Commuting - Commuting nightmare in the fall.

So I've been commuting for almost two years now. I really like it. It's fun, faster, and saves me gas. Also, it keeps me in shape during the winter (along with mountain biking). None of my regular commutes are longer than 5 miles and usually have less than 125 feet in total elevation gain spread out through the entire commute.

In the fall, I'm moving to a new apartment that's on top of a hill. It's much better than the one I'm currently in. The only problem is that its on a hill. The road leading up is a third of a mile long with 175 feet in elevation gain. 10% average grade.

It'll be interesting this fall. I thought about parking the car somewhere, so I can drive up it, but there's nowhere to park.

Anyone else have any steep hills in their commute? Maybe I'm making it a bigger deal than it should be. I'm sure there's many other people that do harder sections on their commute.

you're making a bigger deal out of the situation
unless you can't climb 175ft.

I worked at a hospital for 14yrs, with over 700ft climb in 3 miles
rode to work 10 days in a row, with 4 days off
over and over and over...

just use gears

I used to live at the top of a steep hill. Actually more like up on a plateau, so I could ride up the hill past my house and do a little 4 block loop for cool down before stopping. If I just stopped directly after climbing the hill, I sometimes wouldn't feel so well after stopping. Looks like that Kuota of yours has low enough gearing for the task.

I'd be more worried about heading down the hill in the fall if there are deciduous trees in the neighborhood. I've gone down in leaves on a number of occasions.

175ft really isn't that much, its just a shame that its at the end of the commute, I would recommend having a cooldown loop to do after you climb the hill.

Well, I'd be doing it on my commuter bike (currently the Centurion).

Also, I can climb, I enjoy it more than flat rides on my road bike. 175 feet isn't bad, it's just that it's packed into the hill right before home.

I'd be wanting to get a 39T little ring on that Centurion for a third of a mile 10 percent grade, but I'm a lazy SOB at times.

I'd be wanting to get a 39T little ring on that Centurion for a third of a mile 10 percent grade, but I'm a lazy SOB at times.

I'm going to try and install a triple later today, if I've got the time. It'll give me a low gear of 30/28.

The only problem is that its on a hill. The road leading up is a third of a mile long with 175 feet in elevation gain. 10% average grade.

It'll be interesting this fall. I thought about parking the car somewhere, so I can drive up it, but there's nowhere to park.
Please tell me you are not seriously thinking about using a car for a 1/3 of a mile trip? That's, what, 500+ metres? Worst case scenario, get off your bike and push it up the hill. It wouldn't take 10 minutes.

You will be fine after a couple of weeks you won't even notice it!

You will be fine after a couple of weeks you won't even notice it!

+1

My commute is 14 miles, and the last .9 miles to my house is a 7-8% grade. Not a big deal, and fun to leave the house in the morning on the way in!

Low gear and spin? My commute is 18 miles one way. Think about snow, ice, headwind, driving rain and bad Masshole drivers .Relish the challenge. Oh and pedaling low psi studded tires are like riding through wet tar.

I don't think it's going to be a problem.

I live at the top of a 625' hill and there's a number of ways I can get home. The longest and shallowest climb is 3 miles. Then there is a 2.25 mile hill, a 1.25 mile hill, a 0.8 mile hill, or the grand-daddy of them all... 14.7% grade for 0.5 miles.

"What doesn't destroy me makes me stronger"

You're, umm, making a mountain out of a molehill (terrible, I know). Seriously, if you have the gearing and ride regularly, it's not a big deal. Those of us who live in upper Manhattan have a wicked climb from sea level up to (or near) the highest natural point in Manhattan (something like 250ft in half a mile, variations depending on where you measure). I see all sorts of people either riding up the hard parts or walking part of it as necessary.

Just HTFU and ride it. No big deal, or sissy out and walk up the hill. After a couple of weeks riding
you'll won't even notice the hill, just cool down before you stop..

I'm still waiting to find out what's the "commuting nightmare.":D

Lol, the worst thing I've heard in this scenario was someone who went through all the trouble and expense of buying a dynamo hub, light, etc - then found they couldn't pedal up the hill fast enough to keep the dynamo light on! (It was a *really* steep hill.) And since the hill was at the start of their commute, the light wouldn't even be charged enough to power the standlight.

Lol, the worst thing I've heard in this scenario was someone who went through all the trouble and expense of buying a dynamo hub, light, etc - then found they couldn't pedal up the hill fast enough to keep the dynamo light on! (It was a *really* steep hill.) And since the hill was at the start of their commute, the light wouldn't even be charged enough to power the standlight.

That's gotta be one bigass hill. My dyno lights flicker at 2.5mph and come up constant (but dim) at 4mph. I've only encountered 1 hill that put me below that speed, and luckily it was during the day.

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu207/bearcuban12/HTFU.jpg

That's gotta be one bigass hill. My dyno lights flicker at 2.5mph and come up constant (but dim) at 4mph. I've only encountered 1 hill that put me below that speed, and luckily it was during the day.

Yeah, I hear you, mine are similar. My recollection is that it was a combination of a *really* steep hill, and someone on a heavy "commuter" bike (think old guy with a beard) who didn't like the pedal to fast.

You'll be fine. After the first couple of weeks, it will just be another piece of the ride.

My old commute had a total of 700-800 vertical feet, with 2-3 "stingers" along the way, depending on the route. These were 100-175 foot sections of 13%-18% grade. I chose the steeper, shorter ones on days I felt strong, but typically chose the longer, steadier grades wherever possible.

In my present location (Calgary), the downtown core is on an old lake/riverbed and the rest of the city is located on small but steep banks/hills. Most of the individual sections are no more than 125-200', and some are quite steep. I am presently riding a singlespeed bike with the equivalent of a 42x17 combo with 700cx23 wheels. I've had no trouble with any of the hills, though the steep bits require an aggressive attitude and some leg strength.

If you have gears, you should have nothing more than a little cardiovascular/muscular adjustment, and it will quickly become routine.

I'd love to have this problem. If I want to "climb" I choose the route that takes me on the overpass. :(

I'd love to have this problem. If I want to "climb" I choose the route that takes me on the overpass. :(

Yes...... but just to your east you have all the climbing one could ever hope for (or dread)!

True enough. I just got home from Tahoe City last night and managed to scuff up my 27t cog a bit. :)

I guess a third of a mile isn't really much and I'm making it too big of a deal. I've climbed longer and steeper hills with a standard crankset. I'll admit climbing is my "specialty" as a road cyclist.

The cooldown lap is a good idea. I don't think I would have thought of doing that.

I guess I'll just have to HTFU in mid-August and just do it. I'm hoping the temperatures will fall a bit by then. It's been awfully hot lately.

The worst climb on this hill will be the first time you climb it. After that its all gravy.

Maybe it's me, but i don't feel i've ever gotten used to my hill. Yes, it gets somewhat easier. But i'm glad it's on my way home (meaning i'm usually not in a rush). Though it does feel like an accomplishment i'm proud of.

...In the fall, I'm moving to a new apartment that's on top of a hill. It's much better than the one I'm currently in. The only problem is that its on a hill. The road leading up is a third of a mile long with 175 feet in elevation gain. 10% average grade...

Kind of sounds like mine. It's a 223 ft gain in elevation from the start of the road to my house (1 mile). The steep sections at the beginning are at an average of 11% with as much as a 17.5% grade on one short section of it. After the climb, I have over 1/2 mile of mainly flat with some slight climbing to get to my house.

Like others have said, after a few weeks of doing it, it will get easier and should be no big deal. The right gearing also makes a big difference in climbs like that.

Maybe it's me, but i don't feel i've ever gotten used to my hill. Yes, it gets somewhat easier. But i'm glad it's on my way home (meaning i'm usually not in a rush). Though it does feel like an accomplishment i'm proud of.

I definitely agree with you here. Mine's definitely a bit easier than when I first started last year, but it's still a hard climb. Especially on hot/humid days, it wears me out pretty good.

My work commute takes me from 6200 feet to 6900 feet in the span of 5 miles. Its a steady climb for the most part but there is one steep hill where I feel I probably get about half the elevation gain out of the way. Everyday I tackle that hill I feel like I win (what it is I'm winning I have no idea) and its great. I'm lucky enough to be going uphill on the way back home.

Wow - my area is nothing but hills - up and down and up and down and up. . . well you get the picture.

I used to have a long, difficult hill on my commute. When I climbed it, the only thing I thought about was the climbing.

After a couple of weeks, I noticed my mind drifted to all sorts of things while climbing that hill. It was no longer difficult.

Some hills are long or steep enough that they never become downright easy, but you won't dread it forever.

I guess a third of a mile isn't really much and I'm making it too big of a deal. I've climbed longer and steeper hills with a standard crankset. I'll admit climbing is my "specialty" as a road cyclist.

The cooldown lap is a good idea. I don't think I would have thought of doing that.

I guess I'll just have to HTFU in mid-August and just do it. I'm hoping the temperatures will fall a bit by then. It's been awfully hot lately.

Yeah, on bike cooldown lap is more important in the summer months. When I lived at the top of the hill, I'd frequently roll the bike inside and walk a few blocks for a cooldown. When it was hot out, if I stopped after the climb, I was drenched in sweat and hating it, walking it off didn't work AT ALL! Gotta ride it off when it's hot.

So I've been commuting for almost two years now. I really like it. It's fun, faster, and saves me gas. Also, it keeps me in shape during the winter (along with mountain biking). None of my regular commutes are longer than 5 miles and usually have less than 125 feet in total elevation gain spread out through the entire commute.

You've just been lucky so far to get that much of a route in Knoxville without any more climb than that. My 6-mile commutes from the East Knox to downtown range from 330 to 430 feet of climb depending on route. It's weird how quickly you adapt to the new demands. I used to ride 2 miles to Old North and had something I considered a hill on that route. Now that barely feels like a ride and sometimes I ride up and along a ridge just for the views. I know a guy who's commuting from Old North out to Cedar Bluff an hour and a half each way who probably doesn't think much of my ride anymore.

Pace yourself and get enough gears that you're spinning up that hill and not frying your knees. The upside of doing that in August is that you'll have a shower waiting for you at the end. The downside of doing it in February is that you won't have a chance to warm up before that downhill wind hits you.

In the fall, I'm moving to a new apartment that's on top of a hill. It's much better than the one I'm currently in. The only problem is that its on a hill. The road leading up is a third of a mile long with 175 feet in elevation gain. 10% average grade.

You'll do fine - without the car.

My commute in to work is 4.7 miles, and about 500 feet of climbing, packed into three real hills, and a lot of flats. The first week or two it was a bit of work, but then it got easier, and now it's hardly noticeable. On the other hand, thanks to this and other climbing I do, this is one part of any race where I can usually pull ahead. The more you do it, the easier it'll get.

1/3 of a mile? ****ing walk if you have to. Guarantee it will be quicker than loading the bike on the car in the morning, driving down the 1/3 mile, unloading the bike, then doing the opposite at the end of the day.

Every ride I do ends with a one mile 300 vertical foot climb. I hate it at the beginning of the year when I'm trying to get my legs back after taking the winter off... but after a few weeks, it's just part of the ride. Having an unavoidable nice climb to end your ride whips you into shape mighty fast.

....The road leading up is a third of a mile long with 175 feet in elevation gain. 10% average grade.
Anyone else have any steep hills in their commute? Maybe I'm making it a bigger deal than it should be. I'm sure there's many other people that do harder sections on their commute.

Hah, this thread finally made me post here on BF.

I started cycling to work three months ago and let me tell you: your 'hill' is just a rise in the road ;)
My entire commute is 4.2 miles each way and covers just over 1000 feet of elevation, downhill in the morning and uphill after work. The worst is 400 feet of elevation gain in .62 miles, or about a 12% average grade. That's the hill RIGHT before my house, I crest that hill and am home.
The cooldown lap is essential, I end up doing about half a mile just cooling off.
The biggest problem is when it's hot. I take an extra water bottle and soak myself down liberally to keep from overheating, sometimes several times during the climb.
Finally, if it's really too much, just get off and push. That'll happen less and less often.
I wasn't in good biking shape before I started this, but that's rapidly changing. Dropping down in the morning is a blast, though.

Where do I get data on altitude changes on the roads I ride?

We have not flats in central Mass, everything is hills.

Not a big deal. Just consider it a bonus to your commute.

Too much thinking. Just ride the dang thing.
10% for a third of a mile isn't too bad. I've done that and more on a fixed gear.

"What doesn't destroy me makes me stronger"

I thought it made us "Stranger". (From the Joker)

I would just ride as it is just 1/3 mile.

Where do I get data on altitude changes on the roads I ride?

Enter your route on mapmyride.com, and look at the right edge of the screen for an (unchecked) check box that says something about altitude or elevation ( I can't remember which ).

Too much thinking. Just ride the dang thing.
10% for a third of a mile isn't too bad. I've done that and more on a fixed gear.

+1