact that even trail centre rides have too many boring bits ! Each to their own, but maybe it is time to come up with a new term.

TomB so very true, Helvellyn is a great mountain and popular for a reason, the descent down from the lofty heights of low man to the flowy singletrack on sticks, really is grin inducing, if you have an afternoon free the descent off Grisedale pike down to Hobcarton end is one of the best short blasts in the Lakes.

PS. the descent is far better when you earn it!.

Helvellyn, Skiddaw and a couple of NW Lakes cheeky summits.
NOT High Street at least not down to Ullswater via Loadpot.

A good trip away might involve summits, passes, and purpose made trails.

@roverpig Too true!

For me, trail centre riding is boring: riding designed track through forest regardless of the technical aspect just becomes a bit “samey” after a while (usually less than the amount of time it takes to go round the average red). I’m not knocking it: enough people ride at centres that they must be doing something right and as a concentrated way of improving bike skills there’s not many better options but they aren’t my first choice of riding venue. In climbing terms it’s a bit like the choice between an indoor climbing wall and heading up to Scafell or Cloggy or The Ben.

I like the achievement of getting to the top of a mountain with your bike, I like the faces of walkers when you pass them with a bike on your back, I like it when walkers say “you’re not going to ride down that are you??”. But I love going back down!
Hellvelyn was great, and snowdon was great even though we went up the Llanberis path and came back down the same way because it was a white out on the top 3rd-ish and we couldn’t actually find our way to the rangers path, which was probably a good thing given the conditions.

Can’t think of a Mountain in the UK worth riding to the actual summit of in order to make the descent worth it.. Just to say you’ve been to the Summit, yes fair enough, but because the descent from there is awesome, no.

Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Ben Lomond, Ben Vorlich….. for starters.

Drum Mountain