Them hills

DavidTQ

ok topic yesterday got me to thinking about how cyclists measure and describe hills, Ive never managed to find data for how much a hill rises of gradiants etc for my hills the only distances I can get are from the likes of multimap. Im never sure how to accurately describe the hills on my commute. I couldnt accurately guess a gradiant to save my life.

So I put together a couple of "very boring" videos of the inclines on my commute, I dont think the camera does them all justice although some of them are very gentle top gear inclines, others are longer and steeper, which I fully accept that a fit cyclist would go up on a SS fixed no problem or with a double, but I like the easier triple I do anything I can to make my cycling easier and hence more enjoyable.

Anyway heres some videos of me climbing the hills on my commute its an alternative to watching paint dry Would welcome guestimates of gradiants etc. other cyclists ideas of how to describe them...

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2ZFz4WrRUc

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=592ifFP04Iw

Sea_Green_Incorruptible

Bikely will do the gradients on your route as you draw it in...

See my example here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Wi ... ucester-Rd
Go to the Show menu at the top and choose 'elevation profile'.

Not sure whether this will give you the kind of detail/info you need but it will at least give you a nice ziggy zaggy graph!

DavidTQ

having a hard time plotting my route exactly on there as it wont allow me to do quick pedestrian bit, where I pull to the side of the road hop of the bike over a grass verge where cars cant pass through then continue on the bike on another road

But looking at around 1400ft climbing and 1350ft descending, which comfirms my theory that work and home are on about the same level its just illy between them works 60' higher than home but I have to climb 1400ft to get there

Sea_Green_Incorruptible

Cool. Bikely won't let you break the rules of the road if you have the 'auto-follow' box ticked. If you take this off for these sections you can go follow any route...

DavidTQ

I dont break any rules of the road I just get off the bike for a section , but will rework the route with this auto follow thing and see if I can get it more accurate

Brian224

Nice website.

I have put in the main part of my commute but it will not give me elevations, so I have asked for the data to refresh (24hrs)

Trouble with comparing gradients is that some people find short sharp climbs better and hate long drags, others twiddle all the way up the long ones on the inner ring.

I bet nobody will agree on a scoring systm

Brian

el_presidente

http://www.cyclingcols.com/ gives the format you seek

though may be overkill somewhat for UK purposes

DavidTQ

My most hated climbs are 338ft over 0.4 miles and 295ft over 0.4 miles 259ft over 0.3 miles does that give me enough data to get an idea of gradiants?

Ive got another hilly route for town that is 118ft over 0.8 miles and thats surprisingly easy, it surprises me every time I do it just how easy it is even though it looks qutie nasty.

OK think that works out from an internet calulator at 1:6.24? 1:7.15 ? 1:6.11 and whilst the easy route works out 1:35.79

Guess that shows the difference...