Originally Posted by
BengalCat
A 20 percent grade for any climb other than a very short blip on a full climb of a lesser grade is beyond the overwhelming majority of recreational riders. If you are going to be able to climb 20 percent grades you need some serious power and fitness. Even a professional rider in their prime would suffer on say a two-mile climb if they were pushing it.
We have similar terrain here in WV, PA, KY. The agonizing Alleghenies. They are not two miles of 20% climbing like the Alps, but there are little hidden sections between all of the twists and turns that get you for maybe 20 - 50 yards at a time at 20%... Little patches that some of we OFs (Old Farts) want to keep pedaling on to get back to the relief of the 12 - 15% grade parts. These are the former deer paths that run from the creeks to the ridges here and have managed to escape the relentless eye of the paver..