Establishing steepness of a hill-anything online?

[Ian H]

It was the 1:25,000, which definitely SHOULD have had them!

I have digital OS maps on my phone, tablet and laptop for the whole of Britain at 1:250k, 1:50k, 1:25k and 1:10k scales. I use them to plot all of my new routes.

As you say, chevrons and contour lines give a lot of information, but despite that I have been caught out a few times by ramps which are harder than expected.

It is not a really big issue for most rides but if I were going to push myself for distance AND elevation gain AND steepness AND hours of daylight then I would want to be really sure of what lay ahead. I definitely don't like missing the last train home when exhausted!

Conversely, I really don't want to be warned of hills. Blissful ignorance for me.

It is alleged that OS initially graded their chevroned hills by sending cyclists out with spirit-levels strapped to their top-tubes.

 

[craigwend]

This is like a Cat 1 climb around here, goes from 29ft up to an oxygen depleting 53ft at the summit.
View attachment 683304

Funny I thought that looks like the. 'Cols' I have to endure 😉 and then realised your East Yorkshire as well...

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Conversely, I really don't want to be warned of hills. Blissful ignorance for me.

It is alleged that OS initially graded their chevroned hills by sending cyclists out with spirit-levels strapped to their top-tubes.

Would explain why they're so inconsistent at times https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/most-misleading-gradient-sign.276803/

 

[CXRAndy]

As long you have enough gears then virtually all hills become slopes. I have very low gearing so can slow down and spin up most climbs without blowing up

 

[Jameshow]

I don't think the 1:250000 maps show chevrons, only the larrger scale ones. But you also look at the contours for steepness, as my map above. And it's all free to view online.

OS assumes you can read a map and therefore chevron aren't required!

 

[Jameshow]

That's an excellent example... I wouldn't want to come across that monster without a triple chainset on my bike and a packed lunch for the mid-climb rest stop!

Maybe you should have a tracker so we can come to your rescue / for our entertainment!!
Says he who barely made it round Baildon moor last night!

 

[Mike_P]

The single chevron hills IME are either doable or not doable implying to me too large a range of gradients; I have relatively easilly crusied up one, struggled over another and resorted to shank's pony on one. I also presume they work on an average gradeint which is not much use when a hill is bouncing around at lesser gradients for most of it and then changes to far steeper gradients.

 

[Ian H]

The single chevron hills IME are either doable or not doable implying to me too large a range of gradients; I have relatively easilly crusied up one, struggled over another and resorted to shank's pony on one. I also presume they work on an an average gradeint which is not much use when a hill is bouncing around at lesser gradients for most of it and then changes to far steeper gradients.

OS rule: one chevron =1:7 (14% approx); two chevrons = 1:5 or greater (20% approx). Chevrons point uphill.
Michelin: chevrons point downhill. As I recall they show approx 1:10 and greater.

 

[UphillSlowly]

Once you have conquered your hill, you could consider getting this book to try more Yorkshire challenges, though the Peak District ones (which could be closer to you) are in the Midlands version.
Happy climbing!

 

[ColinJ]

As long you have enough gears then virtually all hills become slopes. I have very low gearing so can slow down and spin up most climbs without blowing up

That is very true. I was out tackling some tough climbs today on my mountain bike***. None of the gradients bothered me at all - it was the gravel/ruts/boulders/etc that did!

*** 26" wheels, 22/32 bottom gear. The problem was often just keeping the front of the bike down on the surface of the bridleway

 

[DaveReading]

OS rule: one chevron =1:7 (14% approx); two chevrons = 1:5 or greater (20% approx). Chevrons point uphill.

Don't OS chevrons point downhill ?

 

[Ian H]

Don't OS chevrons point downhill ?

You're right - OS chevrons point down, Michelin up. I had them the wrong way round for some reason.