100 Climbs – Offroad version – Page 3 – Bike Forum

AlexSimon · 2015-02-07T10:17:12Z

There is a book called 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs (and a follow-up with another 100 in it). It's pretty cool. I got both for Christmas and I'm working my way slowly through the local ones. [imghttp://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Greatest-Cycling-Climbs-Cyclists/dp/0711231206 The pages look like this, so they have a few top-trumps-style stats and a nice little commentary. [imgI thought it might be quite fun to try and piece together something similar for offroad climbs. Sooooooo To start the ball rolling, I thought I'd throw in one of my favourite localish ones. Stats all from Strava -------------------------------- [b]Cut Gate[/b] - from the Langsett side all the way to the Cairn. Peak District National Park Rather than include the full climb from Langsett, I've chosen the trimmed one that is most commonly ridden as part of a North America Loop, or an out-and-back. This climb is long, very varied and technical. Only a couple of small freewheels on the whole of the 3km. It's one of those Peak District climbs that you know is all rideable, but piecing it all together in the one attempt is a big challenge. We normally ride as a group, so rarely do the full climb without a pause to check that everyone is ok. Cut Gate is best done after prolonged dry weather as the top section (the last 1km) is mostly a peat bog. Time it right though (we annually do a hot Summer's evening loop of it) and the dry soft peat, narrow singletrack and loose rocks combine to make it one of the most memorable places to ride a bike. The feeling of exposure from the top is unmatched in the Peak District imo. Endless moor. Bleak and stunning. It starts with a long singletrack section with a couple of steep rocky sections to catch you out. Then it transitions onto an expertly reinforced rocky section with a ford and some slabs. After that, it's a wide sunken peat section. Sandy and loose in Summer, wheel-sucking bog in Winter. Eventually it eases off as you arrive at a cairn, which is a good place to rest before an epic descent down towards Howden Reservoir. The climb also makes a good descent - One of the few out-and-back rides we do. Photo: The earlier singletrack section. Looking back down towards Langsett. [urlby [urlon Flickr Link to Strava Segment:Stats from Strava: [urlby [urlon Flickr

jimster01

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This must be a popular one for the Malverns - Tank Quarry / Clock Tower car park, take the path to the left just after the cottages, follow this path for a mile or so, down the chute then flick right and head back to Ivy Scar Rock then head up the climb.

Certainly testing.

Posted : 11/02/2015 10:50 am

senorj

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Martin Hutch +1.
Dash falls is one of my favourite and least favourite climbs. 😳
Top pic.

Another vote for Garburn Pass &Walna Scar.

Posted : 11/02/2015 11:10 am

athgray

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Agree with Golspie black.
Like the climb up through Cardrona Forest for the Gypsy Glen descent.

Posted : 11/02/2015 11:15 am

D0NK

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Whitewater Dash, particularly the last steep corner after a fair bit of climbing

good shout

Posted : 11/02/2015 11:15 am

AlexSimon

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Topic starter

Pics make a massive difference to the thread - keep them coming!

Posted : 11/02/2015 11:20 am

HindlePie

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Drum Mountain - from the cross roads just to the North. It's over 2 miles of relentless 'up', some rocky sections to get worked up about in the bottom half, and then the track kicks up in the last third with added water-bars. It's nearly always windy, but well worth it for the cracking views from the top. The track is then wide enough to race your mates back down on.

Posted : 11/02/2015 12:34 pm

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[Closed] 100 Climbs - Offroad version