hills

robklancs

hi
I was just wondering out of curiosity what it takes for a hill to be categorised/classified?does it depend upon the height of the summit, meters/feet gained, percentage of gradient or a combination of all?or something i have not mentioned? The local hills i am lucky enough to ride are in the trough of bowland, nearest one being the climb from lancaster to jubilee tower, through quernmore and was used in the tour of britain last year, if any of you know it, i wonder what that would be?any suggestions?
thanks

jibi

From Quernmore Crossroads to Jubilee ??
I classify that one as bl00dy hard

The hills in the big tours were classified due to the gear the following cars hd to use.... back in the day..

so a 1st category climb means the cars had to use 1st gear.
Modern cars do not have to use the low gears as much and now there is an even harder Hors Category ( outside of category).

george

pneumatic

I have no idea where I got this from, but it now lives in a corner of my PDA along with a list of things to take on a touring weekend:

Cycle Climbing Categories

Typically for the Tour, Category 4 is an easy, short climb.
Category 3 is the easiest "real" climb - ie, 5km at a 5% grade.
Category 2 is something like 5km at a grade of 8-8.5%
Category 1 typically a long climb (15 - 20+ km) at a not too steep grade - 5-6%.
Hors Category is long and steep. The altitude difference is at least 1000m and an average grade of 7% or more.

robklancs

thanks guys!
You ride that road regularly george? I love that hill! i always feel like i have had a good workout after it!

galty

Rode the trough yesterday for the first time started from Leyland headed from Chipping direction towards Scorton. The major climb was called boundary hill i think? it stated it was 17% but i thought it was a bit steeper in places. Brilliant ride though with stunning scenery. Total 62 miles @ average of 17.2 mph bit tender this morning though!

piedwagtail91

i may be wrong but i think pendle from sabden and the trough from dunsop have been 1st cat. climbs in some races.don't know where quernmore/brow top fits in as although its longer i don't feel it's as steep as the trough/boundry
though i have to admit to only having ridden it twice as i tend to do the trough to lancaster so do it the easier side..

andy610

hi i live in lancaster i went up the hill to jubilee tower about 3weeks ago it is a hard hill to climb well it is for me im 46 and only started cycling again last oct after 20 yrs i managed to keep going all the way from the church at quernmore to jubilee tower but it was hard work had to use bottom chainring but not sure what catagory climb it is, but i know this hill will be used for the bhf charity cycle race from williamsons park to york 100 miles ride of the roses on sun the 16sept.

galty

Sorry to go of on a tangent with the thread but it is relevant

Although i managed Boundry hill i was on my last gear and out of the saddle the most of the way 52- 39 on the front and a 12-25 on the rear. I enjoy the hills but can't seem to keep up the cadence and seem to be getting by on strength at the moment. Would better gearing be advisable say fit a compact 50-34 on the front. It is Tiagra 18 speed at the moment. Or am i just better sticking with whats on and just get better. I've only been cycling since feb 07 and 45 years old.

Cheers

piedwagtail91

boundry hill is hard and i've never got up it comfortably whatever gear i use, from 39 x 26 down to 26 x 25!
went over on a clubrun to lancaster once and one of the climbers went up, came down turned round, went up again, came down part way and pushed one of the women riders up to the top and he still wasn't out of breath. couldn't believe it.

andy610

which one is boundry hill

feno46

Any of you guys been up Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire. Thats a 25%er.

I've been up and down it a few times in an artic but only when I'm empty. All your money falls out of your pockets going up.

Scary. :shock:

piedwagtail91

andy610 wrote:

which one is boundry hill

the long steep twisty one from the dunsop bridge side. i think it got it's name from the boundry stone at the top near the cattle grid.

there is another hill not too far away which i think is a lot harder. it starts at the inn at whitewell ,off to the left as you're heading towards chipping.

pictit

feno46 wrote:

Any of you guys been up Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire. Thats a 25%er.

I've been up and down it a few times in an artic but only when I'm empty. All your money falls out of your pockets going up.

Scary. :shock:

Had 5 days holiday in Thirsk last Spring and went up Sutton Bank 3 times........by car.It's a beautiful,horrible bit of road.On 2 occasions the road was temporarily blocked as a lorry had stopped on a steep bit and could not pull off again.Had to be guided down to a 'flatter' section by the police and thats a common occurence apparently.

craigenty

piedwagtail91 wrote:

andy610 wrote:

which one is boundry hill

the long steep twisty one from the dunsop bridge side. i think it got it's name from the boundry stone at the top near the cattle grid.

there is another hill not too far away which i think is a lot harder. it starts at the inn at whitewell ,off to the left as you're heading towards chipping.

Oh yes, the hill over to Cow Ark from The Inn at Whitewell. I know that one well. :shock:

jibi

Sutton Bank :shock:
I fell off going up it, going slow slow and couldn't unclip in time. doing a ride from Morcambe to Scarborough, so I was pretty done in by the time I got to Sutton Bank. But the next day on the way back descending Sutton Bank was much better, you can really let it go on the last bit as you can see the straight road ahead of you.

I am getting sore legs just reading this thread !!!!

Through the Trough is one of my favourite rides, I do it mainly from Chipping/ Dunsop Bridge side, Boundary is harder that way but Jubilee is easier, or I can cut off across the Calf to Scorton.

george

robklancs

there is also the hill going from bentham to slaidburn, i think its called the cross o greets road and is part of the national cycle route. That goes up to 1400ft.
what is the correct name for this hill? and has anyone done it? it hurt like mad the one and only time i have done it

craigenty

robklancs wrote:

there is also the hill going from bentham to slaidburn, i think its called the cross o greets road and is part of the national cycle route. That goes up to 1400ft.
what is the correct name for this hill? and has anyone done it? it hurt like mad the one and only time i have done it

Tatum Moss?

A fantastic loop can be had by combining this climb with Bowland Knotts.

piedwagtail91

we call it tatham fell but it seems to go by several names, some best not written!

jibi

From Slaidburn:

the double whammy of Lamb and Tatham
that's the local name here for them,

george

robklancs

just to clarify, its on this map. The climb i want to clarify the name of is on the road from wray to slaidburn. You can see it on the map, i know its not exactly a true fit to the road but you get the idea of where the route is going. From the top you can see down to stocks reservoir, and there is a big stone at the top with a hole in the middle where a cross used to be?Anyone know it?thanks in advance.
http://www.bikeradar.com/routes/?bpath= ... dburn-loop

craigenty

Yes, The one on the map to the west of Stocks Res is Tatham Fell, (moss?)

The one with the stone at the summit which has a hole which fills with water.

piedwagtail91

yes we call it tatham fell, the only other way over from wray to slaidburn is salter fell which is a track. bowland knotts is too far east. we uxually come down taham to mewith crossroads.