Time for a plug. If any of you Mid-Atlantic riders are looking for a good climbing ride, this is a good one. The race director is an avid cyclist and does a fantastic job. Some of us BF C&V people get together and do it. It is very well organized/supported and has a lot of value for the money. Good camping options for those on a budget. Very scenic and usually good weather. Give it a look.

The 8th Annual Storming of Thunder Ridge - May 21, 2017 - Storming of Thunder Ridge Storming of Thunder Ridge - www.stormingofthunderridge.org

I live in IL, even small rises in the pavement crush my soul.

Never had a serious (rock or ice) climbing injury. A year ago I had to spend 24 hours in the ER and ICU after a car hit me while I was doing hill repeats on the bike. :(

Yeah, there is no 60 mile climb to 10,000 ft. The closest to that are all in Hawaii: Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Haleakala.

If you're not already familiar, this is one of my favourite climbing sites: pjammcycling.com.

I think we need to define "short" steep better.


15% x 0.3 miles, 15% x 0.5 miles, 15% X 0.8 miles, 13% x 1.2 miles, 12% x 2 miles.....require different skills and strategy.


I also find Strava grade among a "very short" distance (<0.2 mi) could be very misleading. The avg grade of strava over 0.5-1 mile would be more accurate. For "grade of a very short distance", I trust the instantaneous reading of my garmin better.

You guys are funny. Who cares about paved climbing, it's a paved road - grade is irrelevant. Click-click-click into the big cog and just pedal until you're done.

Get at me when you want to talk about steep climbs on dirt in the rain, or gravel with loose 3" stone aggregate. Climbs where you have to seriously consider body position and approach angle to keep moving forward over logs and washouts. Where 22/36 is not a small enough gear at any bodyweight.

:lol:

I'm better looking than you.

And you like to haul cats.

Oops! My typo, I meant a 22%. I hit the 9 on accident as there are no 29ers around here.

True, good point about the climb length of the steep grades. I wish the people who claim them would also list the distance.

I know some of the steep grades around here are 10% for a length of a mile at the most it seems. The 22% was about 1/4 mile. Yes 6% for 8 miles is pretty common in the mountains.

When people say come here and do my steep climbs, it makes me wonder where they live and where they can find roads of 20% for miles at a time, as some have claimed. :innocent:

I do view my Garmin in rides so I can compare them on Strava. Yes I have been on rides that average 6% and see a 10% here and there in a tight corner. But when I get home on Strava, I do see a 20% grade for a short bit. Must have been a man hole cover or something in the road that gave a 20% for a foot or so. I don't know but I never felt it.

Up steep hills.

I'd be more impressed if you'd haul kittens in your pockets past dogs.

By the way do you have the link to that pic? Beth has been real interested in kittens lately, she'd love to see.

The MTB forum is down the hall.

You do realize that many of us roadies are MTB'ers as well? Especially those of us who live in the mountains?

Where's the bike? :foo: Get at me when you want to talk free soloing.

I know, I see you guys walking up the really steep stuff all the time. :thumb:

I lol'd.:)

Ha ha, NO! Actually around here we climb the trails shuttle by MTB'ers. Most MTB'ers shuttle up the mountain roads only to ride down the trail. I'd be embarrassed to shuttle up a mountain road. My friends and I ride the trail up on our MTB's.

Perhaps you are putting too much weight into your label as an MTB'er rather than the considering the individuals themselves. Common forum member mistake underestimating fellow cyclists.

Just so I don't sound like an ignorant cyclist, I know there are some bad ass riders who actually climb the trails these guys shuttle. I know because I ride with them. But there are very few that ride UP these trails that most MTB'er only use the shuttle.

Pretty common sight around the area where I live. Roadbikers climbing the mountain roads, very few MTB'ers climbing the trails (as me and my friends) but a whole lot of them shuttling up.

So again, not wanting to sound ignorant, there are bad ass riders in both disciplines. The label has nothing to do with the individual. :innocent:

Seems like good advice.

Never mind.

http://i.imgur.com/dFBTfhm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0SKfBRz.jpg


18,500ft climbed on that trip.

Reflectors need to come off. NOT HOT.

Forgive me for not having read through this thread. But has anyone yet quoted Eddy Merckx?

As long as the flag can stay.

Happened to me a few times and really wished I had MTB gears. :lol:

Yes, actually. See below-

Says the guy telling a room full of roadies about MTB trails. :lol: