Just cycled up Alpe d'Huez

FullFrameRob

Well i did it last Friday Morning, got to the top and thought to myself, is that it.

Maybe its me but ADH wasnt the climb i was expecting it to be.

So my question to anyone that has done ADH, what did you think of the climb ?

1892

well done

fossyant

Come on, what gears did you use !

FullFrameRob

fossyant wrote:

Come on, what gears did you use !

Ok i was running a compact on my bike.

One thing i did notice was how flat the hairpins bends are & you dont really notice how steep the climb is untill you start the descent back to Bourg-d'Oisans

wakemalcolm

If I was being unfair I'd say that it was a triumph of legend and marketing over substance.

It's a beast for the first couple of ramps but allows you into a nice rhythm thereafter and there is a sense of occasion about the corners named after each winner. The big surprise for me was that the stage end, which has a permanent marker, there was nobody there. All the tour groups seem to climb off at the bottom of the village and we had the place to ourselves for the whole time we were there.

For all the hype over Alpe D and the Galibier, my favourite out there has to be the Croix de fer/Glandon climb but the race never ends there, so it doesn't enjoy the same same history/kudos/baggage.

hammerite

nypd wrote:

fossyant wrote:

Come on, what gears did you use !

Ok i was running a compact on my bike.

One thing i did notice was how flat the hairpins bends are & you dont really notice how steep the climb is untill you start the descent back to Bourg-d'Oisans

Well done.

Hoping to give it a go next month, although I might have to get up very early to do it, it's TdF week I'm there and I don't want there to be lots of people around when I have to get off and walk!

I ride a triple and I still struggle to grind it up the hills round here, I live in Bedfordshire and there aren't many hills :oops:

fossyant

No seriously, what was the ratio's - never done it myself as I'm a Peak's fella myself and know what I can get away with here, but not the French monsters.....

FullFrameRob

wakemalcolm wrote:

If I was being unfair I'd say that it was a triumph of legend and marketing over substance.

It's a beast for the first couple of ramps but allows you into a nice rhythm thereafter and there is a sense of occasion about the corners named after each winner. The big surprise for me was that the stage end, which has a permanent marker, there was nobody there. All the tour groups seem to climb off at the bottom of the village and we had the place to ourselves for the whole time we were there.

For all the hype over Alpe D and the Galibier, my favourite out there has to be the Croix de fer/Glandon climb but the race never ends there, so it doesn't enjoy the same same history/kudos/baggage.

Have to a agree with you about the Croix der Fer, i loved that climb. As i was cycling between Albertville & Bourg-d'Oisans i had the choice of the Glandon & Croix der Fer. As seen as the TDF are doing it this year i picked the Croix der Fer, found the last few Km after St-Sorlin-d'Arves to be a bit of a sting in the tail.

As for the TDF finish line at ADH it had a Tesco's car park feel about it.

FullFrameRob

fossyant wrote:

No seriously, what was the ratio's - never done it myself as I'm a Peak's fella myself and know what I can get away with here, but not the French monsters.....

I normally run a 53/39 x 12/27 on my bike when out cycling in the Peak District but decided to run a compact 50/34 x 12/27 for my stint in the Alps.

Looking back i could have got to the top without any problems useing a 39x27, but i mainly spun away on a 34 x 24/27 up ADH and took in the stunning alpine views.

st68

rode alpe d huez last year 39X29 for the first 3k then roughly on 26/23 for the rest of the climb for me the first 3k were tough but loved the ride going back in 5 weeks to hopefully beat my time of 1.06 then im driving down to briancon the next day to ride the izoard & the day after that i will ride the madeleine 5 weeks cant come quick enough cmon

st68

the croix der fere is a beautiful ride gonna do that again as well i thought telegraph & galibier were a nice ride as well apart from it started snowing on the galibibier so i had to descent the summit a bit sharpish :shock:

NJK

nypd wrote:

Well i did it last Friday Morning, got to the top and thought to myself, is that it.

Maybe its me but ADH wasnt the climb i was expecting it to be.

So my question to anyone that has done ADH, what did you think of the climb ?

It depends how fast you were going i suppose. I did it 1999 the day after 90 miles to sestriere. Legs felt s**** and i only had 39/23 as my easiest gear. Mind you i was 57kg

wakemalcolm

nypd wrote:

Have to a agree with you about the Croix der Fer, i loved that climb. As i was cycling between Albertville & Bourg-d'Oisans i had the choice of the Glandon & Croix der Fer. As seen as the TDF are doing it this year i picked the Croix der Fer, found the last few Km after St-Sorlin-d'Arves to be a bit of a sting in the tail.

NYPD,
does that mean that the north east side of it has now reopened? We descended that side last year on the final day of our tour and got diverted to the Col du Mollard and an extra 400m of climbing. The words sting in the tail come to mind too.

007stucumber

It's somewhat more difficult:
- after 6 to 7 hours in the saddle
- having climbed the Izoard and Lauteret
- in the afternoon in 40C heat

I found the Marie Blanque (Escot) harder though ...

DaveyL

st68 wrote:

rode alpe d huez last year 39X29 for the first 3k then roughly on 26/23 for the rest of the climb for me the first 3k were tough but loved the ride going back in 5 weeks to hopefully beat my time of 1.06 then im driving down to briancon the next day to ride the izoard & the day after that i will ride the madeleine 5 weeks cant come quick enough cmon

1 hr 6 min corresponds to an average speed of 7.2 mph. In 39x26, that's a cadence of 60 rpm. I'd prefer a lower gear and higher rpm, but I guess it varies from individual to individual. I managed 1 hr 13 on a triple (30x25 and 30x23) hired bike, but then again I'm 108 kg!

FullFrameRob

wakemalcolm wrote:

nypd wrote:

Have to a agree with you about the Croix der Fer, i loved that climb. As i was cycling between Albertville & Bourg-d'Oisans i had the choice of the Glandon & Croix der Fer. As seen as the TDF are doing it this year i picked the Croix der Fer, found the last few Km after St-Sorlin-d'Arves to be a bit of a sting in the tail.

NYPD,
does that mean that the north east side of it has now reopened? We descended that side last year on the final day of our tour and got diverted to the Col du Mollard and an extra 400m of climbing. The words sting in the tail come to mind too.

Yes i would say that the north east side is now reopened. I did notice that there is still abit of construction work going off on the climb just after St-Sorlin-d'Arves. Like i said i did the climb from the side that the TDF is doing this year starting in St-Jean-de-Maurienne.

Off topic a bit but i also did the Col le la Bonnette on my way into Nice. Great climb, long but never too steep in my opinion, i did the side starting in Jausiers & the views from the top are just amazing.

Monty Dog

L'alpe is a bit of an anti-climax unless it's on the day of LeTour or the finish of LaMarmotte - there are plenty more challenging and picturesque climbs in the vicinity. Anything under the hour is good going.

Simon Notley

I'm hoping to cycle ADH (as well as the others mentioned) during the week of the tour's visit. I even seem to have been volunteered for a time trial up ADH...

Hopefully the camped out spectators will add to the atmosphere rather than just getting in the way!

Simon

hammerite

Simon Notley wrote:

I'm hoping to cycle ADH (as well as the others mentioned) during the week of the tour's visit. I even seem to have been volunteered for a time trial up ADH...

Hopefully the camped out spectators will add to the atmosphere rather than just getting in the way!

Simon

I'm planning to attempt it later in the week when hopefully people will have started to make their way off the mountain!

Mark Alexander

nypd wrote:

fossyant wrote:

Come on, what gears did you use !

Ok i was running a compact on my bike.

One thing i did notice was how flat the hairpins bends are & you dont really notice how steep the climb is untill you start the descent back to Bourg-d'Oisans

I'm staying at the top and have to 'notice' :shock: before I even start!
39x27 that's what i'm riding with in 10 days.

oldwelshman

Mark Alexander wrote:

nypd wrote:

fossyant wrote:

Come on, what gears did you use !

Ok i was running a compact on my bike.

One thing i did notice was how flat the hairpins bends are & you dont really notice how steep the climb is untill you start the descent back to Bourg-d'Oisans

I'm staying at the top and have to 'notice' :shock: before I even start!
39x27 that's what i'm riding with in 10 days.

What day you there Mark?
We are also staying at the top and probably going for a ride over couple of climbs on the thursday and as we are at the top will obviously have to climb ADH also
Probably more than once

celbianchi

for anyone going over for the TDF (I will be there from Sat 19th to Sat 26th)

As well as D'Huez, here are some other nice rides in the immediate vicinity that I have done.

Allemont - Glandon - St Jean De Maurienne - Croix De Fer - Allemont

Allemont - La Berade - Allemont (very picturesque)

Allemont - Sechilliene - Col De Luitel - Vizille - Allemont (Luitel is a great climb)

Allemont - Alpe Grande Serrre - Sievoz - Valbonnais - Col D'Ornon

Also if you go over the back of ADH and over the Col De Sarenne you can loop back round to the Lauteret road.

My favourite climb is probably the Glandon from Allemont, it is so scenic.

I have done D'Huez a number of times including after the Izoard and Lauteret and have found a 39/23 to be ok for me. And i am just a 3rd cat roadie.

Simon Notley

I'll be there with a group staying in Bourg 20th-27th, so there's a pretty good chance that some of us will bump into each other I'd have thought. I'll be using a 39-27 I think, it got me through the Pyrenees ok, so should do the Alps... although I am still wondering whether I might be faster up the second and third climbs of the day if I had a 34-27 instead.

DaveyL

celbianchi wrote:

I have done D'Huez a number of times including after the Izoard and Lauteret and have found a 39/23 to be ok for me. And i am just a 3rd cat roadie.

I'd love to know what speed you're doing up there in 39x23. If your time is not significantly under an hour then your cadence must be ridiculously low. Armstrong used 39x23 for the steeper parts of the climb during the ITT in 2004, and he did it in 37 min (~12-13 mph average speed).

Mark Alexander

DaveyL wrote:

celbianchi wrote:

I have done D'Huez a number of times including after the Izoard and Lauteret and have found a 39/23 to be ok for me. And i am just a 3rd cat roadie.

I'd love to know what speed you're doing up there in 39x23. If your time is not significantly under an hour then your cadence must be ridiculously low. Armstrong used 39x23 for the steeper parts of the climb during the ITT in 2004, and he did it in 37 min (~12-13 mph average speed).

Well, boys and girls, I know I won't be doing it in 37 mins!!
I'll be there from thursday evening, all going well that is.

celbianchi

DaveyL wrote:

celbianchi wrote:

I have done D'Huez a number of times including after the Izoard and Lauteret and have found a 39/23 to be ok for me. And i am just a 3rd cat roadie.

I'd love to know what speed you're doing up there in 39x23. If your time is not significantly under an hour then your cadence must be ridiculously low. Armstrong used 39x23 for the steeper parts of the climb during the ITT in 2004, and he did it in 37 min (~12-13 mph average speed).

Under the hour to the TDF finish line, not superfast 59'01.
I am not really a fast cadence kind of rider. Though I have been making an effort in races this season to increase my cadence.
first time i did it I had a 25, used it and did 1hr 1 min 10 secs.

st68

im stayin at ribot on hairpin 12 get there on saturday 2nd august staying for 7 nights an my new bikes lowest gear is 39X28 & the new bikes a kg lighter an hopefully i should be 2kg lighter @ 83kg but its not essential as long as i enjoy my week is all that matters

bagpusscp

Did this on an mtb with full panniers a fews ago.Thank heavens for disc brakes :shock
:P http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglock ... lpine_Road

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... ckner.html

st68

bagpusscp wrote:

Did this on an mtb with full panniers a fews ago.Thank heavens for disc brakes :shock
but surely calipers would have been better ask reddraggon

Peacenik

007stucumber wrote:

It's somewhat more difficult:
- after 6 to 7 hours in the saddle
- having climbed the Izoard and Lauteret
- in the afternoon in 40C heat

I found the Marie Blanque (Escot) harder though ...

I'll second that.

Etape '06 is now fading into the past but my legs are still recovering.

heavymental

Well, I guess ADH just has a lot of history as its a big stage finish and also its kind of like a sanitised mountain. Not as wild as the Glandon, Galibier etc with Bourg at the bottom and the resort at the top. And as they've run time trials up there you can compare yourself directly to the greats. You can't do that as easily on other climbs.

As with most peaks, if you build them up they're never quite as good as you imagined. I was a bit underwhelmed by the Galibier which I did last Thursday. As others have said, I think the Glandon and Croix de Fer are amazing climbs. I just ordered a print from one of the snappers on the way up to the Glandon as the backdrop is spectacular.

I used my 34/28 extensively on the way up all of the above, and was very pleased to have it!