Mont Ventoux on a trike

[Quint]

Has anyone gone up Mont Ventoux on a recumbent trike, I am debating whether I have it in me to do it for my 65th birthday present next year, I trikle all year round (commute and pleasure) however I do not train ( 5 eleven hour shifts a week curb my free time) and although trying to keep a (to me) reasonable average of 12mph when I/we hit a series of 18% hills on my not very well planned route from Uffington (White Horse) to Henley it did drop to 7.2mph. Advice please, I wish to see the Simpson memorial not Mr Tom him self.

[Kim]

Surely given the right gears and in the absence of loose gravel etc, you can get up anything on a recumbent trike.  Eventually.

[Jedrik]

Interesting question, I'd like to know myself.
I have had no problems in the surrounding hills (mostly Eifel), so I suspect you'd do fine there, too, but Mont Ventoux is a challenge of quite another magnitude.
You probably already studied these?
http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp?Climbprofile=Mont-Ventoux&MountainID=3
http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp?Climbprofile=Mont-Ventoux&MountainID=4
http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp?Climbprofile=Mont-Ventoux&MountainID=2
Not that much of it with a gradient > 10%, so your gearing should be ok and with a trike you can just pull the brakes and take a breather if your stamina is not.

Has anyone ever done it with a velomobil or a midracer? Do you think it is sensible trying?

[tom_e]

Not done it myself but the interwebs says it is long and steady rather than steep - around 10%. 
Can you find a decent hill with a 10% bit and do laps of it for an hour?  See how you feel at the end and how much height you've totted up?

[Quint]

Do you think it is sensible trying?

           

                          I have never been sensible, stupid often but not sensible 





Not done it myself but the interwebs says it is long and steady rather than steep - around 10%. 
Can you find a decent hill with a 10% bit and do laps of it for an hour?  See how you feel at the end and how much height you've totted up?

                           Sounds like a good idea, I am thinking of getting a lift to Uffington then following my route to Henley then straight back home (near Woodstock), doing it not heavily laden with camping stuff and hopefully in a reasonable time I will believe I am in with a chance, some of the hills are longish and a good gradient.

[iddu]

Has anyone gone up Mont Ventoux on a recumbent trike...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Hurt"
To: <sales@ice.hpv.co.uk>
Sent: 04 June 2004 00:20
Subject: *Wheeeeeeeeeee* (1/1)

> Just back from Mt Ventoux on the Trice; 3h up from Sault, 26Km, 1210m
> climb, 25 minutes down to Malaucene, 21Km, 1550m drop....
>
> *BIG* Grin

You'll(*) be fine; slow and steady up, fast down - we came back along the valley to the North. The open ground above the treeline can be challanging in adverse conditions - make sure you stock up with water at the Chalet if a warm day. Just treat it as a very long drag from Sault/Malaucene - it's only a bugger if you come up from due South (or North )

Did used to have piccies, but they seem to have gone AWOL.

(*) Although I say that being 1.5 decades younger...

[Quint]

> Just back from Mt Ventoux on the Trice; 3h up from Sault, 26Km, 1210m
> climb, 25 minutes down to Malaucene, 21Km, 1550m drop....
>
> *BIG* Grin

You'll(*) be fine; slow and steady up, fast down - we came back along the valley to the North. The open ground above the treeline can be challanging in adverse conditions - make sure you stock up with water at the Chalet if a warm day. Just treat it as a very long drag from Sault/Malaucene - it's only a bugger if you come up from due South (or North )

Did used to have piccies, but they seem to have gone AWOL.

(*) Although I say that being 1.5 decades younger...

                             

Thanks to cycling/trikling I don't feel like my earthly age, and if it wasn't for a love of good ale I would be a tad lighter, I will start seeking out a few more hilly bits. Thank you           

[Titan]

There is an old post with a video of a recumbent going up and down. As said it looked fairly slow up but the down was pretty awesome including some high speed overtakes of road bike descenders.

[cyclingnewforest]

Wife and I cycled our Greenspeed tandem up Mont Ventoux last year with the panniers on. Hate to say it, but it was surprisingly "not difficult" going from Sault. We felt a bit as though a couple of pensioners chatting their way up the mountain rather spoilt the "sportive" element for some of the younger, but breathless, enthusiasts but at least Sheila wasn't doing her knitting at the same time.

Came down a lot quicker, but hairpins are a beast with our extended wheelbase!

Some pics and story on our website


http://www.cyclingnewforest.org/mont-ventoux.html

[Quint]

Very encourage (and impressive to boot), thank you

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I love the feeling of speed from John leaning hard into the bend and Sheila holding her hat on.

Llooking forward to climbing Ventoux for the first time next year.

[teamonster]

Wife and I cycled our Greenspeed tandem up Mont Ventoux last year with the panniers on. Hate to say it, but it was surprisingly "not difficult" going from Sault. We felt a bit as though a couple of pensioners chatting their way up the mountain rather spoilt the "sportive" element for some of the younger, but breathless, enthusiasts but at least Sheila wasn't doing her knitting at the same time.

I'm impressed - I pilot a Greenspeed tandem quite a bit, it's not the easiest up hills, but very nippy downhill. I hope my mate doesn't read this or he'll be badgering me to take him up there !

[Tigerrr]

Wife and I cycled our Greenspeed tandem up Mont Ventoux last year with the panniers on. Hate to say it, but it was surprisingly "not difficult" going from Sault. We felt a bit as though a couple of pensioners chatting their way up the mountain rather spoilt the "sportive" element for some of the younger, but breathless, enthusiasts but at least Sheila wasn't doing her knitting at the same time.

I'm impressed - I pilot a Greenspeed tandem quite a bit, it's not the easiest up hills, but very nippy downhill. I hope my mate doesn't read this or he'll be badgering me to take him up there !

Have you taken many people up the ventoux? Ive tried but Mrs Tiger wasnt having any of it.

[teamonster]

I've not been up there yet, but it really sounds fun on a recumbent. My only worry is my trusty stoker doing too much stoking going downhill. He's a bit more daring (reckless !) than me downhill speed wise but then he can't see how big the drops would be !

[Pedal Castro]

I will be aiming to do Ventoux next year also, will be happy to meet up with others and ride up in yacf company, or at least share coffee/beer at bottom/top as appropriate. Not yet decided exactly when's the best time of year to attempt it but will have to be in school holidays. Initial idea is fly to Marseilles, ride up to Ventoux and camp nearby, then ride up both main routes (on separate days) before riding back to Marseilles.

[Tigerbiten]

Never cycled on the continent yet.

But I have been over Bealach na Bà, with a full camping load.
Engaged first gear at the bottom and stopped at the top 2.5 hours later .......... 

[Quint]

Go to Brittany on the ferry, you will love the place, my Ventoux plans are on hold due to the European Bike Bus putting a 65cm height restriction on Recumbent Trikes