Ashamed of myself...

[EasyPeez]

I went on a bike ride a couple of weeks back and am ashamed to say I had to get off on a hill and push for a bit....3 times
I have never had to get off on a hill before in my life, and have done Cragg Vale, Holme Moss, the TPT and the Wolds Cycleway (I know none of those are exactly Hors Categorie, but nor are they little bumps).

The hill in question was Winnats Pass and my chosen weapon was a 10.5kg steel road bike with a 34/28 lowest gear. My companion also had to get off and took longer to reach the top than me, but that's no consolation because he's rubbish at getting up hills anyway.

In my defence it mas my first ride with 'proper' hills since before Christmas, and we faced a very strong head wind, so that each time I came out of the saddle the force of the wind against our larger surface area left no option but to sit straight down again.

It's been nearly 3 weeks now and I am struggling to put the incident from my mind. I feel the only way to exorcise this demon is to go back and conquer the beast, but I fear a second failure would shame me into hanging up my SPDs for good.

Is cycling up WP into a headwind on a compact really hard, or am I pathetic? If you've also cycled Winnats Pass and had to get off maybe you could share your experience here. If you've breezed up it on a fixie don't feel that you need to contribute to this thread.

Regards,

Andy

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I did WP on a unicycle once.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

backwards

 

[Tin Pot]

i jumped three sets of red lights yesterday am.

 

[Pale Rider]

I did WP on a unicycle once.

How did you stop at the bottom?

Semi-serious remark, a unicyclist told me controlling the ruddy thing going down was harder than pedalling it up.

 

[annedonnelly]

Who cares? Apart from you. At least you were out there riding up hills.

 

[mythste]

Last year I bellyflopped almost every time I hit anything resembling a hill. Got my miles in over winter and kept pushing, this year I've already put to bed some hills I would have passed out looking at last year.

Practice!

 

[Pale Rider]

Who cares? Apart from you. At least you were out there riding up hills.

Quite, what @EasyPeez did on Winnats - even pushing a few times - would be impossible for a lot of us.

The gearing cannot have helped, particularly the 28 at the back.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Better to walk up, than strain something. Go back and try again, eventually you'll get up without having to get off.

 

[13 rider]

No shame in walking you attempted it conditions on the day against you and you didn't make it so what .
Id wait for a better day and try again at least you know what coming . You could try a changing cassette for lower gearing . Don't beat yourself up about many would not even attempt such a climb

 

[Milkfloat]

@EasyPeez Next time try gaffer tape around your feet and pedals - that way you have no way of stopping.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

How did you stop at the bottom?

Semi-serious remark, a unicyclist told me controlling the ruddy thing going down was harder than pedalling it up.

I can imagine. I do keep toying with the idea of getting one and do the YouTube thing to pick up handy hints, there's some properly mad people out there CX'ing & MTBing on them.

 

[Spiderweb]

Very embarrassing, I would hang up your helmet, hang your head in shame and give up cycling for good!

 

[nickyboy]

Winnats Pass is a very hard climb, probably the hardest in the North Peak District. It has a stretch of about 800m at an average of 17%. The other hills you've been up are nothing like as hard. Holme Moss is tough but even the steep bits of that are about 13%

Many, many people who try it have to get off and push. A strong headwind makes it even harder. I went up it recently on a still day (being a local I avoid it when there's a headwind) with a 34-27. I'm reasonably fit and it was still hard to keep going

Wait for a still day, or better still a tailwind and give it another go. Here is a good tip; the really steep bit starts at the salt bin but the climb has been a good km at about 10% average already. Take it very easy until you get to the salt bin, then hang on for grim death. The biggest mistake first-timers make is going too hard on the 10%, then you hit the 17% and it's game over

 

[tommaguzzi]

There is no shame in stepping off on that climb. I have been defeated twice on WP both times facing a strong head wind when I could just about see the cattle grid at the top. However once in the distant past with a tail wind i suceeded when riding a steel frame Dawes on 39 / 26.
Like Nicky says wait for a better day and you should get up it on compact gearing.
These days I avoid it and go up mam nic instead.