What is this fascination with hill climbing??

[dan_bo]

For me it's a meditation. When it's good the rhythms of a long, hard climb evoke a tribal drumbeat 'bumbiddybum' in me heed and I get almost transcendental as I edge towards the summit. Unless it's winnats, In which case I just feel a bit sick and want to get off.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Luckily I'm quite well built for climbing (8st 10)

...ah...there lies my problem with hills....I weigh double that!

 

[TheDoctor]

Winnats? Deepest respect. I barely made it up there in a VW Polo.

 

[col]

I think they make good milestones too dont they?I used to be chuffed to bits when i manage a particular hill,with out dying halfway up,couldnt now.but then it was a good feeling.

 

[Landslide]

I have a theory that hills make for a nicer riding environment:
Hilly land tends to make for smaller fields, which end up with a greater number of country lanes winding between them.
Flatter land has bigger fields with great big straight roads, more traffic etc...
Plus the views at the top make it all worthwhile.
(Except for Winnat's, where I'm too pooped to admire the view...)

 

[Paulus]

I love hills, but where I live to get into Barnet you must go up hill at some point. I have also been to the Peak district, the West coast of Scotland, the C2C and have gone up mont Ventoux a few years back. The thing with hills is the sense of achievement when the brow of a hill/mountain is crested. You then normally have a good downhill section the recover before the next climb looms up and you can start all over again.

 

[walker]

I find hills as a test of fitness, I normally throw one big one in at the end of my ride to see how I'm doing, If I feel like getting off the bike then I know I've had a bad day. But unfortunatley where I live and ride I rarely come accross a flat bit of road.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

There are seven routes out of Llangollen. Five of them involve a one thousand foot climb. In North Wales, you just can't avoid them.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I am stuck with them as well, they make for an interesting ride but there are days when I just wish there was an easier route that i could use for a gentle spin.

 

[User482]

On the MTB, I enjoy the technical challenge of getting up a muddy climb without slipping. On the road bike, I do think you get a real buzz from getting to the top of a long or difficult climb. You then get to rest and admire the view, and then have the fast downhill to look forward to.

 

[yenrod]

I mean why seek out hills and suffer?? Is it some kind of sado masochistic trait in cyclists?...Madness I tell you...go around...

Ill openly admit to having a 'masochistic trait' with regards to cycling or exercise for that matter...

Lee

 

[yenrod]

There are seven routes out of Llangollen. Five of them involve a one thousand foot climb. In North Wales, you just can't avoid them.

Just out of interest as your pretty close, id like to know actually how long the famous llangolen climb is - to that pub

 

[Chris James]

The Horseshoe Pass, past the Britannia Inn?

I'd guess five miles. It never gets really steep but does keep on going. I used to cycle over there on a five gear Raleigh Winner as a teenager.

Actually it is a great climb, and the run back to Chester (or Liverpool in your case) involves dropping down across Llandegla Moor which is a great way to lose height.

The route combines well with going over World's End en route to Llangollen. The downhill there is epic - as long as a car isn't coming the other way!

This was the sort of climbing I loved. A big climb with a long descent. In the Pennines rides have a nasty habit of becoming one viscious short climb followed by a short steep downhill, then immediately another climb etc all day long.

 

[User482]

This was the sort of climbing I loved. A big climb with a long descent. In the Pennines rides have a nasty habit of becoming one viscious short climb followed by a short steep downhill, then immediately another climb etc all day long.

There's a few like that around the forest of Bowland. Beautiful scenery but boy is the riding tough!

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

The route combines well with going over World's End en route to Llangollen. The downhill there is epic - as long as a car isn't coming the other way!

And don't touch the brakes going through the ford at World's End.