FYI, grades are expressed in percentage, not degrees. It's "rise over run". The amount of gain compared (roughly) to the distance traveled.

In other words, a 45 degree angle would be (roughly) a 100% grade.

Important correction. Thank you!

Have you ridden up Canton Avenue? It's been called the steepest street in the country, although there is one in San Francisco and one in Hawaii that might have it beat. Top 3 for sure. I would love to try that. But not in clipless pedals. Would need to be ready to abort.

Here's a video of cyclists going up Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh. Looks fun (if you can make it).

In L.A. there is Fargo street.

I think the perfect bike for the dirty dozen race would be a tandem. I would do it on mine, but then I would have to climb steep hills. Wouldn't be prudent.

Yes, on my 3rd try. The first time I took a bad line to the left, and ended up in some slick leaves; back wheel slipped so I aborted early. The second time I was maybe 2/3rds of the way up when I hit a cobble wrong and it threw me off balance; I managed to unclip in time (I was on SPDs). The 3rd time I got it right. The rental bike had 34-front/36-rear gearing; clearly they knew their clientele and terrain.


Canton is short, but the next one I did (Boustead) was a real lung buster as it was quite a bit longer. When I was approaching the steep part a young local kid (clearly having witnessed a lot of attempts) yelled out "You're not going to make it!" I took some pride in getting up without stopping, although I was definitely gasping for air at the top.

That's good stuff, thanks! That would make for a fun hobby, to seek out the toughest climbs in the country and give them a try.

interestingly there’s always a fair amount of debate about this, with some lists including things that aren’t really “streets” proper, and grade measurements depending on how long a distance once measures, and whether they’re measured along the fall line or crown or whatever.

i believe canton in pittsburgh is 37%.

18%!!!!!!! Yikes

I'd try the dirty dozen in sneakers or trail runners. Carbon soles is suicide, how you do walk down Pave with leaves. I know I'd walk on some of them.

24/34 gearing on a bike with super long chain stays and large tires at low pressure and wide handlebars.

There's a section on our road that exceeds all of those, but it's really short so I just bunny hop over it.

here are some 20% grade roads. even on my mid drive ebike this is hard.the path one was so short and steep and mossy we walked down since it had that 90 degree turn right at the bottom.

Florida is pretty flat, but can have some hills where I ride around the Ocala Nat Forest. One part of SR 19 you are either going up or going down. There is one area where the Juniper Wayside Park sits in essentially a bowl. Either side is fairly steep. To the north of where I live is the unpaved roads in the forest. There's one hill that always gets me. I call it "hell hill". It's bad cause it has many pot holes, cracks, and large stones. Makes getting momentum hard. Here is a view looking down from the top.

have not done Canton - but have done a few of the Dirty Dozen climbs including Sycamore and Logan ... did those climbs on road bikes - 38/28 and 39/27 gearing

we did frequent rides down into Sewickley PA *** (near the Ohio River) - with a few options to return including the Redgate climb which I believe is around 2 miles in length (? can’t recall) ... one part (1/2 mile to 1 mile ?) might be around a 10% grade and another part (1/2 mile to 1 mile ?) might be around a 12% grade

*** SweetWater Bike shop is located in Ambridge PA - near Sewickley ... great bike shop

the problem with that might be the flexibility of the soles

just gotta hope the small rubber attachments/ thingies on the carbon soles stop you from
skiing down the hill lol