Author Topic: Steepest Climb in an Audax  (Read 10335 times)

RideHard

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Steepest Climb in an Audax
« on: 12 January, 2014, 11:07:55 am »
What Audax event has the steepest climb ???

The new London-Oxford-London (LOL) 200 includes a hill with a 32.8% gradient.. (there is a fast flat alternate route)
Is this the steepest road in UK  :thumbsup:

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caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #1 on: 12 January, 2014, 11:11:49 am »
I think Hardknott pass goes up to 37% - that's on the Pendle 600.
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

RideHard

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #2 on: 12 January, 2014, 11:14:53 am »
ACH SR: Dean 300; Steam Ride LOL 200; Quainton Express 100; University Challenge 600; London Circuit 400; C2C; Hadrian's Wall; Chiltern Pub Crawl; White Hart.   2022 AUK: ACH SR; Wessex SR; LEL; LeJog

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #3 on: 12 January, 2014, 11:23:03 am »
Surely it would be more accurate if you used the same software/website to compare different climbs?

frankly frankie

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #4 on: 12 January, 2014, 11:34:39 am »
I've been on one, can't remember what it was, that used a cafe on the front at Robin Hood's Bay.  That's a steeper climb than Hardknott I reckon, though short and straight which helps.  Hardknott it depends on whether you can use the whole road on the bends.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

RideHard

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #5 on: 12 January, 2014, 11:42:38 am »
Surely it would be more accurate if you used the same software/website to compare different climbs?

Garmin BaseCamp - graph - elevation (move cursor along route to monitor gradient)
ACH SR: Dean 300; Steam Ride LOL 200; Quainton Express 100; University Challenge 600; London Circuit 400; C2C; Hadrian's Wall; Chiltern Pub Crawl; White Hart.   2022 AUK: ACH SR; Wessex SR; LEL; LeJog

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #6 on: 12 January, 2014, 12:44:05 pm »
Surely it would be more accurate if you used the same software/website to compare different climbs?

Garmin BaseCamp - graph - elevation (move cursor along route to monitor gradient)

But that's not how you've chosen to measure the gradient on the Hardknott Pass. For any comparison to be valid you have to use identical measurement techniques for all.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #7 on: 12 January, 2014, 06:21:18 pm »
These things are always a bit dodgy anyway, not sure I'd trust basecamp either.  It also depends upon where you measure the gradient, how the measurement was made (satellite is probably well dodgy).  The steepest bits are usually the inside bend of a hairpin which of course you can avoid by going around the outside.
If you think that climb is anywhere near as hard as Hardknot, Wrynose, Bwlch y Groes etc. I suspect most would beg to differ.


I'm sure it's a great workout anyway and an excellent ride :-)

It's a reverse Elvis thing.

mattc

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #8 on: 12 January, 2014, 06:32:58 pm »
Idiot english question:

When folks reference "Bwlch y Groes", are they mainly referring to
the climb from the south (with 12 chevrons in 2.4km), or
the Easterly approach from Lake Vrynwy(sp?), which is 2 chevrons over about 5km!

I've only ridden the latter (on MC1k). Which other audaxen feature either version?

(from a quick play with bikehike, ByG(S) is vvvv similar to Hardknott in stats terms. )
Has never ridden RAAM
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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #9 on: 12 January, 2014, 06:37:43 pm »
The Bwlch y Groes is the steep bit from Dina's Mawddwy, the other way from Vyrnwy has some steep bits too. I do it every month, it doesn't get easier!
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vorsprung

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #10 on: 12 January, 2014, 08:00:31 pm »
What Audax event has the steepest climb ???
Dunno, just looked at a bit of the VoR route (Lynmouth to Lynton) which seemed steep to me and that was > 40%

Phil W

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #11 on: 12 January, 2014, 09:15:47 pm »
The Flatlands (grabs bike and leaves...)

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #12 on: 12 January, 2014, 09:17:09 pm »
The Flatlands (grabs bike and leaves...)

Not as daft as you might think. That cobbled descent in Lincoln was pretty steep!

Euan Uzami

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #13 on: 12 January, 2014, 09:26:49 pm »
The Flatlands (grabs bike and leaves...)

Not as daft as you might think. That cobbled descent in Lincoln was pretty steep!
the aptly named "Steep Hill". ;)

Pingu

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #14 on: 12 January, 2014, 09:28:53 pm »
Steepest over what distance?

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #15 on: 12 January, 2014, 09:54:49 pm »
There are lots of little spikey bits on climbs I've done that felt steeper than the steep bits of Hardknott. Even on the Pendle, the descent of Rosedale felt steeper in places than the climb of Hardknott. The thing about Harknott is that it stays steep for a long time. You can't rush the steep bits in the way you can some other climbs (eg Park Rash and the Coal Road).

Steepness doesn't really matter much to me - 34/28 gets me up anything, albeit slowly. I find climbing Otley Chevin on fixed much harder than riding up Hardknott on gears. Props to the guys that rode the Pendle on fixed. Greenhow on fixed is deth for me, and they dispatched that before breakfast on the Pendle.

Euan Uzami

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #16 on: 12 January, 2014, 09:59:34 pm »
Someone just needs to put us all out of our misery and invent an audax that involves the 40%er in Harlech and have done with it.

Feanor

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #17 on: 12 January, 2014, 10:15:37 pm »
Someone just needs to put us all out of our misery and invent an audax that involves the 40%er in Harlech and have done with it.

The BCM passes by within a couple of hundred metres.
There's nothing ( much! ) to stop you detouring and taking it in.

I did consider it, but decided against it!


Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #18 on: 12 January, 2014, 10:20:48 pm »
Misery is an event which twists and turns, with infos everywhere, just to take in the hills.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #19 on: 13 January, 2014, 08:07:42 am »
Steepest over what distance?


Nail on head.  I saw a sportive claiming a 33% climb in the New Forest once.  The New Forest is flat as a pancake- I haven't ridden there but it wouldn't surprise me if you could get some speed up in advance and sail up it without pedalling ;)

It's a reverse Elvis thing.

marcusjb

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Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #20 on: 13 January, 2014, 08:31:05 am »
I rode up a curb once on an audax. That would be close to a vertical gradient. It was hard work.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #21 on: 13 January, 2014, 09:56:32 am »
I need my old mountain bike for that sort of thing ;)

It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #22 on: 13 January, 2014, 10:02:56 am »
Steepest over what distance?


Nail on head.  I saw a sportive claiming a 33% climb in the New Forest once.  The New Forest is flat as a pancake- I haven't ridden there but it wouldn't surprise me if you could get some speed up in advance and sail up it without pedalling ;)

I can only assume they mean Blissford Hill which is steep but short - it's a seated climb because otherwise your front wheel defies gravity... I have done it so it can,t be too bad.
Reine de la Fauche


Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #23 on: 13 January, 2014, 10:05:58 am »
Interesting - I find the front wheel lifting is peculiar to being seated.  Mind you, I've never ridden in the New Forest.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Steepest Climb in an Audax
« Reply #24 on: 13 January, 2014, 10:34:03 am »
It's not a proper climb until the front wheel is defying gravity and the rear wheel is losing grip and skidding round as you grind  ;D


Of course this is normally the point at which moi gets off or falls off  :facepalm:
It's a reverse Elvis thing.