Annual Simplified Climbing Lunacy Challenge chatzone

Dogtrousers · 10 Jun 2023

For todays ride I decided to do complicated. I dusted off and extended a route from the Old Regime when @ColinJ ruled with a fist of iron. 70km that wiggled around South East London using every inch of available climbing from Sydenham Hill and surrounding hills while remaining compliant with the old rules. Started early to avoid the heat. Got some great views from the high points.

And a crazy profile

Sea of vapours · 10 Jun 2023

That was and is a classic of the genre :-)

Willd · 10 Jun 2023

Well, didn't die from the amber heat warning :rolleyes:

Most elevation of the year to date ^_^

Willd · 25 Jun 2023

Actually had a marked "climb" today. Without going long distances this challenge is hard work, the ride below was 45 ft per mile, the most I've ever found was 48 and I've averaged 37 over 8,000 miles. ^_^

By contrast I did a test route on MapMyRide of 25 miles where we're going on holiday in the Brecon Beacons and that was 133 ft / mile, with 5 marked climbs, including a cat 3. Still I don't think I'd cope doing that with a lowest gear of 34/25 :wacko:

FrothNinja · 25 Jun 2023

Willd said:
Actually had a marked "climb" today. Without going long distances this challenge is hard work, the ride below was 45 ft per mile, the most I've ever found was 48 and I've averaged 37 over 8,000 miles.

By contrast I did a test route on MapMyRide of 25 miles where we're going on holiday in the Brecon Beacons and that was 133 ft / mile, with 5 marked climbs, including a cat 3. Still I don't think I'd cope doing that with a lowest gear of 34/25

View attachment 696280

Round here, I tend to average over 70 ft per mile trying to avoid ascent. It is quite lumpy

UphillSlowly · 25 Jun 2023

FrothNinja said:
Round here, I tend to average over 70 ft per mile trying to avoid ascent. It is quite lumpy

Similar round here if you head out Birmingham to the south west, which is the quickest way to the countryside for me

Dogtrousers · 25 Jun 2023

Feet per mile is unfamiliar to me. I generally think in terms of overall %. I live in S London and have to cross the N Downs to get to/from my main riding areas in Kent.

1% (~50 ft/mi) is what I get if I don't plan to avoid or seek out hills
1.5% (~80 ft/mi) if I deliberately throw in a few hills.
2% (~100 ft/mi) is just possible but hard to acheive without stupid route planning.
3.5% (~185 ft/mi) is what Ed Laverack managed in his 3,500m 100km ride ... here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...hallenge-chatzone.269598/page-13#post-6959855 Hard to beat that in the UK. It's also roughly what you'd get riding up and down Mt Ventoux.

ft/mile	m/km	Overall %	mile/1000ft	km/1000m
13.2	2.50	0.25%	75.8	400.0
26.4	5.00	0.50%	37.9	200.0
39.6	7.50	0.75%	25.3	133.3
52.8	10.00	1.00%	18.9	100.0
66.0	12.50	1.25%	15.2	80.0
79.2	15.00	1.50%	12.6	66.7
92.4	17.50	1.75%	10.8	57.1
105.6	20.00	2.00%	9.5	50.0
118.8	22.50	2.25%	8.4	44.4
132.0	25.00	2.50%	7.6	40.0
145.2	27.50	2.75%	6.9	36.4
158.4	30.00	3.00%	6.3	33.3
171.6	32.50	3.25%	5.8	30.8
184.8	35.00	3.50%	5.4	28.6

UphillSlowly · 25 Jun 2023

Dogtrousers said:
Feet per mile is unfamiliar to me. I generally think in terms of overall %. I live in S London and have to cross the N Downs to get to/from my main riding areas in Kent.

1% (~50 ft/mi) is what I get if I don't plan to avoid or seek out hills
1.5% (~80 ft/mi) if I deliberately throw in a few hills.
2% (~100 ft/mi) is just possible but hard to acheive without stupid route planning.
3.5% (~185 ft/mi) is what Ed Laverack managed in his 3,500m 100km ride ... here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...hallenge-chatzone.269598/page-13#post-6959855 Hard to beat that in the UK. It's also roughly what you'd get riding up and down Mt Ventoux.

ft/mile m/km Overall % mile/1000ft km/1000m
13.2
2.50
0.25%
75.8
400.0
26.4
5.00
0.50%
37.9
200.0
39.6
7.50
0.75%
25.3
133.3
52.8
10.00
1.00%
18.9
100.0
66.0
12.50
1.25%
15.2
80.0
79.2
15.00
1.50%
12.6
66.7
92.4
17.50
1.75%
10.8
57.1
105.6
20.00
2.00%
9.5
50.0
118.8
22.50
2.25%
8.4
44.4
132.0
25.00
2.50%
7.6
40.0
145.2
27.50
2.75%
6.9
36.4
158.4
30.00
3.00%
6.3
33.3
171.6
32.50
3.25%
5.8
30.8
184.8
35.00
3.50%
5.4
28.6

I really like this table. Thank you. I used to work in feet and miles and would think that 100ft/mile is possible and "a really hard ride". When I started using metric (due to indoor riding in lockdown) I never found a way of converting it easily in my mind

Alex321 · 25 Jun 2023

Willd said:
By contrast I did a test route on MapMyRide of 25 miles where we're going on holiday in the Brecon Beacons and that was 133 ft / mile, with 5 marked climbs, including a cat 3. Still I don't think I'd cope doing that with a lowest gear of 34/25

Yes. It is quite hilly round there :smile:

But the Brecon Beacons don't exist any more, they are now Bannau Brycheinog.

UphillSlowly · 26 Jun 2023

Alex321 said:
But the Brecon Beacons don't exist any more, they are now Bannau Brycheinog.

How does one pronounce this now, phonetically?

Dogtrousers · 26 Jun 2023

UphillSlowly said:
How does one pronounce this now, phonetically?

Take your pick

pronounced ban-aye bruch-ein-iog, with the ch making the same sound as in loch.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/how-pronounce-bannau-brycheiniog-eryri-26713083

pronounced ban-aye bruch-ay-nee-og, with the ch making the same sound as in loch.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65274952

pronounced: ban-eye bruck-ein-iog.
https://inews.co.uk/news/brecon-bea...-national-park-new-bannau-brycheiniog-2280928

Ridgeback Roller · 29 Jun 2023

My turn to lead a mid week social group ride, so needing another 'score on the door' I took us slightly further north than usual to make sure I hit the 1000m target. Only the odd slight whinge from my riding companions!
Like @Dougtrousers I tend to work on overall % when planning my rides. Living on the coastal plain I have a fair amount of flat country to cover before any lumpy stuff. Looking at this years rides my percentages are very similar
0.8-1.2% covers most rides from home , crossing the South Downs a couple of times
1.5% is only achievable locally by doing reps

My largest % gain according to Garmin, is still the 3.5% over 70km on a Pyrenean holiday in 2019 , including Luz Ardiden and the Cirque de Troumouse. Last years holiday in the Massif Central averaged 2% over the week and I really felt it, but its a superb cycling destination, lots of very light traffic roads.

Dogtrousers said:
Feet per mile is unfamiliar to me. I generally think in terms of overall %. I live in S London and have to cross the N Downs to get to/from my main riding areas in Kent.

1% (~50 ft/mi) is what I get if I don't plan to avoid or seek out hills
1.5% (~80 ft/mi) if I deliberately throw in a few hills.
2% (~100 ft/mi) is just possible but hard to acheive without stupid route planning.
3.5% (~185 ft/mi) is what Ed Laverack managed in his 3,500m 100km ride ... here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...hallenge-chatzone.269598/page-13#post-6959855 Hard to beat that in the UK. It's also roughly what you'd get riding up and down Mt Ventoux.

ft/mile m/km Overall % mile/1000ft km/1000m
13.2
2.50
0.25%
75.8
400.0
26.4
5.00
0.50%
37.9
200.0
39.6
7.50
0.75%
25.3
133.3
52.8
10.00
1.00%
18.9
100.0
66.0
12.50
1.25%
15.2
80.0
79.2
15.00
1.50%
12.6
66.7
92.4
17.50
1.75%
10.8
57.1
105.6
20.00
2.00%
9.5
50.0
118.8
22.50
2.25%
8.4
44.4
132.0
25.00
2.50%
7.6
40.0
145.2
27.50
2.75%
6.9
36.4
158.4
30.00
3.00%
6.3
33.3
171.6
32.50
3.25%
5.8
30.8
184.8
35.00
3.50%
5.4
28.6

FrothNinja · 11 Aug 2023

Last biggish climb I did yesterday also felt easiest - think it might have been the double expresso I had at Bankshead on Hadrian's Wall. I then dropped to the bottom of the hill through Banks then came back up again (on a slightly different line to my descent). I was jiggered climbing up from King Water & up Allieshaw Rigg not that long before the coffee kick. That said my top speed up to Bankshead was lower than the free version of Strava's top 10's averages. I console myself by assuming they are all club riders half my age (bet they aren't).

Sea of vapours · 27 Aug 2023

Nicely done @Dogtrousers . Just three to go now, so pop this on and get pedalling.

https://www.cilice.co.uk/product/st-francis-of-assisi-hairshirt/

Willd · 27 Aug 2023

Just over a km of ascent across Northamptonshire today :smile:

Annual Simplified Climbing Lunacy Challenge chatzone

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler

Sea of vapours

Guru

Willd

Guru

Willd

Guru

FrothNinja

Veteran

UphillSlowly

Making my way slowly uphill

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler

UphillSlowly

Making my way slowly uphill

Alex321

Guru

UphillSlowly

Making my way slowly uphill

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler

Ridgeback Roller

Über Member

FrothNinja

Veteran

Sea of vapours

Guru

Willd

Guru

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