Annual Simplified Climbing Lunacy Challenge chatzone

[ColinJ]

Most enjoyable qualifying ride of the year (with the possible exception of Col-derdale). Had an absolute hoot descending Extwistle Moor - even enjoyed saving a turn I was sure I was going to prang on.
View attachment 686967

I think we talked about that route on my ride? I have never actually ridden that stretch of bridleway. When I used to ride up there it was always between Widdop and Hurstwood & Cant Clough reservoirs. I remember watching them doing the Pennine Bridleway resurfacing down to Thursden from the road. In fact, I may have captured them in one of my old photos...

Yes - it looks like they were doing it then!

 

[FrothNinja]

I think we talked about that route on my ride? I have never actually ridden that stretch of bridleway. When I used to ride up there it was always between Widdop and Hurstwood & Cant Clough reservoirs. I remember watching them doing the Pennine Bridleway resurfacing down to Thursden from the road. In fact, I may have captured them in one of my old photos...

Yes - it looks like they were doing it then!

View attachment 686993

I came up past the grey vehicle from the dirt twisty then up the bridlepath at the white one. Since I last went up they have replaced - this is the scene today

 

[Willd]

Joined the challenge with a modest target of 700m (2,297 ft), but round here I'm only averaging 37 feet per mile

This is about the biggest climb, not too far away. Not sure how it's No. 136 in a list of "official" 100 climbs

 

[FrothNinja]

Joined the challenge with a modest target of 700m (2,297 ft), but round here I'm only averaging 37 feet per mile

This is about the biggest climb, not too far away. Not sure how it's No. 136 in a list of "official" 100 climbs

View attachment 688187

One km of constant incline over 8% with no let up would be pretty knackering anywhere, especially if fighting a headwind which looks likely. That said, I reckon an average of about 40 kph on the descent looks eminently possible

 

[Dogtrousers]

This is about the biggest climb, not too far away. Not sure how it's No. 136 in a list of "official" 100 climbs :rolleyes

The list in question will be Simon Warren's Top 100 Climbs in Britain. A little book that sold so well he did a sequel of Another 100 Climbs which explains how its number is over 100.

 

[Ridgeback Roller]

Thought it was about time I did another qualifying ride - most of my cycling this year has been rides with the Sunday social group which tends not to search out the hills too much or faster local 2-2.5hr rides not giving me enough time to get up into the South Downs and beyond. Checking my Garmin Edge Explore towards the end of yesterday's cycle it was registering just over 1880m ascent for the day, so plenty even allowing that GPS elevation gain totals are usually hopelessly optimistic. True to form, uploading into Garmin Connect corrected it down to 1110m, just under 60% of the Garmin unit final tally. I expect to lose 25% in correction but haven't noticed such a big difference before. I'll ride the same route again just to see what numbers I get this time.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Like @Ridgeback Roller I had elevation recording problems. I'm pretty sure due to the pressure changing during the day.

I had a good ride on Saturday, dropped off by car in Hemel Hempstead and rode up to visit friends near Rugby, through the Cotswolds. Weather was very rainy. Whether it was the wet or the variable pressure but my Garmin went somewhat bonkers regarding elevation. At one point I noticed it was registering negative gradient as I went up hill!

I've checked local weather station records on wunderground.com and the pressure dropped sharply during the ride. I compared the recorded profile with the planned profile and the recording was clearly wrong. The amount of climb registered on my Garmin at the end of the ride was only 1,200m but I knew from planning the route that it was over my 1,500m target, so I did a re-fetch of elevation and it gave me over 1,600. A bit generous, maybe - but I'm claiming it.

Just a lesson in how tricky measuring total elevation gain can be.

 

[FrothNinja]

Thought it was about time I did another qualifying ride - most of my cycling this year has been rides with the Sunday social group which tends not to search out the hills too much or faster local 2-2.5hr rides not giving me enough time to get up into the South Downs and beyond. Checking my Garmin Edge Explore towards the end of yesterday's cycle it was registering just over 1880m ascent for the day, so plenty even allowing that GPS elevation gain totals are usually hopelessly optimistic. True to form, uploading into Garmin Connect corrected it down to 1110m, just under 60% of the Garmin unit final tally. I expect to lose 25% in correction but haven't noticed such a big difference before. I'll ride the same route again just to see what numbers I get this time.

I also run Komoot, Ride With GPS, & Strava so I can compare with my Garmin. I have noticed the Garmin isn't too hot at picking up satellites at times (eg earlier this week when I as struggling up Jinny Lane - titter ye not)

 

[Willd]

791m today, which the the most I've done this year

Spot the Cotswolds

To make up for going up I even set off a speed limit warning sign @ 32 mph and managed 40.2 mph down Edge Hill

 

[FrothNinja]

791m today, which the the most I've done this year

Spot the Cotswolds

View attachment 690469
To make up for going up I even set of a speed limit warning sign @ 32 mph and managed 40.2 mph down Edge Hill

I also think I have done my longest & highest ride of the year today

 

[FrothNinja]

I also think I have done my longest & highest ride of the year today

Longest yes, highest no.
Only the third most ascent.

 

[UphillSlowly]

@FrothNinja can I ask some advice about joining this challenge part way through the year. Only just discovered CycleChat. If I join this challenge now, can I only use rides from today onwards towards the 2023 challenge or can I retrospectively use rides from earlier in the year?

I was thinking of using an elevation target for rides that I only managed to achieve once last year, but have managed three times already this year. Got some big days planned for the next month so should hit 7 rides by beginning of July.

Apologies for tagging you in a post in the wrong thread - will delete

Thanks

 

[FrothNinja]

@FrothNinja can I ask some advice about joining this challenge part way through the year. Only just discovered CycleChat. If I join this challenge now, can I only use rides from today onwards towards the 2023 challenge or can I retrospectively use rides from earlier in the year?

I was thinking of using an elevation target for rides that I only managed to achieve once last year, but have managed three times already this year. Got some big days planned for the next month so should hit 7 rides by beginning of July.

Apologies for tagging you in a post in the wrong thread - will delete

Thanks

No probs.
Your plan sounds good so go for it - only 10 more rides to go

 

[ColinJ]

I came up past the grey vehicle from the dirt twisty then up the bridlepath at the white one. Since I last went up they have replaced - this is the scene today
View attachment 686997

I did the other route to Widdop with a couple of pals on Monday. I hadn't done it for many years. I didn't really enjoy the rockiness of the ascent towards Widdop, and was pretty shocked by the steep final descent... There has been an awful lot of erosion in the decade or so since my last ride there and a lot of stone has been dumped on the trail to protect it and patch it up. Maybe good for people with full suspension, great skillz, and dropper posts, but for tallish wimps like me towering over the handlebar without a reassuring dropper post to use to get lower... er, no thanks!!!

I am going to try the Pennine Bridleway variant next time.

I remember you posting about riding up and down Shore Road, but wondered whether you know the off-road way up there? One pal took us the other way on our ride. I'd never been that way before. Check it out on the map below...

The section along Black Scout would almost certainly be swampy in normal Pennine conditions but because of this long dry spell the bridleway is currently in very good shape. If you are going to ride it and don't looooooooooooooooooooooooove gloopy mud, do it sooner rather than later!

 

[FrothNinja]

I did the other route to Widdop with a couple of pals on Monday. I hadn't done it for many years. I didn't really enjoy the rockiness of the ascent towards Widdop, and was pretty shocked by the steep final descent... There has been an awful lot of erosion in the decade or so since my last ride there and a lot of stone has been dumped on the trail to protect it and patch it up. Maybe good for people with full suspension, great skillz, and dropper posts, but for tallish wimps like me towering over the handlebar without a reassuring dropper post to use to get lower... er, no thanks!!!

I am going to try the Pennine Bridleway variant next time.

I remember you posting about riding up and down Shore Road, but wondered whether you know the off-road way up there? One pal took us the other way on our ride. I'd never been that way before. Check it out on the map below...

View attachment 692338
The section along Black Scout would almost certainly be swampy in normal Pennine conditions but because of this long dry spell the bridleway is currently in very good shape. If you are going to ride it and don't looooooooooooooooooooooooove gloopy mud, do it sooner rather than later!

Bored with cleaning my bikes at the mo so will have a crack at it if I can before the weather breaks