Forum menu
Where is that 45% climb?
There's a lane near Cardiff that has no chevrons but it's so steep that when I did it I couldn't stop because I didn't know how to without falling over and tumbling down it. Took all my strength to just keep the wheels turning.. and that was on a triple! I thought the chain was going to snap.
This is one of my faves on the map though:
I've ridden down it, there's a sharp left hander at the bottom. I was riding an early 90s MTB with full panniers and cantis, not even V brakes!
There's a lane near Cardiff that has no chevrons but it's so steep that when I did it I couldn't stop because I didn't know how to without falling over and tumbling down it.
Whereabouts moly - can't b too far from me. Sounds like a challenge!
Warton, it's the Malga Palazzo mentioned above.
I'd agree on Hardknott. It's not so much the steepness but the length, it just goes on and on and on. Much longer than the struggle which is really just two short, sharp climbs.
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8293/7858294546_1c6e4dc961_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/53067724@N00/7858294546/ ]30 percent[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/53067724@N00/ ]Jon Wyatt[/url], on Flickr
Millock in Cornwall near Bude, average of 30%. Not ridden it but walked up it with a carbon walking aid. Looks like someone put tarmac on a wall for a laugh.
Rkk01 - I'm really not sure, I was lost at the time, but I think it's this http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=326317&y=190620&z=115&sv=326317,190620&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=631&ax=326317&ay=190620&lm=0
Doesn't look like much but it was pretty short so I don't think it shows up in the contours.
There are loads of them around though:
From Maentwrog thogh the village of Ffestiniog to the top of the Tarmac road at Manod Quarry is quite a climb see a photo here.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2441060
Winnats is quite steep near the end. Lane in front of our house is approximately 20%, but very short. Started trying to ride up it in a harder gear each time I ride home from work, which is a recipe for pain and a broken chain.
Oh yeah.. I once rode up Lon Pobty in Bangor on an old road bike with 39/19. That was ludicrous, probably the slowest I have ever travelled on a bike. I had to zig zag over the whole road and I was going at a walking pace of someone who's just had an operation. Did it though 🙂
The first bit of the Buttress in Hebden is stoopid steep, and cobbled and slippy! I've tried hardknott once before and just remember looking at it and thinking (whimpering) that's a wall. I'm doing the Fred Whitton route a week on Friday....I'm wearing comfortable walking/cycling shoes
I once rode up Lon Pobty in Bangor on an old road bike with 39/19
That was my commute home for 2 years
dangerous as can be in the wet with the leaves in Autumn , not much fun in the snow and the students never looked before crossing the road.
Worst I've done is the Bola del Mundo, and it's "only" 19% max, although it's ramp after ramp after ramp for 3km. No idea how you'd get up anything steeper!
That was my commute home for 2 years
I bet you didn't use 39/19 though 🙂
Part of the Ryals (Northumberland) are supposed to be 30%. I enjoyed over taking 'proper' roadies using the granny ring of my mtb chainset on my kaffenback.
Regarding The Struggle and Hardknott from a recent ride on Garmin The Struggle 3 miles 1323 ft climb 9% avg,Hardknott 1.6 miles and 1030 ft climb 13% avg, Both killers in their own rights!!!
That was my commute home for 2 years
no fun when you aint warmed up, did you live in caerhun ?
Would not try that with a 19 rear sprocket, its the triple for me these days, twiddle away.......
Found it - Garmin profile at the lunch stop on Martin's 10 laps of Winnats mission. 55 miles in, 1/2 way there. The little flat in the bottom is Edale/Hope/Castleton.
[img] 
?key=479800&Expires=1348008838&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=EAnBFevXHQGBhZyXXNWmjQPLjhML6ReiKUwuHh3ekdpximySu1wHdMxd9u5luG-67BEGuWkYnZ6htA8nCfNKjQW3Giz3IVy3wOOMkLX4bFWt9qhjY8qIH~TEbfY4m5PjtqMwxGq9J~LhiS551Y20PLEL7emjWPE~B-PYqA9rEuw_[/img]
That has the be the ultimate hill rep session!
The Abergwesyn Mountain Road, three climbs in either direction ramping up to 25%, no rest at all as its up down all the way along it. - http://binged.it/QjIaBa
Wish the tour of Britain went back there! -
[url= http://goo.gl/maps/8Ydtx ]Steep![/url]
This required an instant detour off the main road when driving past in the van.
Steep!This required an instant detour off the main road when driving past in the van.
hah!
it's rare that a steep hill looks like anything in streetview.. that one looks insane.
I [i]think[/i] this is the nastiest climb in Scotland, possible reaches about 25% near the bottom towards Polloch. Its a dead end too so you have to climb over the pass and descend just to reclimb it.
a sportive but without the arrows to direct you ,bum wiping support or the huge cost of entering
But what about those of us who can afford the shocking 30 pound entry fee and enjoy the company of more than 10 old men on the road, are we still allowed to enjoy sportives? 😉
a sportive but without the arrows to direct you ,bum wiping support or the huge cost of entering
My last one was about £15 so worth it for the gels, sweets, arrows etc. At no point did I need my arse wiped.
And yes it was a race 🙂
[url= https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Vigo,+United+Kingdom&hl=en&ll=51.324176,0.342937&spn=0.000054,0.033689&sll=51.077025,-3.867187&sspn=0.016825,0.033689&oq=Vigo&hnear=Vigo,+Kent,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=51.324146,0.343101&panoid=qdnyabxsi5-2HfR3LD1ikQ&cbp=12,316.42,,0,19.05 ]Short but nasty[/url]
Only 1.5km with an average of 9% but it ramps up to 26% for about 100 metres. First ever attempt made me vomit & that was on a triple. 😳
Couple of weekends ago I did 14km of 5% (in the shade) and 9km of 7% (in direct sun at 30 degrees with some 10-14% bits thrown in). I'd rather do the longer climb than the shorter one particularly as I got 16km of descending after the longer climb.
When the tour de Luxembourg comes through here they do a TT around the city centre. There's a cobbled climb that averages 15.4% but gets to about 23% in places. Pro riders do it in about a 1:10 to 1:30 and they look like they're in agony despite the fact it's only 400m long. I've never had the urge to try it.
A local climb, Muro de Aia, goes up to 33% on my garmin, the last 100m over 30%. I can just about make it on 53x25, but would be walking if it was wet.
David Arroyo pushing up the same hill on the Tour of the Basque Country '10, but that's 140km into the stage at 40km/h.
I can just about make it on 53x25, but would be walking if it was wet.
53...? You running a single?
molgrips - that ride over Cefn Onn looks like a struggle. Wrong side of the Taff for me really, never seem to get onto the ridge above Cardiff...
[url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=311476&y=183902&z=115&sv=311476,183902&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=632&ax=311476&ay=183902&lm=0 ]Went home this way last night[/url]
Was doable on 39/25
I'm busy working my way through the '100 Greatest Climbs' for charity. I'm 20 climbs in with 7 in South Wales to tackle this weekend. I've decided that any gradient that goes over 20% is not my friend, even with a triple fitted to my bike.
One of the worst climbs so far was Crowcombe in Somerset; it's just relentless.
uff! Knees cringing at the very thought, I meant 39x25 😆
7 in South Wales to tackle this weekend
C'mon then - which ones... the S Wales contingent [i]need to know [/i] 😉
For FoD fans try Vention lane out of Lydbrook.
One of the worst climbs so far was Crowcombe in Somerset; it's just relentless.
For its whole 500m or so in length 😛
The Abergwesyn Mountain Road, three climbs in either direction ramping up to 25%, no rest at all as its up down all the way along it. - http://binged.it/QjIaBa
Did that on a sportive a couple of years ago, steepest thing I've ever done. The hill after the staircase part was the closest I've ever come to getting off and walking up a tarmac road.
Wrong side of the Taff for me really, never seem to get onto the ridge above Cardiff...
You should. Lots of good off-road over here!
One of the worst climbs so far was Crowcombe in Somerset; it's just relentless
You can't use the word 'relentless' unless you are talking about the Alps or greater. Nothing in the UK deserves it.
For its whole 500m or so in length
Yeah, not my finest ride but then it is actually 1.2km not 500m. I tried to tack it onto the back of a business trip thinking it would be a quick one to bag on the way home. Not a great idea after being sat on my arse in meetings all day. And a horse tried to eat my handle bar tape at the top of the climb 🙁
C'mon then - which ones... the S Wales contingent need to know
Starting with The Tumble and then slowly working West. As I'm a slow moving portly chap I'm spreading out the climbs over a long weekend and doing the tourist thing in between hurting myself. Think I'm finishing with the Black Mountain climb some time on Monday.
[img] 
[/img]
millook?
One of the worst climbs so far was Crowcombe in Somerset; it's just relentless
You can't use the word 'relentless' unless you are talking about the Alps or greater. Nothing in the UK deserves it.
brutal then?
Whichever term is deemed acceptable I certainly won't be hurrying back! I still think relentless is a valid term for some UK climbs however. Riding from sea level up to the top of Exmoor a few months ago reinforced that view for me.
I walked up Millook a couple of years ago when doing sections of the SW coast path. Great view from the top marred only by the sight of one of my friends collapsing at the top. To be fair he had overindulged in the pub the night before. I seem to recall he managed to unzip and take off one removeable trouser leg but felt too buggered to be bothered with the other one. Not a good look.
Muro Di Sormano.
Used to be part of the Giro di Lombardia back in the 50's I think, but they were forced to take it out. It fell into disrepair but was resurfaced a few years ago and its back in the race this year. It's just 1.7 km long, average of 17%, topping out at over 25% in places.
The road is only 2m wide and is stencilled with quotes from famous riders saying what an impossible climb it is, plus every metre gained is also marked on the surface. It's the kind of road you cycle once, to prove you can and then never again.
I had to finish it because you wouldn't want to walk up it in cycling shoes and the idea of riding down it terrified me!
Isn't the Millook Climb on the Cornwall Tor sportive?
Grew up in Cornwall - so know full well that it's a land of short steep climbs
I think they took the coastal section out of this years Tor sportive.
It was blowing storm force straight off the atlantic.
Of the ones I've ridden (or tried and failed) the Devil's Staircase west of Abergwesyn is pretty steep in either direction (as said above), Vention Lane in FoD is steeper (again as said above) but one of the steepest I can remember is parts of the lane that goes up from Abergwynant on the A493 to the west of Dolgellau.
brutal then?
Yes, brutal is appropriate. UK climbs are either steep or long. Alpine ones (esp off-road) can be as steep as a steep UK climb AND go on for twice as long as a long UK one. I'd reserve relentless for those 🙂 Off road you can spend all morning and half the afternoon winching your way up stupidly steep fire-road that never lets up.
Bwlch Penbarras up from Ruthin got me recently 4 hours in, only worth a poxy single chevron. Also noteworthy is Sutton Bank east of Thirsk, about 500' in 3/4 mile, some 25%. [url= http://tinyurl.com/8f68bh4 ]tinyurl.com/8f68bh4[/url]