You’d be going well to climb AdH in much less than an hour. Even the best climbing pros take 40 minutes.

(Can you tell I just missed out? Did it in 1.02 earlier this year!)

My mate big ringed it in about 50 minutes, although there was a chapn on our campsite who’d done under 50. I found it alot harder than last year having lost fitness and put on about 2 stone!

My mate big ringed it in about 50 minutes, although there was a chapn on our campsite who’d done under 50. I found it alot harder than last year having lost fitness and put on about 2 stone!

That’s very, very fast. The fittest guy I know did it in 56.

😆 I know, it’s all in the genes – think his brother is hoping to run in the Olympics in Brazil. Wish he’d train properly, he could probably have been a pro if he’d started early.

I know, it’s all in the genes – think his brother is hoping to run in the Olympics in Brazil. Wish he’d train properly, he could probably have been a pro if he’d started early.

People like that are just irritating!

Altitude acclimatization probably helps.

I’ve only ridden the Alpe once but found it fairly easy in around a hour, but I had just spent 2 weeks climbing at much higher altitudes.

Old military road climb is a Hors Cat.
Its at the top of Loch Long in Scotland.

Ventoux is great fun, if you want a nice HC. The Bedoin route is about 9% for five or six miles through the forest. Constant effort, but manageable for a fit cyclist

I rode Ventoux this year on the TDF day, was great, and a nice climb (even though we had backpacks on so the pace was slow). Unfortunately we didnt get to the top, there was a road block with about 8k to go.

Plenty HCs around here. Ben Rinnes and CBM are Cat1s. I think all roadies should do them and then go down the man’s route.

I think all roadies should do them and then go down the man’s route.

Which is the mans route? Is that the one that involves 160mm of travel, fat tyres and body armour?

Which is the mans route? Is that the one that involves 160mm of travel, fat tyres and body armour?

Angry roadie is angry. I just ride it on my hardtail with Pikes and no protection other than my helmet but you may need to take extra kit. Like a degorger for the hooks for starters.

😀

Ive ridden plenty of downhill tracks on my hardtail, however, it’s when I let go of the brakes down Wrynose Pass on a wet day that I feel theres a chance I could die if I hit a sharp stone a bit off

Ridden CAT 1’s and 2’s but not in UK. Didnt notice much difference between the two to be honest, just pure pain..and seem to go on forever..nothing like that in UK

I think I rode a cat 2 up dumfries way, it was a right slog. Not particularly hard, just depressing. Weather was sh1t as well.

I rode up gross Glockner. It took all bloody day, I coughed up seven lungs and died at least 22 times.
I have not idea what CAT but I thought some of it was bloody steep.

so is strava the definitive categorisation for climbs?
Ribble Valley small sample area

Cat 2

Pendle Rd Climb

1.7 mi 13.3%

Pendle Rd Climb

2.3 mi 11.3%

West Ln Climb

1.9 mi 11.7%

West Lane Climb

1.6 mi 13.8%

Pendle Road Climb

1.4 mi 14.8%

CAT 3

Hallgate Hill (Waddington start)

2.8 mi 5.3%

Birdy Brow

1.2 mi 8.6%

Dunsop – Trough

3.1 mi 4.0%

Hallgate Hill (from the North; Newton bridge start)

2.2 mi 5.8%

Jeffrey Hill (Hell) Full Climb

1.6 mi 6.9%

Jeffrey Hill

3.3 mi 4.6%

Nick o’ Pendle (Southbound)

1.7 mi 6.7%

uphill all the bloody way!

5.8 mi 2.1%
Blacko HC

3.3 mi 3.6%

Clogger Ln Climb

1.5 mi 8.6%

Quite a few there

my local hundred mile loop takes in cabrach , the lecht , gairnsheil 1 and 2 and if im not yet fecked the COM…

bealach na ba is a piece of piss – i was significantly underwhelmed by it

Hardest I’ve done in Scotland was Loch Shiel up and over to Strontian, but it was short.

Old military road climb is a Hors Cat.
Its at the top of Loch Long in Scotland.

The Rest and Be Thankful? Its a nice climb and makes part of a good route with two or three other nicer climbs, but its probably not even in the top ten of Scottish climbs? (not dissing it, one of my regular favourite routes took in the RABT)

Plenty of Cat3s down here in Devon, some are long and steepish, some are short but fliipin steep…

The Rest and Be Thankful? Its a nice climb and makes part of a good route with two or three other nicer climbs, but its probably not even in the top ten of Scottish climbs? (not dissing it, one of my regular favourite routes took in the RABT)

Nah, have a look at it. I can’t say I’ve ever been up it or if it is all rideable I just came across it while looking around the area.

4.2 miles long, 12.3% average and 2768ft of elevation gain.
2h08s KOM.

4.2 miles long, 12.3% average and 2768ft of climbing.
2h08s KOM.

So 2mph then. Are you sure you weren’t looking at a walking site?

Ribble Valley small sample area

Head just a little further north and you have Bowland Knotts, Cross O’Greet, Roeburndale and Jubilee Tower.

It is on the cycling bit.
I don’t know anything about it, just remember seeing it a while back.
Seems it may be a walk though now you mention the average speed.

😳 ❓ 😳

Yeah, that’s a hillwalk/off road route. People on here talk regularly about cycling up the Cobbler (Ben Arthur) which would probably fit those stats!

2768ft is close to Munro height, we’ve not got any roads in Scotland above 2300ft that I’m aware of, the highest being south of Peebles topping out at a Radar Station.

I’m KOM on a Cat 3……that no one cycles ’cause it’s too hard for roadies who are too posh to be seen with a triple 😉

Never seen any Cat 1 road climbs in the UK. Biggest climb I’ve done is the Cat 2 Great Dun Fell (4.6 miles at 8.4%) but I find the shorter/steeper ones such as Hardknott much much tougher.

http://app.strava.com/segments/the-great-dun-fell-732824

Corrieyairack climb (according to Strava) is Cat. 1.
Plenty cat 2s around Fort Augustus.

I’m on the case now in my local area, I’ve been out tonight and a lot of the bastard hard climbs that I know of are not segmented so I need to go cycle up them and see what they come in at. I’m thinking I’ll be KOM on a few because no-one else would be mad enough to cycle up ’em. So I’ll go out all the time on a mission!