Never get out of the boat, never get off the bike.

Especially when there are photographers close by.

Which one is you ?

none of them.

The polka dots make it even funnier.

What was that at the top/ end of?

("Never get out of the boat!" - that's some good advice right there, I forgot how young Fishburn and Sheen were in that)

"...unless you're going all the way..."

Great photos, that lady looks like she is going to die.

Incorrect. Where are the pictures of the people who refused to dismount and fell over because they couldn't cut it?

Nice...

I was out for a ride with my 8 year old daughter last summer and we have this little climb on out route that has a 12% grade for a few hundred metres.

She goes up the hill in the saddle singing her riding song and ringing her bell and passed a few people who had opted to walk their bikes up.

At the top (we were waiting for her sister) she told them that it was okay because her dad said a lot of people have to walk up this hill.

I can only dream that she becomes the first woman to win the TdF.

Cτte de la Redoute and Cτte de Drolenval.

here's some video of a guy kind of doing it.

What's the grade and length of those climbs.

https://www.climbbybike.com/

And he delivers!

Well, good for them for trying. To be fair, none of them look like pure athletes. Especially the woman on a hybrid.

Edited by Moderators

Steven Rooks Classic translated for Americans: A 90+ mile ride in the Netherlands, very hilly, with climbs maxing out near 1300 feet in elevation. For So Cal residents, it would be the equivalent of an imperial century ride in the Santa Monicas with Las Flores tossed in for the walking photos.

In the botto linked video, I'm mystified by the woman in black walking up without her bike

So what's the gradient on the slope where that picture was taken b?

I'll guess 18%

In 20+ years of doing this I have never dismounted my bicycle on a climb because it was too steep. Not once. I'd rather go into utter and complete vapor lock trying. And one warm September morning in 1990 or so, on the 20%+ slopes of Fiddler's Elbow Road in western NJ as I struggled up it in the 42 x 21, I almost did.

But I ride up an 18% grade every time I come home. It's just below my driveway in fact. It's not so bad when you can see your mailbox.

But what's the length of that 18% grade below your driveway with the mailbox in sight? The OP pictures don't include any context such as how long into the ride that climb takes place, or how long it is. A good half mile of 18% after 80+ miles of constant up and down might just be enough for those people to say, "F it, I'm walking."

I hit 28% every day on my way home. Of course it's only for 4 feet, but hey, it means I'm better than all of you

Just last year...



Sometimes even the pros have to do it.

in the pro's case, it looks like it might have been a traction issue

It was drier this time (2006):