View Poll Results: Climbing rate in feet per hour?
3,000 or greater
7
14.89%
2,750 to 2,999
1
2.13%
2,500 to 2,749
6
12.77%
2,250 to 2,499
8
17.02%
2,000 to 2,249
8
17.02%
1,999 and below
17
36.17%
Voters: 47. You may not vote on this poll
How good a climber are you?
06-05-10, 02:45 PM
#1
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How good a climber are you?
Since everyone seems to love comparison performance threads, I thought a climbing one was in order. Guidelines: Answer is in vertical feet per hour climbing with grades greater than 5% and the minimum times of 20 minutes. Steeper and longer are better. Some of you will be live in a area that is flat. So be creative.
So who can really climb? Basso in the Giro d'Italia on the stage where he took over the Pink Jersey - 1773 m/hr or 5817 feet per hour.
Anyone have Basso beat? If you are above 3,000 f/h, how much?
So who can really climb? Basso in the Giro d'Italia on the stage where he took over the Pink Jersey - 1773 m/hr or 5817 feet per hour.
Anyone have Basso beat? If you are above 3,000 f/h, how much?
Last edited by Hermes; 06-05-10 at 05:10 PM.
06-05-10, 02:56 PM
#2
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There are no climbs in my entire state that would meet your criteria. But, I've ridden in the mountains of Tennessee so I've at least had a chance to climb some bigger stuff. I was very close to the 2/3 borderline, but I'm going to round down and call it 2000-2249 ft.
Edit: since I'm the only respondent, I'm in the majority!
Edit: since I'm the only respondent, I'm in the majority!
06-05-10, 02:59 PM
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Southern MN is pretty flat until you get over towards the Mississippi river.
06-05-10, 03:15 PM
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So you called me out on this one dude. Of course I have to list my 3500' Whiteface climb from last week.
In excess of 2300'/hr which I hope to beat in 2 weeks time. But as you recall from the info in the thread it is a solid 8.5%, no rest as it only goes on for 8 miles. Not stellar by any stretch.
I did Greylock at a little faster pace last fall but that is only 2700' and when done from the south side has a bit of down hill in it about 1/4 of the way up (but because of that you get an extra 300' of climbing).
So to be able to maintain truth in advertising I'll use the Whiteface stats.
In excess of 2300'/hr which I hope to beat in 2 weeks time. But as you recall from the info in the thread it is a solid 8.5%, no rest as it only goes on for 8 miles. Not stellar by any stretch.
I did Greylock at a little faster pace last fall but that is only 2700' and when done from the south side has a bit of down hill in it about 1/4 of the way up (but because of that you get an extra 300' of climbing).
So to be able to maintain truth in advertising I'll use the Whiteface stats.
06-05-10, 03:36 PM
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Never even thought about measuring rate of climb. I have a ride that has 3,000ft of climbing in 30 miles and that ride with stops for Pie and coffee takes 3 hours.
Then there is the offroad that I used to do that is 10,000ft of climbing in 100 miles. Best I have done that in was 12 hours.
Then there was Ventoux- 5,000ft of climbing in 13 miles but I can't even remember much about that ride now.
I don't care how fast I climb slopes- providing I don't walk.
Then there is the offroad that I used to do that is 10,000ft of climbing in 100 miles. Best I have done that in was 12 hours.
Then there was Ventoux- 5,000ft of climbing in 13 miles but I can't even remember much about that ride now.
I don't care how fast I climb slopes- providing I don't walk.
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06-05-10, 03:53 PM
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This is an interesting poll. I went to California last month to watch some of the Tour of Ca and ride a lot of the northern Ca half of the courses. I went up Howell Mountain road and climbed 1184' in 20 minutes for an hourly rate of 3552 ft/hr. Of course, I couldn't hold that rate for the full hour. Another day we climbed Sierra Rd, and I climbed 1760 ft in 35min which I think gives me 3017 ft/hr. I can't find any records of a climb which was close to an hour, but in Italy last summer, I did several 2+ hr climbs and the best actual gain in an hour I could cherry pick was 2400 ft. So I'm going with the 3552 number!
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06-05-10, 03:55 PM
#7
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I don't have the terrain to do a sustained climb here but this mornings hill repeats totalled 42km and 5040 ft vertical gain in 1:52 so simple division shows 2700 ft/hr. That includes the descent time as well but its just an estimate.
Last edited by jdon; 06-05-10 at 05:40 PM.
06-05-10, 03:56 PM
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What stage & climb was that? I was thinking stage 19 but I don't see a 1730m climb.
Or more likely your math or the numbers you cite? If he climbed 1730m in 2/3 of an hour, how could his rate only be 1773 m/hr? The climb averaged 17.3 %? Something's off here.
In any case don't usually time myself but I live near the top of Old La Honda (since you're in the area), and after a long ride, this being the climb home, I usually do that climb in 35-40 minutes or so, so that would be about 2000-2200 ft/hr rate for an average 7.3% grade. Now you've got me wondering what kind of rate I put in on a nice steep singletrack climb. Won't be impressive, never have been a fast climber.
Or more likely your math or the numbers you cite? If he climbed 1730m in 2/3 of an hour, how could his rate only be 1773 m/hr? The climb averaged 17.3 %? Something's off here.
In any case don't usually time myself but I live near the top of Old La Honda (since you're in the area), and after a long ride, this being the climb home, I usually do that climb in 35-40 minutes or so, so that would be about 2000-2200 ft/hr rate for an average 7.3% grade. Now you've got me wondering what kind of rate I put in on a nice steep singletrack climb. Won't be impressive, never have been a fast climber.
06-05-10, 03:57 PM
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That's not a number I keep track of, but I looked over my recent Ascent numbers and 2200 VAM was the biggest number. I would add that for me all hills are poseur exposures.
06-05-10, 05:08 PM
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What stage & climb was that? I was thinking stage 19 but I don't see a 1730m climb.
Or more likely your math or the numbers you cite? If he climbed 1730m in 2/3 of an hour, how could his rate only be 1773 m/hr? The climb averaged 17.3 %? Something's off here.
In any case don't usually time myself but I live near the top of Old La Honda (since you're in the area), and after a long ride, this being the climb home, I usually do that climb in 35-40 minutes or so, so that would be about 2000-2200 ft/hr rate for an average 7.3% grade. Now you've got me wondering what kind of rate I put in on a nice steep singletrack climb. Won't be impressive, never have been a fast climber.
Or more likely your math or the numbers you cite? If he climbed 1730m in 2/3 of an hour, how could his rate only be 1773 m/hr? The climb averaged 17.3 %? Something's off here.
In any case don't usually time myself but I live near the top of Old La Honda (since you're in the area), and after a long ride, this being the climb home, I usually do that climb in 35-40 minutes or so, so that would be about 2000-2200 ft/hr rate for an average 7.3% grade. Now you've got me wondering what kind of rate I put in on a nice steep singletrack climb. Won't be impressive, never have been a fast climber.
06-05-10, 05:17 PM
#11
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Mine would definitely be the 1,999 and below.
Way below.
Way below.
06-05-10, 05:54 PM
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We don't have any really big hills here in Michigan. I know a 50-footer near my house takes me 3 to 5 minutes, which is 600 to 1000 ft/hr.
06-05-10, 06:37 PM
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Jeez ... I have no effing idea.
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06-05-10, 06:43 PM
#14
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I think I'd have to use negative numbers for my formula.
06-05-10, 06:47 PM
#15
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We have a number of 10 to 20 mile climbs in Washington state; I'm trying to do them all. I've never calculated feet/hour, though. I'm a steady climber, not at all fast. Maybe 2,000 feet/hour?
06-05-10, 06:53 PM
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Oops bad post try again
Last edited by byte_speed; 06-05-10 at 08:01 PM. Reason: formatting
06-05-10, 06:54 PM
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I looked up the best time from the 2009 Whiteface race - that rider did 4776 ft/hr, he made it up in 1/2 the time it took me last weekend. He was 23 YO. My riding buddy's climb rate in late years race was 3200ft/hr.
06-05-10, 07:19 PM
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I"m with Steve0257 - there aren't the right kind of hills in Minnesota to even make an estimate. I kinda wish there were. Lots of my riding pals talk about being a good climber or a not-such-good climber, but it's Minnesota for chrissake - none of us are good climbers 'cause we don't have the hills to practice on.
Things are a little better over the river in Wisconsin, but even there there are few if any climbs that take more than 10 minutes.
Things are a little better over the river in Wisconsin, but even there there are few if any climbs that take more than 10 minutes.
06-05-10, 07:43 PM
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I climbed Mt Evans in just under three hours including rest stops. So, 1,400 to 1,500 feet per hour. That puts me at the bottom of your scale.
Of course, the climb started at 10,000 feet and change. I'm a lifelong lowlander and flatlander, have only 1½ working lungs, smoked for 35 years, plus there's no air up there to begin with, so I think I did all right. Oh, and I did it on my 27-pound commuter, not some candy-@$$ "climbing bike".
Four days later, I did a similar climb from Lyons, CO to Allenspark in a similar time, as part of a century. That one peaked at 9,500 feet or so.
YMMV.
Of course, the climb started at 10,000 feet and change. I'm a lifelong lowlander and flatlander, have only 1½ working lungs, smoked for 35 years, plus there's no air up there to begin with, so I think I did all right. Oh, and I did it on my 27-pound commuter, not some candy-@$$ "climbing bike".
Four days later, I did a similar climb from Lyons, CO to Allenspark in a similar time, as part of a century. That one peaked at 9,500 feet or so.
YMMV.
Last edited by tsl; 06-05-10 at 07:52 PM.
06-05-10, 08:02 PM
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Here are some stats I gathered a while back on some well known climbs. The timing and elevations may not be precise, they are the best guess I could come up with off the internet. Most are for Alpe D'Huez where stats are a little more available. The climbing rate I used was feet/min rather than per hour, but 100 ft/min = 6000 ft/hr.
A video of a little of the Pantani climb of Montecampione https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sai89r3-kao.
By the way, I can't climb.
A video of a little of the Pantani climb of Montecampione https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sai89r3-kao.
Code:
Climb mi ft Grade Rider Year Time mph ft/min Verbier 2.65 2100 15.0% Contador 2009 00:20:36 7.72 101.93 Plan di Montecampione 12.00 4900 7.7% Pantani 1998 00:49:00 14.69 100.00 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Pantani 1995 00:36:50 13.97 97.11 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Pantani 1997 00:36:55 13.94 96.89 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Pantani 1994 00:37:15 13.81 96.02 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Armstrong 2004 00:37:36 13.68 95.13 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Ullrich 1997 00:37:40 13.66 94.96 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Armstrong 2001 00:38:05 13.51 93.92 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Indurain 1995 00:38:10 13.48 93.71 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Zulle 1995 00:38:10 13.48 93.71 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% B Riis 1995 00:38:15 13.45 93.51 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Virenque 1997 00:38:20 13.42 93.31 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Mayo 2003 00:39:06 13.16 91.48 l'Alpe D'Huez 8.57 3577 7.9% Guerriin 1999 00:41:52 12.29 85.43
06-05-10, 08:15 PM
#21
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I copied the info from a facebook post of a friend and I agree the numbers I posted do not seem to work via calculation but I suspect the climbing rate is correct but one of the numbers is wrong or being misinterpreted. Basso's climbing rate would correspond to an OLH: 13:19.
06-05-10, 08:15 PM
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I climbed Mt Baldy today, 5000 feet in 35 miles, or so. We stopped a couple times and I think it took 3+ hours. That's all I got.
Last edited by big john; 06-05-10 at 09:38 PM. Reason: 35. not 3
06-05-10, 08:29 PM
#24
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The fastest previous time up OLH was Eric Heiden at 14:37 and typical winning times for the elite 1/2 riders is 15:XX
06-05-10, 08:49 PM
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Thought I saw a Heiden time in the 13's too...but not sure. Of course if the road is actually closed, who knows?