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How far from your door to decent climbing?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

How far from your door to decent climbing?

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Old 10-20-14, 10:01 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by on the path
While in Sacramento earlier this year I remember remarking how flat it looked. At least between downtown and the airport anyway..
Yep. The Thursday night ride is actually called the Airport Ride because we ride around it. Check it out: less than a foot per mile.

https://www.strava.com/activities/177135231
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Old 10-20-14, 10:06 PM
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Originally Posted by utahp8ntballer
So is the southeast of Phoenix. I miss UT.
How far are you from South Mountain? It's a 40 mile ride for me.
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Old 10-20-14, 10:38 PM
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I have Thee hardest stage of The Tour De California in my back yard. Sadly, I don't have the rear cogs for it since I ride a 12 speed. I do training rides up to the part before it gets really instense although.
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Old 10-20-14, 10:46 PM
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These two rides are right out of my front door. Dead end ranch roads are not in the best condition, however.
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Old 10-20-14, 11:42 PM
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I live about 800 metres from the entrance to Mount Douglas park, site of the feared Mt. Doug Hill Climb. A 1km+ sprint at around 17% grade. The record is held by former world champion Roland Green--under five minutes.
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Old 10-21-14, 12:49 AM
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Pretty close, I live in Covina CA, but I hate hills
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Old 10-21-14, 01:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Mazatleco17
Pretty close, I live in Covina CA, but I hate hills
GMR is the best!
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Old 10-21-14, 02:25 AM
  #33  
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2 hr ride to hc stuff. plenty of punchy, quarter/half-mile stuff nearby.
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Old 10-21-14, 03:59 AM
  #34  
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I dont live in mountainous areas but you can get as much climbing in by a mere planning of your route here in Boyne Country. A good climb is just down the street....anywhere you turn.
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Old 10-21-14, 04:51 AM
  #35  
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I live at the base of Temple Mountain, I can't go anywhere with out climbing. There a short 14% climb less than a .10 of a mile away, and 4 miles at 6% at the end of my road.
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Old 10-21-14, 05:21 AM
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Originally Posted by on the path
Honestly didn't think I was that lucky. Maybe I should change my mind. If I lived on the other side of the river (<10 miles from here) climbing squares from home would be easily doable.

Kind of surprised by so many responses from the flatlands..
Okay, so what is a "climbing square"?
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Old 10-21-14, 05:35 AM
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17 miles from Hors category but lots of "smaller" climbs nearby.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:02 AM
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250+ miles to the north, east, and south, and 500+ miles to the west. No, I'm not exaggerating.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:11 AM
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Do rollers count? I grew up in the flatlands of LA where the only climbs were on highway overpasses. I really like the rollers right outside my front door and throughout all my rides. Central IA has a lot of rolling countryside.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:19 AM
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About 150 miles
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Old 10-21-14, 07:30 AM
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The nearest hill is about 25 miles away, the nearest good rollers start at about 50 miles away. Anything resembling a real climb 90-100 miles away.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:32 AM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Okay, so what is a "climbing square"?
= 100 vertical feet per mile, or 1000' per 10 miles

3/4 of that rate on a longer ride is a pretty good day of climbing. Mountain bike races often exceed 100' per mile.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Machka
We live on 14% grade. Just walking up from the garage to the front door is probably close to a 20% grade.

The moment I roll out of either of our driveways, I'm either descending or climbing.

This is Tasmania, after all.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by on the path
= 100 vertical feet per mile, or 1000' per 10 miles

3/4 of that rate on a longer ride is a pretty good day of climbing. Mountain bike races often exceed 100' per mile.
So that is an average 2% grade, right? Or 4% grade for half the ride and -4% for the other half more or less to get back to your starting point. Since you don't count the -4% as climbing, the climbing comes out to an average of 2%. Let me know if I don't understand how to figure this properly.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:46 AM
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I live in a canyon in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. I can ride from home up to 7900' when I feel froggy.
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Old 10-21-14, 07:57 AM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
So that is an average 2% grade, right? Or 4% grade for half the ride and -4% for the other half more or less to get back to your starting point. Since you don't count the -4% as climbing, the climbing comes out to an average of 2%. Let me know if I don't understand how to figure this properly.
Hopefully there is somebody here that can explain the average grade involved, I can't. I do know that a 60 mile ride with 6000' of climbing is a vigorous workout.. for me anyway. I know some guys, and there are probably a few reading, who wouldn't think much of it. Must have some billy goat genes in them..
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Old 10-21-14, 08:30 AM
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120km round trip for a 380m hill with a wickedly steep climb on one side and more gradual one other. Makes for a good short exercise run. I like to either repeat the hill three times or ride out further East then hit 3 smaller ranges and circle back for a 220km ride. There is an option for a 6 range 3000m plus climb if I want but it means 300km in one day. Done it 4 times this year, but it takes too much time with a family.
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Old 10-21-14, 09:15 AM
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Originally Posted by on the path
How far from your door to decent climbing? In other words, if you get on your bike at home how many miles do you have to ride to get to steeper and/or extended climbing?

It's pretty flat in my immediate vicinity. If I ride 10 miles to the west there is a 7 mile climb. That one has grades up to 7 and 8% and levels off and goes down few times. It's not a steady climb. I can go south about 15 miles and hit a much tougher climb. That one is about 4 miles and hits 14% grade several times and even 17% at one point (measured by my Garmin.) That one doesn't let up much. After reaching these 2 there is more climbing to do in the respective areas.
On one hand, I can get a nice 10-15 mile warmup before the real fun begins. On the other hand, if I want to get a decent amount of vertical feet in, I'm out for a minimum of 2 1/2 hours. Also, it makes it impossible, for all practical purposes, to climb squares from home. That's what I'm dealing with. Whatcha all got?
I live in flat land so it's about 50 miles away.
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Old 10-21-14, 09:53 AM
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I live on a ridge in eastern CT. My 17.5 mi. loop has 1,000 ft. of climbing. It's my flattest route. So, not far.
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Old 10-21-14, 10:05 AM
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I live on a pretty decent hill that has a 15% grade over a mile.
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