So Ya Like to Climb, Do Ya?
09-16-14, 01:36 AM
#2
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Wouldn't have a hope of winning, but it looks like a fun course to just ride.
09-16-14, 04:38 AM
#3
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27 percent incline, followed by 8km 17 percent, sounds like fun for a masochist
09-16-14, 07:52 AM
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Shoot. I'll be there the week before that. There's no way I could stay an extra week, I would have loved to have raced this. . . well at least the me in 2010 would have loved to race it.
09-16-14, 08:00 AM
#7
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09-16-14, 08:02 AM
#8
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Are riders doing any special modifications to their gearing or bike setup for this? 27 percent--I can't even comprehend it.
09-16-14, 08:08 AM
#9
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09-16-14, 08:26 AM
#12
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I have a 27% section coming out of my neighborhood, although it's only for a couple hundred meters. With a compact and a 28 it's actually not too bad if you are standing. Of course I'm still going like 4-5mph and only 40 something for a cadence. It's a nice way to start every ride with absolutely no warm up.
09-16-14, 08:48 AM
#14
Mr. Dopolina
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Yeah. I've done it but finished well behind the main bunch. In fact this is about the worst possible course for me. Rode it. Hated it. It kicked my arse.
Last edited by Bob Dopolina; 09-16-14 at 11:13 AM.
09-16-14, 09:33 AM
#16
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I would take serious consideration into ending myself from exhaustion on a bicycle just to win that prize money. A prize of 33 grand for the men's?? Bye, time to go diet/train! 
09-16-14, 10:08 AM
#17
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I just climbed my longest and steepest to date last week twice. The beginning of the week I rode up a 10% for 1.7 miles. That was the longest and steepest (my roads around home are rollercoaster 8% quarter to half mile long constantly for the duration of the ride, up and down and up and down.) The end of the week, I rode 17.8% that was only about 500 ft in length, steepest now to date. Climbed it no problem, but I had never had to breathe that heavy in my life!
At 8-10%, it would take me forever to climb miles and miles. Down in my lowest gear, I'd be looking at 3-4 mph. 17% average for 8 km? I wouldn't have been able to go any further than the 500 ft at 17.8% that I did last Friday, LOL.
You all go and have fun. Maybe after another 50 lb weight loss, I'll be able to climb enough to just do the Dirty Dozen in Pittsburgh. Last week showed me, I'm definitely not ready for the Dirty Dozen even.
At 8-10%, it would take me forever to climb miles and miles. Down in my lowest gear, I'd be looking at 3-4 mph. 17% average for 8 km? I wouldn't have been able to go any further than the 500 ft at 17.8% that I did last Friday, LOL.
You all go and have fun. Maybe after another 50 lb weight loss, I'll be able to climb enough to just do the Dirty Dozen in Pittsburgh. Last week showed me, I'm definitely not ready for the Dirty Dozen even.
09-16-14, 12:02 PM
#18
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When I first began cycling four years and 15,000 miles ago, I avoided hill like the plague. I've since improved quite a bit and with very low, near loaded touring gearing, I can climb anything in my area. Granted, coastal Rhode Island is mostly flat but there are a few hills, climbing out of river valleys. Once I got somewhat capable at climbing I wondered how steep some of the hills were. I actually made a protractor device, used with a carpenters pocket level and went out and measured those hills.
The steepest at about 1/4 mile long, was 11 to 12 %. Standing at the top, looking down felt like looking into the abyss of the grand canyon. I road down this hill also and the rims got very hot. This hill, bordering the Sakonnett River is the steepest I've found. The others in the area are not as steep but are longer. I am dumbfounded reading about double centuries with over 10,000 feet of climbing.
The steepest at about 1/4 mile long, was 11 to 12 %. Standing at the top, looking down felt like looking into the abyss of the grand canyon. I road down this hill also and the rims got very hot. This hill, bordering the Sakonnett River is the steepest I've found. The others in the area are not as steep but are longer. I am dumbfounded reading about double centuries with over 10,000 feet of climbing.
09-16-14, 01:06 PM
#19
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The steepest my Garmin has ever displayed that I've seen is low 20's, and I was out of breath very quickly. Did a 4.5 mile 8% climb and had to stop twice. Way out of my league.
09-16-14, 09:11 PM
#20
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I love me some climbing, buuuut... yikes!
My most brutal climb to date is Tramway Road out of Palm Springs. I think it's rated by some as the second-hardest climb in SoCal. I was on a rental bike, and sick to boot, and it like to kill me. I mean that literally. At the top, the last 1/3 mile or so, it goes from steep to STEEP and by then, well, I was trippin'.
I've got a great conditioning loop near my rural home, 33 miles with about 3000 feet of climbing, some of it both long and steep. But that Taiwan route..... wow.
My most brutal climb to date is Tramway Road out of Palm Springs. I think it's rated by some as the second-hardest climb in SoCal. I was on a rental bike, and sick to boot, and it like to kill me. I mean that literally. At the top, the last 1/3 mile or so, it goes from steep to STEEP and by then, well, I was trippin'.
I've got a great conditioning loop near my rural home, 33 miles with about 3000 feet of climbing, some of it both long and steep. But that Taiwan route..... wow.
09-16-14, 09:18 PM
#22
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