Northeast - NY steep climb Nyack

I found a short steep hill today that I hadn't heard of before:
Old Mountain Rd on the south side of Nyack -- also called rt 28 of Rockland county [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Orangeburg,+NY&sll=41.106392,-73.919186&sspn=0.008359,0.011201&g=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Nyack,+NY&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Nyack,+Rockland,+New+York+10960&ll=41.073609,-73.925114&spn=0.008363,0.011201&z=16) ].
I think it's the steepest road within 18 miles of the GWB.

It climbs west up from rt 9W, starting with steepness of 20% or more, and another section around 16-18%. Then rt 28 turns left onto South Boulevard and climbs some more, for a total around 300 vertical feet.
The bottom of Old Mountain Rd is fairly close to the normal river ride between Piermont and Nyack -- basically can take Broadway south from Nyack (over the NY Thruway) to its south end, (carefully) cross rt 9W, and there it is.
(After climbing up it, unless you're very experienced with steep descents, it's much less steep to go north down Shadyside onto rt 9W north, soon turn Right and cross over the Thruway, then down Clinton Av back to Broadway or Piermont Av -- or continue southwest on rt 28 into Clausland Mt Rd.)Ken

I found a short steep hill today that I hadn't heard of before:
Old Mountain Rd on the south side of Nyack -- also called rt 28 of Rockland county [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Orangeburg,+NY&sll=41.106392,-73.919186&sspn=0.008359,0.011201&g=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Nyack,+NY&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Nyack,+Rockland,+New+York+10960&ll=41.073609,-73.925114&spn=0.008363,0.011201&z=16) ].
I think it's the steepest road within 18 miles of the GWB.

It climbs west up from rt 9W, starting with steepness of 20% or more, and another section around 16-18%. Then rt 28 turns left onto South Boulevard and climbs some more, for a total around 300 vertical feet.
The bottom of Old Mountain Rd is fairly close to the normal river ride between Piermont and Nyack -- basically can take Broadway south from Nyack (over the NY Thruway) to its south end, (carefully) cross rt 9W, and there it is.
(After climbing up it, unless you're very experienced with steep descents, it's much less steep to go north down Shadyside onto rt 9W north, soon turn Right and cross over the Thruway, then down Clinton Av back to Broadway or Piermont Av -- or continue southwest on rt 28 into Clausland Mt Rd.)Ken

Are you talking about Old Mtn. Rd. in Upper Nyack?

If so, Ash St. in Piermont is much steeper. OMR is nowhere near 20% (20% is falling over territory on a standard crank).

Here's a good list of hills in the NYC/NJ region:
http://www.nycc.org/resources/re_regional_grades.html

Are you talking about Old Mtn. Rd. in Upper Nyack?
No.
It is confusing that there are two roads named "Old Mountain" around Nyack.
Here (again) is a link to the road shown on a map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.073609,-73.925114&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.957999,45.878906&ie=UTF8&z=16).
Latitude/Longitude = google format (41.073609,-73.925114) = Garmin (N41.073609 W73.925114)
If so, Ash St. in Piermont is much steeper.This Old Mountain Rd (only about 2.2 miles north of Ash St on rt 9W) is steeper and longer -- that's why I posted this note. Ash St [map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Ash+Street,+Piermont,+NY&sll=41.07359,-73.925121&sspn=0.008363,0.011201&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ash+St,+Piermont,+Rockland,+New+York+10968&z=16)] makes a good test (or warmup?) for Old Mountain Rd. If Ash St seems hard, don't try OMR.


20% is falling over territory on a standard crank
Good warning. Riders who know they can't handle 20% shouldn't try riding it (or plan on walking the first short section).
I train lots on very steep hills, so I climbed this Old Mountain Rd on 39x26 gearing yesterday and did not fall over. I think I could make it up on 39x23.


Here's a good list of hills in the NYC/NJ region:
http://www.nycc.org/resources/re_regional_grades.html
A good resource from which I get good ideas
- (but it's full of spurious accuracy, and sometimes misses critical details, like that the start of Ash St is much steeper than the average given there, might be "falling over" terrain for some riders on a standard crank).

Ken

going up that damned hill is nothing, going down that hill is some scary s!ht:eek:

the two times i did it (once on tweed & the other time on old mountain), i chickened out & walked my bike down...

going down that hill is some scary s!ht
Yes especially considering the steepest part at the bottom goes straight down into route 9W, blind.
(why I gave suggestions for avoiding that bottom section)I practice going down very steep hills lots, so I was comfortable going all the way down on my bike wheels rolling.

For a rider who's done lots of practice with front-wheel-only braking, the rubber tires on most well-maintained bikes have a high enough coefficient of static friction on dry clean smooth asphalt to control speed on a hill that steep. Once on a trip to San Francisco in perfect road conditions I descended 30% (the steepest block of Filbert Street (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.800239,-122.418401&sll=37.800067,-122.415881&sspn=0.03669,0.053129&ie=UTF8&ll=37.800249,-122.418403&spn=0.018345,0.026565&z=15)). But have to practice for that on a road with a safe run-out, not Old Mountain Rd.

Ken

Ken, do you use your brake on those downhills, or do you just wait until you hit the bottom? I'm learning to go down faster, and I'm confident enough to go without braking, but I don't think my hills are as steep as some of yours.

Yes I normally brake on any steep hill where I do not have a good view of the terrain out a ways from both sides of the road - (which means at least some section of almost any steep hill in the northeast US).
I do like the thrill of going faster (and every so often I can't resist) -- and it's not lack of confidence that holds me back from that. It's too many times having unexpected things pop out from the side into the road in front of me. Especially deer, also unleashed dogs, just today a large turkey.
And usually each day I'm out riding hills, I stop quick and hard in the middle of a steeper section just to keep my neural controller sharp.Front-brake-only stopping is critical.
Read this article (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html)

Going down steep hills (on dry clean asphalt), rear-brake stopping is less quick, and it's less steer-able. Locking up your rear wheel is generally not a good idea: that's why most cars nowadays have anti-lock braking. Using the rear brake down a steep hill is OK for bleeding off some speed -- but not for serious stopping.

Start practicing front-brake-only stopping on the flats at low and moderate speeds -- first with moderate stopping force, then after more practice very quick and hard. Likely need to adjust your body position, learn what works. Try comparing rear-brake versus front-brake stopping.
Then moderate hills, then steep hills with a safe run-out . . . and steeper . . .

There's lots of refinements that other people can share, but that's the approach I took, and it's really helped.

Ken

Excellent post. Thanks, Ken.

This http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3940106 ?

Looks like about 11.3% over half a mile ((302 ft / 5280 ft/ mi )/(0.5036 mi). I'll have to try that.

Agreed on front-wheel only braking being an important skill. My problem is that I'm not a little dude which makes braking on steep hills tough.

I've been trying front-only braking since we last spoke. It requires practice and faith. I should probably rewire my brakes to put the front on the right, but that will be yet another adjustment for me.

oboeguy, move your weight way back, if you're not already doing that.

I've been trying front-only braking since we last spoke. It requires practice and faith. I should probably rewire my brakes to put the front on the right, but that will be yet another adjustment for me.


Riding rental bikes in Ireland some years ago required some on-the-fly re-wiring because front and back were switched over there. Then there's whole other side of the road deal...



oboeguy, move your weight way back, if you're not already doing that.

Oh yes I know all about that from MTB riding in my teens. If only I had a quick release on my seatpost... ;) But seriously, I'm talking about the extra force needed to brake. Lots more kinetic energy to burn when you're not a 140lb climber!

Heh. I rode in the British Isles for two months when I was 20 years old. It was part of a three month tour, the other month of which was in France. I adjusted to the wrong-side driving pretty quickly, and it was fun. A few years later, I rented a car and drove throughout England and Scotland, and I had had good preparation for it on the bike.

Now why do you think they wire their brakes in Italy the same way they do in the British Isles? The various rationales are all over the place.

move your weight way back
Yes.
Anyway for going down steep hills, you also need to move your weight back even if you use only the rear brake. Because if there's not much of your body weight pressing down on the rear tire, to press the tire rubber down into the asphalt, then you won't get much stopping force. As you apply stopping force, your body weight tends to go forward (because the bike is slowing down) so weight tends to come up off that rear tire, and the result is that you lose stopping force: Not a good idea when you're about to hit rt 9W.

Ken

Got back to Old Mountain Rd (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Orangeburg,+NY&sll=41.064354,-73.935938&sspn=0.016729,0.022402&g=Clausland+Mountain+Road,+Orangeburg,+NY&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Old+Mountain+Rd,+Nyack,+Rockland,+New+York+10960&ll=41.0) to go down + up it a couple more times.

Interesting thing about riding down it is that you're aimed straight at the Tappan Zee Bridge -- like if you lost your brakes you'd just roll right down into it. (of course you'd hit something else very hard first).

Climbing up, the steepest section at the bottom is fairly short -- so you can choose your level of challenge: of course easier if you take it with some speed. But after conquering it that way you can go back and try it tougher: from almost a standstill at the bottom.

Townsend Ave, just one block north [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Townsend+Ave,+Nyack+NY&sll=41.143922,-73.911982&sspn=0.016708,0.024462&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Townsend+Ave,+Nyack,+Rockland,+New+York+10960&ll=41.075501,-73.925543&spn=0.016726,0.024462&z=15) ] alongside Old Mt Rd is also steep around 15-16% . Much shorter than Old Mt, and different in that you look up it and see the whole thing from the bottom. Could use it as a warm-up for Old mt, especially if approaching from N on Shadyside Ave. (But the downhill is not aimed so straight at Bridge).

Landing Rd is farther away, north of Nyack by Rockland Lake [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Landing+Rd,+Congers+NY&sll=41.139752,-73.933525&sspn=0.066837,0.097847&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Landing+Rd,+Valley+Cottage,+Rockland,+New+York+10989&ll=41.143922,-73.911982&spn=0.016708,0.024462&z=15) ], not as big and not as steep (around 11-12.5% grade).
But perhaps worth a try because of the pretty waterside riding that can be done to approach it -- either alongside the Hudson River on a packed dirt path north from Nyack from the end of Broadway and Nyack Beach State Park (easily ridable by me when dry on my road bike with 700Cx25 tires).
Or could ride alongside around the south and east side of Rockland Lake on the (asphalt) bike trail (since the road does not have much view of the lake). Or both.

Ken