tell me about swiss hill please?
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information from the KILOTOGO 2009_event_manual.pdf re climbing swiss hill
1) Stay sat down in the saddle
2) Keep hands wide apart on the bars
3) Concentrate on choosing a line where car tyres will have been (avoid centre of road and gutters).
Riders who do not feel confident about this climb can continue straight ahead (rather than turn left) to rejoin the route at the A34 in Alderley Edge0 -
Where's swiss hill?
I'm in Alderley Edge every single ride and i'm unfamilliar with it.
All I know round those parts is Artist's Lane, Congleton Road and Macclesfield Road. I'm never there for long - I tend to go straight to Prestbury/Macclesfield for the Cat & Fiddle without hanging about too much.
Been looking on Google Maps but can't find it! Maybe i'm blind!0 -
You wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it.
Imagine you're coming through Alderley on the A34 From Wilmslow. At the turning left for the Macc road, there's a sharper left that goes to Mottram. Go along there for a bit and Swiss Hill is on your right taking you up to the Macc road below The Wizard.Higs0 -
i.e. on the road from Alderley Edge towards Mottram St Andrews, on the right opposite the cricket ground.
You've probably been past it dozens of times and just thought it was a private road or driveway for one of the posh houses.
- I certainly had ! If nothing else, KiloToGo have woken me up to it being there !0 -
the route will have changed due to recent road closures on the knutsford road and soss moss lane...
Swiss Hill is my favourite climb out of any i've done
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Oh yes! I see it now! It's on google maps, just needed to zoom in a bit more to see the name show up. Doesn't look that long - surely Artist's Lane is a tougher climb? Unless the upward elevation is the same and the gradient is increased... :shock:
I'll check it out tomorrow! May come down it first, just to see the sort of pain it's gonna take to get up it!
By the way, I spoke to someone from the council and they say Sossmoss lane is closed until February 2011! :shock:0 -
Bhima wrote:Oh yes! I see it now! It's on google maps, just needed to zoom in a bit more to see the name show up. Doesn't look that long - surely Artist's Lane is a tougher climb?
By the way, I spoke to someone from the council and they say Sossmoss lane is closed until February 2011! :shock:
Swiss Hill is cobbled and Artist's Lane isn't. :evil: Sossmoss lane is closed for that length of time because they are putting the Alderley Edge Bypass under the railway line.0 -
Sorry, didn't read the whole thread! :oops:0
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ugo.santalucia wrote:If it's dry it's no big deal, goes up 13-14% for a few hundred yards, if it's wet you'll have to walk it... or cycle the normal paved road Alderley Edge-Macclesfield (also known as "The Wizard" after the pub on top), nobody is going to shoot you for that
if 'everyone' tries to get yp there it will be chaos (depending where you are placed). Just use the normal road which is steep enough and you still get to the same point but no cobbles/walking/crashing etcM.Rushton0 -
The climb itself is reasonably steep - about 20% or so (not sure about the 1 in 4 claim)...however the cobbles will be tricky just given the sheer numbers approaching it together...
as for attacking it with some speed.....you come at it from Mottram, so you have a 120 degree left hand turn to get on it...so everyone will be starting from a v slow speed.
my plan is to sit down, pick a nice steady low gear and steady pedalling..once it turns slightly to the right you are over the worst and it levels off then...
I can comment on mow cop as I havent riden it yet, but I agree that there are a couple of climbs in the peaks / Macc area which havent been mentioned by Kilotogo which are equally tough and will catch several out.
n.b.: I am also looking for a lift please from South Mcr to the start (for registering as on childcare duties on Saturday) and back afterwards....muchas gracias 0 -
mrushton wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:If it's dry it's no big deal, goes up 13-14% for a few hundred yards, if it's wet you'll have to walk it... or cycle the normal paved road Alderley Edge-Macclesfield (also known as "The Wizard" after the pub on top), nobody is going to shoot you for that
if 'everyone' tries to get yp there it will be chaos (depending where you are placed). Just use the normal road which is steep enough and you still get to the same point but no cobbles/walking/crashing etc
yeh, that's what I'm going to do - it says that we're allowed to miss Swiss Hill out on the kilotogo website.0 -
popette wrote:mrushton wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:or cycle the normal paved road Alderley Edge-Macclesfield (also known as "The Wizard" after the pub on top), nobody is going to shoot you for that
yeh, that's what I'm going to do - it says that we're allowed to miss Swiss Hill out on the kilotogo website.
....but the "Wizard" runs out of Alderely towards Macclesfield, which is in the opposite direction to which you will be going on the Cheshire Cat..!! :? :shock:
the route approaches Alderley from Mottram...so you either go up Swiss Hill or you carry on into alderley past the cricket club on the flat, or they have offered an alternative route up before you reach alderley (before the woods)??? :?:
From the manual on kilotogo's website:
"Riders who feel uncomfortable about this climb should continue straight ahead (rather than turn left) to rejoin the route at the A34 in Alderley Edge"
so you stay on the flat road and miss out a climb altogether.... :roll:0 -
It says on their website that if you want to, you can miss the turn left up swiss hill and continue into alderley - so looking at the map, you just miss a chunk of the course off.0
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Popette,
you miss out about 1 mile at most in distance...0 -
sportbilly1976 wrote:Popette,
you miss out about 1 mile at most in distance...
I'm sure that on Sunday, I will be very happy to do that
right, going to try a ride but the wind is scaring me a bit.0 -
Bit of footage of swiss hill here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7unYOUolVqo0
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Unfit I may be, but I'll certainly be having a go at Swiss Hill. As far as I'm concerned, it's all part of the experience; and after all, it is only a short hill. I'd be disappointed with myself if I didn't at least try to cycle all the way up.
I'm not going to 'write off' the hill without even making an attempt to get up it.
I might only get half way up before I have to walk, but at least I'll know that I won't be going up there again . . . . . . . except for next year 0 -
lastpubrunner wrote:I'm not going to 'write off' the hill without even making an attempt to get up it.
I might only get half way up before I have to walk, but at least I'll know that I won't be going up there again . . . . . . . except for next year
And it means you wont have copped out of one of the climbs, good on you lastpubrunner, that's the attitude.
What's the point of doing the Cheshire Cat if you're going to woos out of a technical climb, it was plain enough on the website there was a cobbled climb, mtfu and get up it, even if it means walking.
How are those of you who miss out Swiss Hill going to feel at the end when people are asking you how you found Swiss Hill and you have to admit you didnt do it or lie?
You'll regret not trying at the end because you won't have actually completed the challenge as it was set will you?
If you're going to choose your own route rather than the one set you may as well have saved your entry fee, not entered and gone on a ride you do like ....
NO SWISS HILL = FAIL0 -
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Only winding you up Popette, but seriously I'd think about it before you go. You may not regret it at the time, it'll be later on when you're reflecting on the ride and you think "I wish I'd done Swiss hill now, even if I'd walked"
Its supposed to be a challenge and it will probably be hard, but that's what it makes it all the more rewarding when you get to the finish. With climbing half of the battle is in the mind, not what you are or are not physically capable of. You'll have a greater sense of achievement even if you walk than missing it out all together.0 -
ok - you talked me into it. I was going to walk it until I saw on the website that it was allowed to miss it altogether- that was just the excuse I was looking for. You're right though, I probably would regret it afterwards. Half the fun of these events it talking over all the gory details when you have actually finished.
When I tried it at the weekend, it was only the bit just by the flats that I found difficult. Oh fu>k it - I'll just mtfu (whatever it means - I think I can guess the last 3 letters but what is the m?)0 -
(First Post!!!)
I rode it on saturday, made sure it was after 45miles too to get full effect (as I am 'only' a 6o miler on Sunday). Stopped at the flats!!! Not pleasant, but that is what happens when you have to haul 110KG up cobbled hills! I too was quite excited at reading that missing it out was an option - thought better of that now though. Thinking of swapping out my keos and going for my MTB shoes that are much more appropriate for walking in!!!!
Anyway - has anybody else seen the weather report for the next weekend? It looks likely to be more than wet. Realistically, even getting to the bottom of Swiss Hill will be an achievement. I will not be surprised if there is still snow on the cobbles, and almost certainly a good few patches of ice.
Whatever - this is my first ever Sportive, so to hell with it, I will be loving the craic. If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0 -
MTFU = Man The Fu>k Uppopette wrote:Oh fu>k it - I'll just mtfu (whatever it means - I think I can guess the last 3 letters but what is the m?)
It is probably derived from HTFU which = Harden The Fu>k Up .PS Er, that video isn't worksafe!0 -
Shut the fu<k up and be a man ?
Not that applies to Popette of course !
But yeah, what is the point of missing it out.
That Mow Cop looks hard too, maybe there's an easier route through the middle of Biddulph that could be used instead... :roll:0 -
Slow1972 wrote:Only winding you up Popette, but seriously I'd think about it before you go. You may not regret it at the time, it'll be later on when you're reflecting on the ride and you think "I wish I'd done Swiss hill now, even if I'd walked"
Its supposed to be a challenge and it will probably be hard, but that's what it makes it all the more rewarding when you get to the finish. With climbing half of the battle is in the mind, not what you are or are not physically capable of. You'll have a greater sense of achievement even if you walk than missing it out all together.
I agree with all of the above. When I am actually going up Swiss Hill (riding or walking !) I'll probably be cursing myself for not having taken the 'easy' option. But afterwards, I'll be so pleased that I did do it.
Popette; I am almost certainly less fit than you, probably older and I've never done a sportive before. I'd imagine that there will be quite a few anxious newbies at the start (like myself), wondering what the hell's going on and what they have got themselves into. What I find scarey, is that I notice that in a previous posting you mention possibly riding with fulcrum racing 1 wheels; spanielsson wrote "What doesn't help is having the Trek and the Sabbath" and McBain_v1 refers to Fulcrum R3 wheels ! - I'll be going round on a bike which was probably 'good' about 1980, there is no carbon fibre on my bike; no doubt some may sneer at my bike but it's what's in the legs that counts; that, and steely determination !
I've never cycled more than 50 miles before and in the last few weeks I've managed to cycle just once a week. ( I did just 15 miles last Saturday). It'll be a very steep learning curve for me all the way round ! I'll be doing a pb for both 100km & 100 miles !.
When I first saw the details of the Cheshire Cat, I immediately decided that only the full distance would be good enough. And that means all the hills and cobbles etc. I'd hate to talk to someone after the event having 'only' done the 66 mile route - especially if I thought that I could have managed the longer route.
I'm going to register on the Saturday and hopefully, I'll be one of the first off on Sunday; with an early start, perhaps I won't be the last to finish. 0 -
Don't worry about it mate.
I did my first few sportives on a Specialized Allez with Sora gearing, stock wheels the lot, except for better tyres.
Assuming it's not a blizzard (or maybe even so !), with your sort of attitude you'll get round and be proud of yourself.
If you end up walking a few sections, alright fair enough, you walked a few sections, but you did the route and you finished, it still counts.
You'll be horrified at the speed that some people go past you and think how rubbish you are, but you'll pass a fair number yourself - there are 1600 riders of all sorts of abilities, fitness and experience, you won't be last/slowest.
Assuming you both have breath, have a chat with anyone you pass or passes you and is going roughly the same speed.
You can ride it as a 102 mile solo ride, or you can make friends with someone you've never met before and ride with them for a couple of miles, then meet someone else for a few more, or even ride most of the way round with a group of strangers and share the experience.
Good luck and enjoy it (at any rate in retrospect, after it's all stopped acheing !)0 -
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redddraggon wrote:I'll be skipping Swiss Hill on Sunday for defo
Woos, I hope you're not going to be wearing a Wheelers' jersey when people see you cop out
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