[jacksonpt]

Had a nice ride yesterday... a slower but consistent pace through "rolling" terrain (the kind of roads that never really climb or decend, but that aren't flat either) with a friend. The end of the ride resulted in my best climb to date. I won't bore you with the details, as it's probably little more than a speed bump to you westerners, but 4 weeks ago I was no where close to being able to make the climb, and yesterday I made it... it hurt, but I made it. I am/was pretty psyched.

I'm also starting to see why many of you don't like doubles. I'm progressing pretty fast on the road, and can see a triple being unnecessary in the near future. I may start looking for a deal on a compact double...

 

[the BIG cheese]

:mumble: I want mountains! Even a hill or two will do.....all new'allins has is nasty pot holes....

congrats on the accomplisment! What did you average on the climb?

 

[jacksonpt]

What did you average on the climb?

Not sure... didn't really pay attention, and my computer only tracked average speed for the entire ride. I'd guess somewhere in the 7-8mph range. Yup, slow granny gear riding, but it's a start.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Cool man. You'll be wanting that triple on the first few rides after the winter thaw. Well, I was loving it anyway...but I suck.

 

[Echo]

Nice job dude! You can probably kick my ass already

 

[LordOpie]

The end of the ride resulted in my best climb to date. I won't bore you with the details...

Congrats, but do share the details.

 

[Morryjg]

You want to borrow my son and the bike trailer? You will be praising the triple with an extra 60 lbs hanging off the back of the bike.

 

[jacksonpt]

You want to borrow my son and the bike trailer? You will be praising the triple with an extra 60 lbs hanging off the back of the bike.

noooo thanks. I'll be there about this time next year, though I'll probably have the trailer hooked to my hardtail, with mtb gearing

 

[jacksonpt]

Congrats, but do share the details.

it's a 2.5 mile stretch of road that gains a bit over 1000 feet, but most of the climbing is done early on. It starts with about 1/4 mile of slight uphill (not difficult, but definitely uphill), then about 3/4 of a mile of gruesome uphill that gains about 800'. I remember hearing from so local riders that there are short intervals of 15+ degree inclines. Then about a mile of flat, followed by about a 1/4 mile climb that gains about 200'.

 

[LordOpie]

holy crap, 15% is steep!

Heartbreak Hill in the Santa Fe Century has a 1/2 mile segment like that. I'm not sure I could've climbed it without my triple (or atleast a compact double). About half the riders walked.

 

[jacksonpt]

Heartbreak Hill in the Santa Fe Century has a 1/2 mile segment like that

ugh,1/2 mile??? kill me now.

holy crap, 15% is steep!

yea, no crap. The local roadie club does TT races up the road I live on, and that maxes out at 18% in one section. The road I did is shorter than the route they ride, but it's just as steep, if not more so, for 2 short sections.

 

[Serial Midget]

I live at sea level so most of my climbs are moderate, maxing out at 600' and not terribly challenging. I would suck if I road the rockies anytime soon. :mumble:

 

[Pau11y]

ugh,1/2 mile??? kill me now.


yea, no crap. The local roadie club does TT races up the road I live on, and that maxes out at 18% in one section. The road I did is shorter than the route they ride, but it's just as steep, if not more so, for 2 short sections.

Don't loose the triple yet. Come to CO and climb some of the crap just in my (current and former) backyard. It's not the % grade you need to worry about, but more of the elevation you're climbing at.
LO, we ought to go climb Loveland pass one of these days. I believe this sucker starts at about 9000ft and gets above 11 or 12K. Just wait till I get the triple on the De Rosa first tho

Edit: Jackson, 4 wks is indeed pretty fast progress. Congrats maing Is your part to the country year round riding or do you have to shut down during winter months?

 

[jacksonpt]

Is your part to the country year round riding or do you have to shut down during winter months?

eh, kinda depends. If it's not too harsh of a winter, you can ride the bulk of the winter... take a beater bike to the roads or hit the trails if the snow isn't too deep. If it's a bad winter (like last year), it's tough to find good enough traction. If I had studs I could probably ride more than I do... but it's not that important to me.

Usually you can ride into November, then for a week or two in late Dec/early Jan, then not again until March or so. I live out in the middle of nowhere, so the roads are always crappy. People who live in town and get their roads plowed can ride more often than I can.

 

[spam16v]

the steepest paved incline is about 1/2 mile in western ny and its strait up 1/4mi flat and then back down nearly the same. its sick, used to do it when i was 15-17 on my mtb to the local ski resorts. i was sick back then... mentally. then id go climb 5-600 verticle feet on the ski hill just to ride back down. i had no life and a night job at a bar washing dishes and getting drunk. good times

 

[Pau11y]

the steepest paved incline is about 1/2 mile in western ny and its strait up 1/4mi flat and then back down nearly the same. its sick, used to do it when i was 15-17 on my mtb to the local ski resorts. i was sick back then... mentally. then id go climb 5-600 verticle feet on the ski hill just to ride back down. i had no life and a night job at a bar washing dishes and getting drunk. good times

So for those of us who like to go climb passes in the Rockies, we're just a bunch of mentally ill individuals? Ok, I'll take that

 

[PonySoldier]

Seems like the proper place for this...this is the loop around my nieghborhood I try to ride 2X a week on the Roadie..so on Sunday I rode it twice, used the 30 tooth ring just twice on the 1/4 13% grade part, more from a pacing for a ~40 mile ride then anything else, otherwise all on the 39 or 53 teeth rings.

 

[Gambo]

Gibraltar road in santa barbara .The ride is not very long, just under 30 miles. But it has a full 4660 feet of climbing! The Gibraltar climb from Mountain Road to La Cumbre Peak (elevation 3840 ft) is 8.9 miles long and averages 7.0%. Luckily there are a couple of places where it evens out. Most of the climbing averaged 8.0% and peaked at about 12.0%. The road conditions are marginal on Gibraltar and worse on Painted Cave and Old San Marcos Pass Roads. The descent down Painted Cave hit 21% on the switchbacks this is one of my favs.

But the hardest is Figueroa Mountain rd. in Santa Barbara back country. It will take all of you got and more. Check out what this guy thinks about it. http://www.uspsprocycling.com/featu...v_2004jan28.htm The Discovery team trains here for there 1st camp of every year..

After I descended that mountain the second time I literally turned around and shook my fist at it. These climbs take on a personality. When you feel good and your just ticking up the mountain, you see the climb as a friend, someone who is helping you. When your legs are smashed from the grade and you body aches from white knuckling the decent you want to kick that climb in the butt.

 

[Gambo]

some cool pics look at the middle of the page for some Figueroa Mountain mt (Solvang) pics.. http://velogal.smugmug.com/CYCLING