The latest issure of Outside mag. has a short article comparing
10 US climbs to famous TDF climbs.
They say:

Gibralter road (SB) = Col du Galibier
Mt Baldy (to the lifts) = L'alpe d'Huez

/edit

Latigo Cyn = Montee' de Hautville, typical of a Pyrenean climb
Mt Wilson = Col du Galibier (also)

/end edit


I've ridden all the above US climbs but not the Euro counterparts.
Anybody out there who has, and can comment on the comparisons?

socal velo has the comparison info for Baldy to Alpe de Huez..

http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/mount_baldy_road.htm

here is a list of some of the better so cal climbs: http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/socalclimbs.htm

socal velo has the comparison info for Baldy to Alpe de Huez..

http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/mount_baldy_road.htm

here is a list of some of the better so cal climbs: http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/socalclimbs.htm
So, I've only gone up via GMR. How does the Baldy Rd climb compare to GMR?

they compair Alpe de Huez to Palomar Mt. Same average grade and length. Thats why alot of euro racers trained on Palomar, and it was part of Landis's regular loop.

So, I've only gone up via GMR. How does the Baldy Rd climb compare to GMR?
Baldy Rd is brutal compared to GMR. The section after the tunnels is just as bad as Baldy Rd from the village to the ski lifts (though not as long).

Balcom not on the list?

The 1 mile section after the tunnels nicknamed "Hogsback" is very tough and then you make it through the village to the switchbacks and realize it wasn't that bad afterall..

How can they compare these?
Mount Baldy Road 12.6 miles - 7.0% avg grade - 4615' gain
Alpe d'huez 8.8 miles - 7.9% avg grade - 3579' gain

Alpe d'huez has almost a full percentage point of average gain over Baldy! I know that it is longer, but 8.8 miles at 8% is a lot more difficult than 12.6 miles at 7%.

How can they compare these?
Mount Baldy Road 12.6 miles - 7.0% avg grade - 4615' gain
Alpe d'huez 8.8 miles - 7.9% avg grade - 3579' gain

Alpe d'huez has almost a full percentage point of average gain over Baldy! I know that it is longer, but 8.8 miles at 8% is a lot more difficult than 12.6 miles at 7%.

from SocalVelo site...

This is about the closest thing in Southern California that you can compare in length and steepness to Alpe d'Huez. However, if you start at mile 5 near the first tunnel, the climb is 7.6 miles with an 8.2% average. The last few miles of this climb are more dificult than most of Alpe d'huez.

I ran into a guy up at Camp 9 who had just gotten back from riding in France. He said that the Climb up to Camp 9 [ I assume he ment including Little T] was just like the Tourmalet. Hence that ride I always call The Tourmalet. We did it a couple of months ago. Awesome. I have a friend who has ridden all the major climbs of the TDF and he says there is nothing as long and as hard as the climb up Hwy 39 past Crystal Lake to A.C. in the Tour. 30 miles at 8%-10%

Gibralter road (SB) = Col du Galibier

But is the road surface on Galibier as crappy as Gibraltar?

My ex-boyfriend climbed the Galibier and Alpe d'Huez. He said the climbs themselves weren't that tough, but if he had to do several of them all in a row (and ride 50 miles beforehand before each), those climbs would suddenly become much steeper and harder!

My ex-boyfriend climbed the Galibier and Alpe d'Huez. He said the climbs themselves weren't that tough, but if he had to do several of them all in a row (and ride 50 miles beforehand before each), those climbs would suddenly become much steeper and harder!

That's the key here. The climbs up Alpe d'Huez in the tour is usually at the end of a long hard day where the rider have already completed at least two other major climbs.

Kind of reminds me of the Breathless Agony century. The climb up to Onix Summit is long (about 30 miles), but the grade is not that steep. Doing this climb on its own is not that difficult. However, doing the climb after the Oak Glen and Jack Rabbit Canyon climbs becomes much tougher.

Yeah , what is key is that they are components of a grand tour, not a Sunday morning crawl.

My ex-boyfriend climbed the Galibier and Alpe d'Huez. He said the climbs themselves weren't that tough, but if he had to do several of them all in a row (and ride 50 miles beforehand before each), those climbs would suddenly become much steeper and harder!Would that ex. be Floyd?:D

Would that ex. be Floyd?:D


NO! NO! Not Floyd. :rolleyes: This was the guy...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/446234812_e458e99d31.jpg

But I ended up dumping him for Jason.

I have a thing for young mods...
:love: :love: :love:

I ran into a guy up at Camp 9 who had just gotten back from riding in France. He said that the Climb up to Camp 9 [ I assume he ment including Little T] was just like the Tourmalet. Hence that ride I always call The Tourmalet. We did it a couple of months ago. Awesome. I have a friend who has ridden all the major climbs of the TDF and he says there is nothing as long and as hard as the climb up Hwy 39 past Crystal Lake to A.C. in the Tour. 30 miles at 8%-10%

VB, I'd be one of the first to admit that that is a hard climb. But "30 miles at 8-10%" inadvertently exaggerates quite a bit, as it implies a minimum of 12,600 feet of gain, when its not even half that. Some small segments of the climb may be 8-10%, but not much.

Still, it kicked my butt, and has made me look into getting a compact crankset. :D

The latest issure of Outside mag. has a short article comparing
10 US climbs to famous TDF climbs.
They say:

Gibralter road (SB) = Col du Galibier
Mt Baldy (to the lifts) = L'alpe d'Huez
Latigo Cyn = typical of a Pyrenean climb
Mt Wilson = (can't remember, will edit later) but something gnarly.

I've ridden all the above US climbs but not the Euro counterparts.
Anybody out there who has, and can comment on the comparisons?

Doesn't suck to live in Southern California.

Doesn't suck to live in Southern California.

I hear you. Year round cycling and I get to pick if I want to ride along the ocean or head in-land a bit and hit some of the best climbs in the country.

Now if we could just do something about the soccer moms/dad in their SUVs, drinking their Starbucks while talking on the phone who seem to want to cut me off about once a month...

Doesn't suck to live in Southern California.

Agreed.

I have lived elsewhere, and can confirm dramatically lower levels of suckage in SoCal.

I am in Orlando right now....flat, flat, flat...even for me its too flat!!!
Now thats flat!!!

I just wonder if they list any climbs in Northern Cal ... to give me a good comparison. It's definitely not flat here!

Balcom not on the list?

Balcom is steeep, but I'd think it's too short to be considered for this sort of a comparison.

I really want to do Baldy one of these days...

VB, I'd be one of the first to admit that that is a hard climb. But "30 miles at 8-10%" inadvertently exaggerates quite a bit, as it implies a minimum of 12,600 feet of gain, when its not even half that. Some small segments of the climb may be 8-10%, but not much.

Still, it kicked my butt, and has made me look into getting a compact crankset. :DI guess you are right . I consider the climb starting at Encanto Park where I 've always begun. Thats at about 700 ft above sea level and it ends where A.C. meets 39 at Islip Saddle elev. 6712. With the rollers on the lower part before the East Fork I usually have about 6500 ft accumulated by then. It's just that from the gate at 2000 ft to the top its pretty much unrelenting and I'm looking for more gears,Ugh Once past C.L. it does ease up a bit. I must be getting old, my memory exaggerates all on it's own these days.:o

I really want to do Baldy one of these days...
You should do it on the 16th if you were planning on being there. Just skip the Little GMR -> Little GRR and head down to Mt Baldy from Encanto. Then you could meet everyone at the lodge. You could probably convince someone else to do that with you. I'd do it with you if was going to be there, shame I can't make it though ;)

I just wonder if they list any climbs in Northern Cal ... to give me a good comparison. It's definitely not flat here!

Yeah, two NorCal climbs;

Pine Flat Road, Jimtown Ca. - Levi trains on it a lot.
Ebbetts Pass, Markleeville Ca. - Lemond trained on it back in the day.

I am in Orlando right now....flat, flat, flat...even for me its too flat!!!
Now thats flat!!!

Herb;

Live in Burbank, working (assumed) in Orlando?

You don't work for the Mouse do you?

You should do it on the 16th if you were planning on being there. Just skip the Little GMR -> Little GRR and head down to Mt Baldy from Encanto. Then you could meet everyone at the lodge. You could probably convince someone else to do that with you. I'd do it with you if was going to be there, shame I can't make it though ;)

Maybe...

Maybe...
You'll be able to do intervals on Baldy, while everyone else is struggling to make it up the first time.

But is the road surface on Galibier as crappy as Gibraltar?

There would be a protest if the pros had to ride Gibraltar. Or east camino cielo.

Yeah, two NorCal climbs;

Pine Flat Road, Jimtown Ca. - Levi trains on it a lot.
Ebbetts Pass, Markleeville Ca. - Lemond trained on it back in the day.
Just my luck ... I'm not familiar with either one of them.

Just my luck ... I'm not familiar with either one of them.

Ebbetts is up near me (sort of) we drove up Hwy 4 yesterday and saw the signs to it :p

You'll be able to do intervals on Baldy, while everyone else is struggling to make it up the first time.

I doubt it, I'd be struggling too I'm sure.