I dont have time for a big post today but there was another interesting question I wanted to put forth here tonight.
I bet you readers have done some amazing things on the bicycle in your lives.
Taking into consideration your experience and the regional influence, what is your standard for climbing bragging rights? And is there an ultimate universal standard at all? I wouldn't know.
For example, very recently, I was told it was the 2% rule. Which means for every 10 miles you go in horizontal distance, the vertical has to be 1000 feet in climbing. So 30 miles equates to 3000 feet, 100 miles equates to 10000 feet of climbing and so on.
That sounds a little low to me, and I guess I could break that with a 10 mile ride with 1000 feet of climbing every day?!! And a bike messenger somewhere in the Alps (say) breaks the rule with a pretty solid margin on any short jolly ride to the grocery store. :)
Well, I'm not sure whether there are grocery stores near the Alpine passes but thats another matter. So anyway, Will, Don etc...what are your thoughts?
5 comments:
It depends if it's on the road or off road. I've done the Durango MTB 100 a couple times. 18,000 feet of climbing in 103 miles. On the road, Mt. Evans climbs 6610 feet in 28 miles. Of course then you get to descend back down.
Rob : That's pretty extreme and you have the license to brag about that for the rest of your life. We are unfortunately stuck in the less blessed parts of the country so this 2% rule is I guess being democratic if you will.
You know... I think it does seem low but I'm really not sure? Unfortunately, Will is tied up in the Alps right now but I like to hear from him as well as Leslie.
It seems that 5%-6% is the standard on major passes in Colorado. You won't find modern roads with a sustained grade of more than 6%. Now, on the older roads, all bets are off. My Front Range favorites:
* Lookout Mtn: 4 miles, 1500' of climb and plenty of competition every day
* Lefthand Canyon w/Old Stage: 18 miles, 4000', including a full mile at 10%
* Squaw Pass: 15 miles, about 3500' ending at about 11,000'
* Mt Evans: 28 miles, about 7800', ending at over 14,000'
* Triple Bypass: 120 miles, 10,200' of climb
Locally, merely completing these is routine. I think that it is ok to brag if:
* You did the Bob Cook Memorial Mt Evans climb in 3 hours or less
* You did the Triple Bypass in under 7 hours
* You can do Lookout Mountain in under 20 minutes pretty much any day of the week.
I can't match those times, but I run into guys around here who can, and my hat is off to them. They can brag all they want.
Mt Seymour hill climb just outside of downtown Vancouver a few miles
1050m altitude gain in 12.9 km ie steep as hell at an average of 7%, but with ramps a little steeper than 10% thrown in
Cypress Mountain hill climb, also just a few miles away from downtown
700m gain in 10k. 5% average grade, but there are 2 long'ish flats which skew the equation. Average real climbing time is all in the 8-9% range.
All in all a couple of solid Cat.1/borderline HC TDF style climbs in our immediate neighbourhood.
Cypress is a mental grind with LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG straightaways, while the Seymour climb serves up loads of switchbacks and is a far more ascetic experience.
Just outside of Quebec City (my home town) you will find sustained climbs in the 12% range that are 6+ km long. They aren't bringing the ProTour there for nothing next year!
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