Climbing for dummies

[battleaxe0]

So one of my toughest hills around here looks like this:
https://www.strava.com/segments/5358372
Yeah - 26 feet over 0.1 mile. Try not to laugh too hard.

Larry, I'll be up your way next week with the opportunity to try this one - though I'm not sure yet if I'll make the attempt:
https://www.strava.com/segments/1302719
1631 feet over 3.2 miles. My legs are tired just typing that.

I'll be on my trike for a number of reasons, but primarily that I don't trust myself on real hills on any 2 wheel bent and I don't have a rack to carry the Silvio yet.

Any suggestions on pulling that off for a flatlander? Should I even try?

My concern is it's a 2 lane road carved into the mountainside - no places to stop for about 2/3 of the way up and only one level spot for about 30 yards to catch a breath.

 

[jond]

So one of my toughest hills around here looks like this:
https://www.strava.com/segments/5358372
Yeah - 26 feet over 0.1 mile. Try not to laugh too hard.

Larry, I'll be up your way next week with the opportunity to try this one - though I'm not sure yet if I'll make the attempt:
https://www.strava.com/segments/1302719
1631 feet over 3.2 miles. My legs are tired just typing that.

I'll be on my trike for a number of reasons, but primarily that I don't trust myself on real hills on any 2 wheel bent and I don't have a rack to carry the Silvio yet.

Any suggestions on pulling that off for a flatlander? Should I even try?

My concern is it's a 2 lane road carved into the mountainside - no places to stop for about 2/3 of the way up and only one level spot for about 30 yards to catch a breath.

greenspeed magnum fitted with fsa triple right? replace your 30T with a 24T granny. climb up walls that way.

 

[Charles.Plager]

replace your 30T with a 24T granny. climb up walls that way.

Amen brother!

 

[Abbott Smith]

greenspeed magnum fitted with fsa triple right? replace your 30T with a 24T granny. climb up walls that way.

Spider Axe, Spider Axe, climbs whatever a Spider Axe can...

 

[ratz]

Spider Axe, Spider Axe, climbs whatever a Spider Axe can...

With a great granny comes great responsibility.

 

[ratz]

greenspeed magnum fitted with fsa triple right? replace your 30T with a 24T granny. climb up walls that way.

might be faster to take a Vendetta and AROUND the mountain.

 

[LarryOz]

Larry, I'll be up your way next week with the opportunity to try this one - though I'm not sure yet if I'll make the attempt:
https://www.strava.com/segments/1302719
1631 feet over 3.2 miles. My legs are tired just typing that.

...
Scott,
Yes, I live just south of this area, but have never cycled up this stretch you gave us the segment on.
I will email you my address and phone number
If you come by this way either up or down and want to say hi, have a meal, whatever, give me a call.

The KOM is 38:11 and from a DF by the looks of the rider. That is very slow, even for that grade. Is there anyway to know if it is paved or gravel?
One thing for sure, is that you will get a least a 2nd place on Strava since the KOM is the "only" recorded time,
Apparently there has not been anyone brave (or dumb) enough to do this route again since Apr, 2012.
Wow - what a "little" climb. At least it is only 5K long, but if I where you, I would not submit it for the 5K TT effort! haha

Good luck and take some video footage if you can!

 

[ratz]

Apparently there has not been anyone brave (or dumb)

Oh come now it's not like that thing has 25% grades in spots.
I'll come ride my Vendetta up it. As soon as I fit an e-assist rear wheel to it.

 

[LarryOz]

Oh come now it's not like that thing has 25% grades in spots.

Yeah, but most of time these Strava segment "grades" are not correct.
If correct, or even close, then I'm willing to bet it is a gravel or dirt road, especially with a 38:11 time for 5.3KM

 

[battleaxe0]

...
Scott,
Yes, I live just south of this area, but have never cycled up this stretch you gave us the segment on.
I will email you my address and phone number
If you come by this way either up or down and want to say hi, have a meal, whatever, give me a call.

The KOM is 38:11 and from a DF by the looks of the rider. That is very slow, even for that grade. Is there anyway to know if it is paved or gravel?
One thing for sure, is that you will get a least a 2nd place on Strava since the KOM is the "only" recorded time,
Apparently there has not been anyone brave (or dumb) enough to do this route again since Apr, 2012.
Wow - what a "little" climb. At least it is only 5K long, but if I where you, I would not submit it for the 5K TT effort! haha

Good luck and take some video footage if you can!

It's paved - I've been up and down it a few times, just not on a bike. It's pretty steep - have to ride down it in first gear in parts in a car and they do have runaway crash areas in a couple of spots.

My guess is that because of some funny business with the way the segment is setup at the top that it's difficult to recreate. I plan to figure that part out first.

Golf cart path on the side of the road once you get near the top:


Also near the top:


Definitely like to meet you - just don't know what the schedule will be like. Squeezing in extended family vacation, July 4th, birthdays, an anniversary, and college visits into one week takes a lot of the vacation out of the vacation. Part of why I'm bringing the trike - excuse to get out for a bit

Hmmmm - maybe I can submit it going the other direction

 

[BentAero]

Is this the place that used to have a restaurant at the top and had bluegrass groups come in and play on the weekends? "Wolf..." something...?

 

[battleaxe0]

Is this the place that used to have a restaurant at the top and had bluegrass groups come in and play on the weekends? "Wolf..." something...?

The restaurant is Orville and Wilber's. They do have bands periodically.

It's called Mountain Air - it's claim to fame is a golf course with a runway through the middle. Don't play golf or fly, but the views are spectacular. (Not my photos):

 

[battleaxe0]

Brought the GoPro mount, forgot the GoPro.

Didn't get by the bike shop to pickup a 24t, so stuck with 30.

Supposed to rain all week so I took a ride around the top of the mountain tonight primarily in granny gears. Burnt up a quarter pack of matches just getting out of the parking lot! One spot says it was 43% grade? Felt like it. Did better on the trike than I did on a mountain bike 10 years ago, though!

 

[battleaxe0]

I'm glad I didn't bring the Silvio (though I miss it) - I've been down to 1 mph in places, which is definitely fallover territory. Went down about 1/10th of the way and rode back up. Luckily that part has a cart path on the side of the road so I was able to stop and take a break before having a coronary. I think I'll skip the entire ride up - there's plenty of opportunity to exhaust myself just around the top. Asking around to see if there's a valley route I can use just for a change of pace. My legs are feeling it, but I'm really happy about it, since I'm not dead yet and I can still walk.