ohmyspokes

This Friday -

https://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=4688

Has anyone done this TT?

DocMatt

I have not done the actual TT. But I have ran up that bastard several times. If you like pain then go for it. If you like to party afterwards Manayunk is one big party 24/7. The hill itself is no joke. I don't have any specs but its legit. My buddies that ride out there have to stop and walk at some point on it.

dan.lavelle

i go to drexel university right in center city philly, "The Wall" in Manayunk is part of our team suffer-fest ride. Its short, real short, less than .5 mile. It's also steep, real steep, about 22% at points.

doing it once is a bit of a drag though, its alot more of a TT just to say you raced up the wall than it is a real TT. You're better off going on a saturday morning another weekend and finding some other insane cyclists down by the coffee shops and challenging them up the wall four times haha.

WCroadie

It's pretty short and steep. Anyone who rides seriously should not have to walk at any point of the hill. This is not a knock on your friends but just want the OP to know she will get up it without a problem.

maxknee

i'll be there on a fixed gear!

ohmyspokes

Thanks guys. I don't have any worries about actually getting up the hill.

Just looking for any tips on how to approach it, since I heard there is a flat section before the incline. What kind of gearing folks have used, etc.

It looks like the woman with the best time last year averaged over 15mph, and I don't even have a guesstimate of what I can do for such a short, steep climb. I guess I will find out in a few days!

DocMatt

The guy that told me has to walk sometimes is 6'9 245 lbs. and over 40 years old..( but age has nothing to do with it).. not your typical climbers size... but he does ride quite often.

WCroadie

Like I said, it was not a jab at your buddy, I just wanted to let anyone who is doing the TT that does not know the "wall" that it's certainly ridable. I know a few guys who will ride up it once a year, they can make it, though winded, usually without stopping.

Spokes,

Yes it is flat for a little before you go up, I did here that guys throw up after finishing the TT. What time does the race start, maybe I will head down after work, since I work somewhat near there.

UTracer

I raced it two years ago in the 1/2 race. It is fun. I am by no means a climber and I placed 6th out of 25 or 30 guys even when it was raining. I believe it is 1k so you start on a slight up hill, make a right onto a 40ft section of cobbles the you make a left onto the climb. The climb is not too bad at the beginning but then it gets steeper towards the finish line.
I used a 39/23 and saved my energy at the beginning and then used it all on the steepest part of the hill. Its hard but it is extremely short so make sure you are REALLY warmed up.

The next days TT is really fun too, I did it that year also on a GT superbike that was a fixed gear. I suck at TTs so I was just doin it for fun. You just need to fly to do really well there as it is a very fast course.
Good luck either way.

cmckenna73

Spokes:

Here is the wikipedia entry info:
"...Some confusion can occur among media broadcasters covering the race, as most of the Wall is part of Levering Street, but suddenly becomes Lyceum Avenue at Silverwood Street (at N40 01.631 W75 13.313). The steepest section, a 17-percent grade, commences just after the slight left turn (when going up) at the intersection with Tower Street (N40 01.652 W75 13.277), and ends at the intersection with Fleming street (N40 01.726 W75 13.226). It becomes slightly less steep on the stretch with "O'Brien's" as it crosses Manayunk Avenue. It nearly flattens out and is considered to end at Pechin Street in Roxborough, which is where most of the news crews set up for broadcasting. The right turn off Lyceum Avenue onto Pechin Street (N40 01.847 W75 13.069) begins "The Fall from the Wall." Manayunk Avenue also happens to mark the traditional boundary between the neighborhoods of Manayunk and Roxborough, causing some broadcasters to be uncertain of which neighborhood they are reporting from..."

click here to see the course with elevation. I'm probably wrong about blowing the turn on Pechin street. But the map says its 1 kilometer.

waterrockets 

Sounds similar to Jester here in Austin. These kinds of hills are good candidates for negative splits. My fastest times up Jester were when I took it a little easy on the 1st half, then attack the 2nd half, and completely explode in the last 100m.

When I ride it with my training partners, it's tough to let them get ahead of me at the bottom.
They have me by 10-20m at the halfway point, and I still finish 20-50m in front of them because they have been going too hard and slow down, when I speed up.

I know it's a different hill, but likely a similar effort.

ohmyspokes

Well, if people are barfing, it must be fun!
They're starting riders off at 6PM

Thanks UTracer and cmckenna73 for the detailed info.