# Categorise Your Climbs



## Rubber Bullets (14 Jul 2011)

On stage 3 of this years Tour there was a 4th category climb that was basically a hump back bridge, well OK quite a big one, but a bridge none the less.










I'd not really thought before about how climbs on the tour are categorised, I wasn't riding at all this time last year, and probably thought that any of the climbs that I do wouldn't bother the judges, but this climb made me wonder. I did a bit of Googling to try and find out a bit more and came across this:



> There are no set rules on how the organizer of a race can categorize hills or mountains. This is how the Tour de France climbs are defined:
> *Category 4* - the easiest which is typically less than 2 km (1.24 mi) long and about 5% grade, or up to 5 km (3.1 mi) at a 2-3% grade.
> *Category 3* - can be as short as 1.5 km (.93mi) with a very steep grade, perhaps 10%; or as long as 10 km (6.2 mi) with a grade less than 5%.
> *Category 2* - can be as short as 5 km (3.1 mi) at 8%, or as long as 15 km (9.3 mi) at 4%.
> ...




I started comparing some of my local climbs to these stats and think that quite a few of the climbs onto Dartmoor, that I do regularly, would probably be categorised as Cat 3, which frankly pleased me more than it should .


For example the climb from Bovey Tracey to Haytor is 3.8 miles with an average gradient of 8.5% and a total climb of 1170 feet.


It's clearly not an exact science, but what categories would your regular, or even occasional, climbs get? What's the highest category that we have in these fair isles? Do we have anything that even approaches an HC?


RB


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## Melonfish (14 Jul 2011)

lol i think mine would be DC "Dessous Catagorie" if my french is right which undoubtedly it is not.
i've probebly done some cat 4's maybe a cat 3 once but i live in cheshire the "pancake county"


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## Soltydog (14 Jul 2011)

Rubber Bullets said:


> I'd not really thought before about how climbs on the tour are categorised, I wasn't riding at all this time last year, and probably thought that any of the climbs that I do wouldn't bother the judges, but this climb made me wonder. I did a bit of Googling to try and find out a bit more and came across this:


A year or 2 back I seem to recall someone telling me originally the climbs were catergorised by what gear a car had to be in to drive up them. Wouldn't apply to modern cars, but sounds feasable for years gone by.
I dont have any regular climbs that would be catergorised, my biggest 'slope' on my commute can now be conquered without dropping below 16mph on the road bike


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## martint235 (14 Jul 2011)

One of the GPS routing websites actually provides the category of hill for you. But I've forgotten which one it is, might be bikely, certainly isn't ridewithgps though.

Anyways it's very depressing looking into it as you find that what you think of as a flipping big hill doesn't even qualify as a Cat 4. Shooters Hill in SE London for example merits Cat 5.


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## Jimmy Doug (14 Jul 2011)

martint235 said:


> One of the GPS routing websites actually provides the category of hill for you. But I've forgotten which one it is, might be bikely, certainly isn't ridewithgps though.
> for example merits Cat 5.



It's Mapmyride that does this. I don't know how accurate it is, though.


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## lulubel (14 Jul 2011)

I've got a cat 4 on one of my rides, then. I'll have to start exploring and see if I can find anything a bit more interesting (although, to be honest, that one's enough for me at the moment).


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## endoman (14 Jul 2011)

Got a few cat 3's on my routes home from work, getting more used to them now! 5's and 4's a plenty, hardly a ride without those. Can't wait to ride somewhere flat.


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## ACS (14 Jul 2011)

Just taken a look at my present commuter route of 11 miles which includes 2x Cat 4 climbs (2.9miles at 2.1% and 1.5miles at 3.9%).

No bragging rights of course still the second worst climber on the planet


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## Beebo (14 Jul 2011)

martint235 said:


> Anyways it's very depressing looking into it as you find that what you think of as a flipping big hill doesn't even qualify as a Cat 4. Shooters Hill in SE London for example merits Cat 5.




I go up Shooters Hill occasionally on my way home. I would think the profile is similar to the photo of that bridge in the OP, and that was a Cat 3.


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## martint235 (14 Jul 2011)

Beebo said:


> I go up Shooters Hill occasionally on my way home. I would think the profile is similar to the photo of that bridge in the OP, and that was a Cat 3.



Well Mapmyride doesn't rate it as such. To be fair I have been over worse hills and I imagine a TdF peloton would fly up it without noticing it was there.


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## Beebo (14 Jul 2011)

In the interest of science i went home over shooters hill tonight and I can confirm that it isnt as steep as that bridge. So mapmyride is right again!


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## martint235 (14 Jul 2011)

Beebo said:


> In the interest of science i went home over shooters hill tonight and I can confirm that it isnt as steep as that bridge. So mapmyride is right again!



You could have waved.......


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## Glover Fan (14 Jul 2011)

Even "The Struggle" which is a horrible hill at the Lake District is only a category 2!!!


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## Baggy (14 Jul 2011)

Apparently 8 Category 1 climbs featured in last year's Tour of Britain. There was one Cat 1 and two Cat 2's on the Minehead to Teignmouth stage so I feel justifiably chuffed at having ridden that route, even if it took me three times as long as the pro riders  

The Devon Stage the following day also had a Cat 1. Details here if anyone wants to ride them! 

I think the Black Mountain might also be Cat 1.


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## HLaB (15 Jul 2011)

The steepest I've been up is the Gloom Hill in Dollar but its not very long, so the 39,25 gear got up. According to Map My ride from the main street the climb is only a Cat 3 looking at the steepest section its a Cat 2


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## briantrumpet (15 Jul 2011)

Baggy said:


> Apparently 8 Category 1 climbs featured in last year's Tour of Britain. There was one Cat 1 and two Cat 2's on the Minehead to Teignmouth stage so I feel justifiably chuffed at having ridden that route, even if it took me three times as long as the pro riders.


Yes, I did that one too - it was pleasing to see the pros struggling up Peak Hill in the actual Tour. The winner still managed nearly 24mph for the stage though (but that was less than double my speed, woohoo!). Peak Hill is only about 12 miles away from me, so I know where to go if I need some pain. Not that we're short of good hard hills in Devon. It's flat stuff we lack.


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## pepecat (15 Jul 2011)

Baggy said:


> Apparently 8 Category 1 climbs featured in last year's Tour of Britain. There was one Cat 1 and two Cat 2's on the Minehead to Teignmouth stage so I feel justifiably chuffed at having ridden that route, even if it took me three times as long as the pro riders
> 
> The Devon Stage the following day also had a Cat 1. Details here if anyone wants to ride them!
> 
> I think the Black Mountain might also be Cat 1.



I'm not surprised Peak Hill in Sidmouth is a cat 1. It's an absolute arse of a hill. Driving down has to be done carefully, goodness knows what cycling up is like!


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## HLaB (15 Jul 2011)

Not a regular climb  but I was pleased to see I've been up one Cat 1, it was Spain on the Vuelta 09 route, needless to say the pros got up faster than me. Now to find a HC


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## briantrumpet (15 Jul 2011)

pepecat said:


> I'm not surprised Peak Hill in Sidmouth is a cat 1. It's an absolute arse of a hill.


There are worse round here - at least Peak Hill has a couple of short slightly less steep bits to get a few breaths in. But it does go up about 450ft in less than two thirds of a mile, so it's never going to be easy.


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## Baggy (15 Jul 2011)

briantrumpet said:


> Yes, I did that one too - it was pleasing to see the pros struggling up Peak Hill in the actual Tour. The winner still managed nearly 24mph for the stage though (but that was less than double my speed, woohoo!).


 Ooh, they were only just over two times faster than me then  I also went back to watch the pros ride up (with my cowbell), but left my bike at the bottom of the hill that time...




pepecat said:


> I'm not surprised Peak Hill in Sidmouth is a cat 1. It's an absolute arse of a hill. Driving down has to be done carefully, goodness knows what cycling up is like!


At points I was nearly at a standstill and people walking up were overtaking me. Was determined not to get off the bike though! It was great as there were quite a few people cheering riders on, which definitely helped. Was really pleased that the photographer had gone home by the time I went over the top  

I love my triple.


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## rowan 46 (15 Jul 2011)

I don't think I have ever done a serious climb in 40 years I tend to choose routes that are easier Mucklow hill in Brum is the hardset hill I have climbed


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## briantrumpet (15 Jul 2011)

Baggy said:


> I also went back to watch the pros ride up (with my cowbell), but left my bike at the bottom of the hill that time...


Haha, I'm afraid I just had to ride up with all the crowds there (did in in 6'45") then came back down to the nasty corner to see the pros hurting (but even so they only will have taken about 4'30"!). Funny to see Bradley Wiggins right at the back of the last bunch. But he was saving himself for the next day. Shame he won't be on it this year, thanks to his crash in the Tour de France.


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## gaz (16 Jul 2011)

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG2uWqk8KBI[/media]


25% gradient but less than half a mile.
Going up in a car means first gear at the turn near the top because it is so steep.


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## Jimmy Doug (16 Jul 2011)

Wow! That's great! But you're going the wrong direction!


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## gaz (16 Jul 2011)

I would never go up, it's too steep, too narrow and there is lots of traffic.


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## Garz (16 Jul 2011)

Where does mapmyride list if it's a cat?


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## leyburnrunner (16 Jul 2011)

using data in simon warren's book '100 greatest. climbs' it is very upsetting to find that locAl climbs featured of tan hill, buttertubs pass , park rash and the stang are at best 3 rd category climbs!!
t'interweb suggests following climbs in metres with TDF climb categories:
HC 1500m+
1. 800-1500m
2. 500-800m
3. 150-500m
4. 70-150m


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## HLaB (16 Jul 2011)

Garz said:


> Where does mapmyride list if it's a cat?


On the new site you just map the ride and its automatic, it classifies >3% and >500m as a climb iirc, you can also select the climbs tab to get more info.


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## Garz (17 Jul 2011)

Ahh ok you have to save the mapped ride and it will show you on a summary. It won't display categories as you are mapping the route.


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## gaz (17 Jul 2011)

Don't think there will be anything more than a cat4 around me. The hills here are steep but just not long enough.


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