Pain in the Pennines 2007

Unknown · June 2007

Hi All

Just wondering if any of you are competing in this and was wondering if anyone can shed any light on how hard this is compared to the etape da dales. I completed the etape which was my 1st sportif ride and now i want to do another, as this is local to me it seems the obvious choice.

all info appreciated

Thanks
Christian

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Crispyapplepie

Hi All

Just wondering if any of you are competing in this and was wondering if anyone can shed any light on how hard this is compared to the etape da dales. I completed the etape which was my 1st sportif ride and now i want to do another, as this is local to me it seems the obvious choice.

all info appreciated

Thanks

Christian
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Christian.

I'm signed up for the event (details here) and I know at least one other forum member who will be riding. I haven't ridden the Etape du Dales but I've done a lot of those climbs at one time or another, and I've also spoken to mates who *have* ridden it so I have a good idea of what it was like. Pain in the Pennines takes place on my local climbs and I've ridden most of them many times. The PitP route is much less intimidating than the Etape by a long way, though 12,500 feet of Pennine climbs in 107 miles will still be a good challenge. You can give yourself as much pain as you like if you decide to go for a good time. I, on the other hand, will mostly be taking the 'meander along and enjoy yourself' option!

I haven't done the first climb out of Greetland but it shouldn't be too bad. Most of the other climbs are long steady climbs, with the odd steeper little bugger.

After leaving Hebden Bridge the first time, you take a right turn onto the nastiest (nicest?!) climb of the day - Mytholm Steeps***. This is the one climb when a really low gear would come in handy. I have done it in 42/28 but these days I use a 30/28 on it and still don't find it easy. It starts with a few bends of 15-20% leading up to a short easy stretch after the houses - don't be fooled - the road then rears straight up for 100+ yards of 25%! A tight left bend takes you into a winding easier climb up to Blackshaw Head. At least you will be well warmed up when you hit The Steeps, but your legs will still be relatively fresh. Many people would probably find the 'recommended gear' of 39/26 too high here, though it should be okay for most of the other climbs.

***When I first started cycling in this area, I got chatting to an old local cyclist and he told me about the time the Milk Race was sent up this climb. Nobody had warned the riders how severe the climb was and they bombed along the valley road and turned onto it with only 60s (?) racing gears at their disposal e.g. lows of 42/21. They struggled up the steep early bends then hit the 25% stretch. A few riders stalled, causing half the peloton to fall off still attached to their bikes by toeclips and straps. I had to give it a go... [8D] Of course, exactly the same thing happened to me. With only about 10 feet to go to the bend, my legs seized up. I'd forgotten to loosen my straps and toppled over just as a car load of laughing schoolkids passed me. Oh, the shame [:I]! Thank goodness we now have clipless pedals.

No, Man is an island!

Daywalkercp · June 2007

I usually go up to Heptonstall from Hebden Bridge to get on to the Long Causeway but tomorrow I think I'll have to go up that Mytholm Steeps climb just to see if it's as bad as it sounds.

Thanks for that Colin

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Daywalker

I usually go up to Heptonstall from Hebden Bridge to get on to the Long Causeway but tomorrow I think I'll have to go up that Mytholm Steeps climb just to see if it's as bad as it sounds.

Thanks for that Colin
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I'd be very interested to have a second opinion from you [:D]!

It's the sort of climb that will always be tough. Climbing God(desse)s will just get knackered going up it more quickly!

No, Man is an island!

johnbirkby46213 · June 2007

er Colin, your "social" ride doesn't include this one does it?

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>
2 minute grovels can sometimes be a lot longer..

Daywalkercp · June 2007

Well did it this morning and it's realllllly steep, in fact my legs weren't just warmed up when I got to the top they were on fire to the point of exploding.

There's some pretty steep climbs around about this part of the country but that has to be the hardest, that 100 yards of 25% might not sound much but when your going up the thing it hurt like hell, thought my heart was going to burst.

I really went for it at the bottom of the climb thinking that because it's not really long I would get up it no problem, but I paid the price for doing that when I hit that 25% section. I will do the climb again next week but will take it easier at the bottom next time.

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by johnbirkby46213

er Colin, your "social" ride doesn't include this one does it?

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>
2 minute grovels can sometimes be a lot longer..
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well, it would be a bit of a detour, but I'm sure we could add it if you really want us to [:D]!

Joking aside... we'll be coming back through Blackshaw Head so we could go down Mytholm Steeps if you really wanted to see it. That's a slightly shorter route and misses out a small amount of climbing so if you feel knackered at the end of the ride we could do that. I'll volunteer to do it with anybody who wants to, and the rest could go the original route which has a nicer descent. Mytholm Steeps is one of those Don't lean too far forward, brake carefully and pray your cables don't snap kind of descents!

While I'm at it, here are 3 more Mytholm Steeps tales:

(1) I used to get a lift home from work in Burnley, and we often came back via the Steeps. My mate always drove too quickly down the hill - I warned him but he never listened... One day, we rapidly came down behind someone at the foot of the 25% section, only for them to stop dead to let a car come up the hill. My mate just managed to stop in time and we breathed sighs of relief. That is until he glanced in his rearview mirror and saw the car behind us sliding down the hill with wheels locked - "BRACE YOURSELF!!" Hmm, we made a nice commuter sandwich.

(2) There never used to be warning signs at either end of this climb. All sorts of vehicles tried to go up or down it rather than taking the more sensible longer route. One day a Calor Gas tanker took a shortcut down the hill after a delivery to a farm on the tops. His brakes failed on the 25% bit and he went careering down the hill. Fortunately nobody was coming up at that moment or there would have been carnage. The driver managed to embed his tanker in a garage on the bend below. No explosion, thankfully...

(3) After the incident described above, the local council erected warning signs above and below the climb. Despite that, I came across a couple of real plonkers up there a few years later. A bridleway comes out onto the road at the foot of the 25% section. I emerged on my MTB only to witness an hilarious scene... Two drivers had ignored the warning sign at the bottom of the hill, and had somehow managed to tow large caravans up the narrow, twisty 15-20% road thus far. They were, however, having some difficulty getting up the 25% section. This looked fun...!

I dismounted and stood there watching as the first driver repeatedly revved his engine and took runs at it. It ain't gonna work mate! He tried again. And again. Each time he got about 10 yards up the hill and then slid back down with his tyres spinning and spewing out smoke. No, honest, it ain't gonna work! I watched this for about 10 minutes, before the drivers finally got together and discussed their options. They couldn't go up, and it would be extremely dicey trying to reverse back down the way they'd come. Fortunately that bridleway came to their rescue. Driver one just managed to get far enough forward to let driver 2 reverse into it. He almost toppled his caravan doing it, but finally he was able to drive back down the hill. Driver 1 followed a few minutes later.

From my point of view as a non-driving cyclist, it is deeply terrifying that such idiots are allowed to drive [:0].

No, Man is an island!

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Daywalker

Well did it this morning and it's realllllly steep, in fact my legs weren't just warmed up when I got to the top they were on fire to the point of exploding.

There's some pretty steep climbs around about this part of the country but that has to be the hardest, that 100 yards of 25% might not sound much but when your going up the thing it hurt like hell, thought my heart was going to burst.

I really went for it at the bottom of the climb thinking that because it's not really long I would get up it no problem, but I paid the price for doing that when I hit that 25% section. I will do the climb again next week but will take it easier at the bottom next time.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It's not just me then - another one bites the dust [:D]!

PS Daywalker - since you obviously have a masochistic streak like mine... Have a go at Horsehold. In some ways, it is possibly even worse! It is pretty relentless, around 700 metres at 15% with some steeper bits, all this followed by a little cobbled section as you go round the bend at the top, but at least the gradient has eased off by then.

It's the road on the opposite side of the valley from the Steeps. It goes up to the hamlet of Horsehold on the hilltop. On a road bike, you'll have to come back down the way you came, but there lots of nice possibilities to continue on a mountain bike. Mind you, with MTB gearing it is merely tough, rather than a killer.

Turn off the A646 by Hebden Bridge Co-op, go over the canal bridge and the climb goes up to your right. It is a narrow lane but there are a few passing places in case you happen to encounter a vehicle. It's pretty rare unless you catch one of the school runs.

Please be really careful coming down - that descent won't take prisoners!

No, Man is an island!

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ColinJ

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Crispyapplepie

Hi All

Just wondering if any of you are competing in this and was wondering if anyone can shed any light on how hard this is compared to the etape da dales. I completed the etape which was my 1st sportif ride and now i want to do another, as this is local to me it seems the obvious choice.

all info appreciated

Thanks

Christian
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Christian.

I'm signed up for the event (details here) and I know at least one other forum member who will be riding. I haven't ridden the Etape du Dales but I've done a lot of those climbs at one time or another, and I've also spoken to mates who *have* ridden it so I have a good idea of what it was like. Pain in the Pennines takes place on my local climbs and I've ridden most of them many times. The PitP route is much less intimidating than the Etape by a long way, though 12,500 feet of Pennine climbs in 107 miles will still be a good challenge. You can give yourself as much pain as you like if you decide to go for a good time. I, on the other hand, will mostly be taking the 'meander along and enjoy yourself' option!

I haven't done the first climb out of Greetland but it shouldn't be too bad. Most of the other climbs are long steady climbs, with the odd steeper little bugger.

After leaving Hebden Bridge the first time, you take a right turn onto the nastiest (nicest?!) climb of the day - Mytholm Steeps***. This is the one climb when a really low gear would come in handy. I have done it in 42/28 but these days I use a 30/28 on it and still don't find it easy. It starts with a few bends of 15-20% leading up to a short easy stretch after the houses - don't be fooled - the road then rears straight up for 100+ yards of 25%! A tight left bend takes you into a winding easier climb up to Blackshaw Head. At least you will be well warmed up when you hit The Steeps, but your legs will still be relatively fresh. Many people would probably find the 'recommended gear' of 39/26 too high here, though it should be okay for most of the other climbs.

***When I first started cycling in this area, I got chatting to an old local cyclist and he told me about the time the Milk Race was sent up this climb. Nobody had warned the riders how severe the climb was and they bombed along the valley road and turned onto it with only 60s (?) racing gears at their disposal e.g. lows of 42/21. They struggled up the steep early bends then hit the 25% stretch. A few riders stalled, causing half the peloton to fall off still attached to their bikes by toeclips and straps. I had to give it a go... [8D] Of course, exactly the same thing happened to me. With only about 10 feet to go to the bend, my legs seized up. I'd forgotten to loosen my straps and toppled over just as a car load of laughing schoolkids passed me. Oh, the shame [:I]! Thank goodness we now have clipless pedals.

No, Man is an island!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks for such a great review of this run. i used to live in sowerby bridge and also went to school in hebden bridge as a child so i know only too well what these climbs are like, although ive never heard of the steps.. Needless to say that climbs does sound hard and i have to agree that 39/26 would be difficult to turn up there, which by the way is what ill be running if i do decide to ride.

I now have a free entry to the white rose classic this weekend so im considering riding that as the weather is forecast to be nice and warm....just what you need. [:p]

Thanks again Christian

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ColinJ

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Crispyapplepie

Hi All

Just wondering if any of you are competing in this and was wondering if anyone can shed any light on how hard this is compared to the etape da dales. I completed the etape which was my 1st sportif ride and now i want to do another, as this is local to me it seems the obvious choice.

all info appreciated

Thanks

Christian
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Christian.

I'm signed up for the event (details here) and I know at least one other forum member who will be riding. I haven't ridden the Etape du Dales but I've done a lot of those climbs at one time or another, and I've also spoken to mates who *have* ridden it so I have a good idea of what it was like. Pain in the Pennines takes place on my local climbs and I've ridden most of them many times. The PitP route is much less intimidating than the Etape by a long way, though 12,500 feet of Pennine climbs in 107 miles will still be a good challenge. You can give yourself as much pain as you like if you decide to go for a good time. I, on the other hand, will mostly be taking the 'meander along and enjoy yourself' option!

I haven't done the first climb out of Greetland but it shouldn't be too bad. Most of the other climbs are long steady climbs, with the odd steeper little bugger.

After leaving Hebden Bridge the first time, you take a right turn onto the nastiest (nicest?!) climb of the day - Mytholm Steeps***. This is the one climb when a really low gear would come in handy. I have done it in 42/28 but these days I use a 30/28 on it and still don't find it easy. It starts with a few bends of 15-20% leading up to a short easy stretch after the houses - don't be fooled - the road then rears straight up for 100+ yards of 25%! A tight left bend takes you into a winding easier climb up to Blackshaw Head. At least you will be well warmed up when you hit The Steeps, but your legs will still be relatively fresh. Many people would probably find the 'recommended gear' of 39/26 too high here, though it should be okay for most of the other climbs.

***When I first started cycling in this area, I got chatting to an old local cyclist and he told me about the time the Milk Race was sent up this climb. Nobody had warned the riders how severe the climb was and they bombed along the valley road and turned onto it with only 60s (?) racing gears at their disposal e.g. lows of 42/21. They struggled up the steep early bends then hit the 25% stretch. A few riders stalled, causing half the peloton to fall off still attached to their bikes by toeclips and straps. I had to give it a go... [8D] Of course, exactly the same thing happened to me. With only about 10 feet to go to the bend, my legs seized up. I'd forgotten to loosen my straps and toppled over just as a car load of laughing schoolkids passed me. Oh, the shame [:I]! Thank goodness we now have clipless pedals.

No, Man is an island!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks for such a great review of this run. i used to live in sowerby bridge and also went to school in hebden bridge as a child so i know only too well what these climbs are like, although ive never heard of the steps.. Needless to say that climbs does sound hard and i have to agree that 39/26 would be difficult to turn up there, which by the way is what ill be running if i do decide to ride.

I now have a free entry to the white rose classic this weekend so im considering riding that as the weather is forecast to be nice and warm....just what you need. [:p]

Thanks again Christian

tartan_army · June 2007

Have been thinking about doing the Pain in the Penines ride next week. Might be up that way this weekend so a scout of this climb may be good! Only been through Hebden Bridge area once so don't know it too well. May be obvious once i get there but what actual roads is it?

Been trying to figure it out and do a bit of googling and looking at the map. Is it turning off the A646 onto Church Road-Colden Road-Hudson Mill Road that is the Steps climb?

Thanks

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tartan_army

Have been thinking about doing the Pain in the Penines ride next week. Might be up that way this weekend so a scout of this climb may be good! Only been through Hebden Bridge area once so don't know it too well. May be obvious once i get there but what actual roads is it?

Been trying to figure it out and do a bit of googling and looking at the map. Is it turning off the A646 onto Church Road-Colden Road-Hudson Mill Road that is the Steps climb?

Thanks
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yes. It's Church Lane actually - you can see the church from the turn. Just look out for the "Are you really sure that you want to do this!" sign at the bottom***.

Take a look at this map. It shows Mytholm Steeps (as in steep!) and the Horsehold climb mentioned above. You can also see some of the other steep climbs out of Hebden Bridge.

Colden Road is a bridleway. It may not be obvious on an online map, but it is on the road. Just keep on going uphill on the road!

The old name for the Steeps is Rawtenstall Bank and that is shown on this map. The 25% section is where the word 'Bank' is and you can see the tight left bend I mentioned. As on all such bends, the gradient tightens on the inside. The natural thing to do is to swing wide to take it - if moving at 1 kph could be described as swinging [:I]! When I encountered that car on my first ascent of the Steeps, the damn driver didn't give me the 10 seconds I needed to take the bend and squeezed me onto the inside of it. That must be over 30% for a few metres and my legs just couldn't cope. The driver could have slowed down, given his passengers a laugh - "Hey kids, look at the silly cyclist!" - but no, a few seconds had to be saved - Get out of my way [:(!]!!!

Badger Lane takes you up to Blackshaw Head village.

One other thing learned from experience... don't stand on steep climbs when they are wet! I tried that on the Steeps once and my back wheel slid from under me and had me off. If it's wet you will have to find the strength to do the climb sitting down. I do nearly all of my climbing in the saddle. I only stand if I have to, but there again, I do have a lovely 30/28 gear in my climbing arsenal!

*** The sign actually says something about local access only, steep gradients

No, Man is an island!

tartan_army · June 2007

Ok, so now you're just completely trying to put me off are you?! [;)]

Sounds like a practice run is definetely in order.

Probably going out with a guy from work for the first time who is just getting into road cycling. He's done about 50 miles or so so far. Time to show him some real climbs and real riding! Do about a 70 mile loop out of Bolton and include this in it me thinks.

Thanks for the info and sorry for my Church Lane and Steeps mistakes, that was a typo

ColinJ · June 2007

Hi All.

I just thought I'd bump this up again since the event is in aid of a good cause (a local hospice). 141 riders have pre-entered, but another 150-odd can be catered for, so if you are not booked up for Sunday, why not head over for a good dose of fine West Yorkshire scenery?

We've had lots of rain round here the past few days and more is forecast for next week but, amazingly, Sunday looks okay. We are supposed to have mild conditions, light wind, cloudy, the odd sunny spell - just about ideal for a lot of climbing [:)]!

Some of the roads early on are narrow, steep lanes. There will be a lot of grit and other debris washed down by the recent rain so take it easy on the descents!

I'll probably be wearing red & black jersey/shorts, red mitts, lightweight black legwarmers, black armwarmers, a peaked blue/black MET helmet, yellow tinted glasses, yellow SIDI shoes, possibly with black lycra covers. If I feel cold, I might have a white windtop and/or a red/black gilet on too.

I'll be riding my trusty blue Basso (yellow decals) complete with bodged-on rack. There's a picture of it here. Notes: (1) I took the mudguards off for the 'summer' which has turned out to be a mistake since so far it has been far wetter than the winter [:(]! (2) Yes, I know the rack isn't level! The bodging kit wasn't long enough, but it works okay. (3) I've changed to a silver stem with more rise to give me a more upright and hopefully less painful climbing position - tomorrow will tell! (4) I agree - the saddle is very ugly! It is the old WTB saddle off my mountain bike. Ugly, but very comfortable!

I'll be aiming to start around about 08:15. I'll probably take about 8 hours to get round unless my back gives up and I have to go even slower. If you are aiming for that sort of time and want some company, arrange to meet me at the start. If not, say hi as you pass me. Good luck!

A Miss is as good as a mile, especially if she cycles...

ColinJ · June 2007

After a week, I've finally regained enough strength to write a little report about PitP 2007 [:0]!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ColinJ

I'll probably take about 8 hours to get round unless my back gives up and I have to go even slower.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ha... it did give up so I did have to slow down! The event turned into a 10 hour suffer-fest for me, with an hour and half on top of that to get to and from the Greetland HQ [:(]!

There were certainly plenty of Pennine (hill)s and I was in pain most of the time, so I'd say the event certainly lived up to its name!

The route covered some of my favourite local hills so I had a good day out despite my dodgy back. The organisers had put arrow signs on every junction and also spray-painted markers on the road (naughty!) so riders had little excuse for not following the route. Despite that, I still saw some taking shortcuts! The feed stations were well-spaced, there was plenty of food and drink and the volunteers manning them were friendly - what more could you ask for? Er, well actually... how about some sunshine? The first four hours or so were really grim - 'flaming June' - ho ho! It was like riding through the middle of a cloud. I was soaked and cold, not a happy bunny...

As I approached Mytholm, I didn't have much enthusiasm for the climb to come. I had a fall on the Steeps once, and nearly had another last time I went up - my chain slipped off the big sprocket when I stood for the steepest section of the climb. As for last week - the roads were so greasy that I was afraid to stand in case my rear wheel slid from under me. I clawed my way up to the 25% bit, and got most of the way up that, but then lost my nerve. I'd rather do a controlled dismount than try and do one in a panic when I can no longer get the pedals round, so off I hopped... Even then, I nearly fell. I'd hoped to be riding with SPD shoes and pedals, but my new shoes hadn't arrived in time so I was stuck with my old Look kit. My foot slithered away from me when I got it down. It was damn hard just walking the last 25 metres! For those of you who want to relive your glorious exploits on the climb last Sunday, I walked up the climb a couple of days ago with my camera and have created an online slideshow showing Mytholm Steeps in all its glory. Enjoy [:D]!

It was really tempting to abandon both times going through my home town of Hebden Bridge. I had been looking forward to the event though, and decided to press on - I had the feeling that the weather was on the turn. By the time I got to Blackstone Edge the second time round, it was no longer shrouded in mist. After that, the sun came out and the ride developed a completely different character...

The long ascent of Saddleworth Moor had my back in knots once again - there is something about that climb that really doesn't suit me. I was overtaken by a much older cyclist who took one look at me and said "Ee, this is a tough climb, eh lad?" It didn't quite ring true because he then climbed away from me as if he was on a flat road!

I confess to taking a shortcut on the descent into Holmfirth. I hadn't really checked the route sheet and I knew that we were headed for Meltham, so I took a left at the pub above Digley Reservoir. I thought I'd missed the turn further back on the Moor, not realising that the official one was even further on. I saved about 5 km and about 200 m of climbing, but I did a lot more than that riding to and from the HQ so I don't feel too guilty about it. I also went 'the back way' out of Marsden. I don't like the main road climb out of the town so I now always use the more direct, much steeper route. It hurts more but it is almost traffic-free and less windswept. I'd recommend that if there is a future edition of PitP.

I had my Etrex GPS with me so that I could save a Tracklog of my ride. The organiser spotted this at the finish and asked if I would send him a copy so he could check the route details. I would do that if only I'd remembered to enable logging when I set off [:I]!! I've had to fire up my mapping software and plot the route from memory instead. Here is the route in GPX format (128 kb file). If you don't have mapping software that understands GPX format, you can use Google Earth to view the route. The local imagery is high-resolution so you can get a really good look at the terrain we went over (use the tilt control at the top right hand corner to give a 3D view).

I hope the event is run again next year so that I get the chance to do it with a stronger back, in warmer and drier conditions.

A Miss is as good as a mile, especially if she cycles...

Pain in the Pennines 2007

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