Porlock Hill
shakey88
Posts: 289
Anyone ridden up this beast lately?
I maybe attempting it later in the year so i was looking to glean some info if poss.
I think it's 2 miles to the summit and some parts are 25% gradient.
Is it that steep all the way up and what state is the road in?
Is it do-able on a compact or will i need a triple?
I maybe attempting it later in the year so i was looking to glean some info if poss.
I think it's 2 miles to the summit and some parts are 25% gradient.
Is it that steep all the way up and what state is the road in?
Is it do-able on a compact or will i need a triple?
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I've never been to that area but I'd like to cycle round there one day!shakey88 wrote:Anyone ridden up this beast lately?
No, it isn't. I could tell you that without checking because I doubt that there is a road in the entire UK that steep, for that long. In fact, I bet there aren't many public roads in the entire world that are. Mountain dirt tracks perhaps, but not roads.shakey88 wrote:I think it's 2 miles to the summit and some parts are 25% gradient.
Is it that steep all the way up
As a matter of interest, I just took a look at Porlock Hill on my mapping software. It certainly is a tough-looking hill. The worst part of it rises about 310 m in 2.7 km so it 'only' averages 11.5%. That's still a nasty hill by any normal standards.
If you have to ask, then possibly the answer is no! In fact you might even struggle on a triple...shakey88 wrote:Is it do-able on a compact or will i need a triple?
I've ridden up hills in Yorkshire that are about as tough as that and I needed a triple AND big sprockets at the back!
You'll probably get somebody coming on now to say that they have ridden up Porlock hill on their fixed-wheel bike and a 42-16 gear!0 -
Only ever driven up it once rather than cycled a few years back.
It's a great road and it feels like an aeroplane taking off when you hit the revs and the whole car just points upwards. The 25% bit is almost straight out of the village / hamlet at sea level.
Truth be told though, the really steep bit is a relatively short section after which it is just a long steady climb up to the top of the moors.
If you can drag yourself up stupidly steep for half a minute to a minute or so you'll be fine. I have a local climb with a similar profile only it's about 20% at the bottom. You just drag yourself over that bit and then try desperately to get some rhythm for about the next 200 metres afterwards with spent legs. Beyond that it's just another climb.0 -
You might want to check exactly which part of Porlock Hill it is you are going up. There is a toll road that runs close to it and that will be a bit tough...but achievable and enoyable (my father in law is now 75 but, up to just before some recent heart surgery, he would often go up there). The Tour of Britain often talk about Porlock Hill but, AFAIK if you check back, they normally went up the toll road and not the main hill itself.
My FIL says the toll road (which is 1 in 14 in old money?) can be done with a compact with something like 52 - 19 as a young fit 'un but recently he had been using 34 - 19. Whizzing back up is one of the challenges for his recovery! Bloody nutters these cyclists 0 -
It's only 25% on the hairpin bends. Not as bad as it looks on the map. The hard part is the fact that it's quite a busy road with a lot of inconsiderate drivers on it.0
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ive been up porlock hill years ago very steep on the bends and very long you will need a 34/28 to get up it,very steep down it too,good luck.going downhill slowly0
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Hi
I just used bikehike to plot the gradient of Porlock Hill v the climb out of Lymouth and the latter is steeper. Porlock's on my list. Lymouth I've done twice but not suceeded - yet
For the record, BikeHike shows Porlock peaking at ~26% but Lynmouth at ~32%0 -
Toll road is not too bad, I can't really climb but got up ok on a 53 x 27, the steep part however is a bitch, I stopped about 5 times on the way up as my lungs and legs were about to explode, the hardest part is as others have said the climb out of the village, but the right hand bend just hides the rest of the pain it will put you thru! :twisted:Obsessed is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated!0
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You went up on a 53 x 27? Hope that was not on a normal geared bike? If so would have caused wear on the chain/rings due to deflection. Sure it was not the 39 or 34 x 27?JesseD wrote:Toll road is not too bad, I can't really climb but got up ok on a 53 x 27, the steep part however is a *****, I stopped about 5 times on the way up as my lungs and legs were about to explode, the hardest part is as others have said the climb out of the village, but the right hand bend just hides the rest of the pain it will put you thru! :twisted:
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JesseD wrote:Toll road is not too bad, I can't really climb but got up ok on a 53 x 27, the steep part however is a *****, I stopped about 5 times on the way up as my lungs and legs were about to explode, the hardest part is as others have said the climb out of the village, but the right hand bend just hides the rest of the pain it will put you thru! :twisted:
So you did not get up it then. Stopping discounts it.I stopped about 5 times on the way up
As for using 53/27, if this is your big/big combination you are asking to break the front chainring. They do not like severe side loadings. 39/19 or 39/21 would have served you better and safer.0 -
I read the post by JesseD as that he got up the toll road in the big combo but that the steep climb (non toll road) was, ahem, more of a challenge and he stopped 5 times (I have seen cars stop so is no big deal in my eyes, fair play for giving it a crack in the first place and getting back on the bike 5 times).
I am figuring that the non toll road climb was using something less than a 53/27 because it simply would not be possible in that combination.
I could be wrong, often am!0 -
JesseD wrote:Toll road is not too bad, I can't really climb but got up ok on a 53 x 27, the steep part however is a *****, I stopped about 5 times on the way up as my lungs and legs were about to explode, the hardest part is as others have said the climb out of the village, but the right hand bend just hides the rest of the pain it will put you thru! :twisted:
:roll: Were you stuck in the big ring or something or just too macho to use the granny ring!
I'd rather use the gears(that's what they are for~) than stop FIVE TIMES!
I would be embarrassed to post that on here.0 -
Were you stuck in the big ring or something or just too macho to use the granny ring!
+1
WTF were you in this gear combination for??!!0 -
ha ha, it was a typo, I'm not macho.
used the 39 ring and has a 12-27 cassette on the back. I didn't think the toll road was that bad, long but not particulary steep, the other bastard slope was a complete bitch!!!Obsessed is a word used by the lazy to describe the dedicated!0 -
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jimwin wrote:Hi
I just used bikehike to plot the gradient of Porlock Hill v the climb out of Lymouth and the latter is steeper. Porlock's on my list. Lymouth I've done twice but not suceeded - yet
For the record, BikeHike shows Porlock peaking at ~26% but Lynmouth at ~32%
The hill out of Lynmouth is like a wall.
I have a 30" bottom gear (34 ring x 29 sprocket) but even getting as far as the turn off for the Valley of the Rocks proved impossible. I think that's the only road that has ever defeated me
I've not ridden the A39 Porlock Hill but the toll road is great, really loverly0 -
I've not ridden the A39 Porlock Hill but the toll road is great, really loverly
+1 on that.
I went up the toll road on Sunday spinning like a demon and it is fantabbytastic. Sunny day, beautiful scenary, fresh air, very few cars, etc. You can even make it a challenge (apparently the local club chaps do it in 17, I took a much more humble 25).
Price is a quid, can't get fairer than that.0 -
've only ever driven up Porlock and Lynmouth hills, but would agree with the above post with regards to Lynmouth being harder than Porlock. According to Bikehike, Lynmouth peaks at around 30%, whereas Porlock 'only' reaches 25%. This July, I hope to attempt to climb both, so will report back in the summer!0
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I did Porlock hill last year. On (I think) 30/34 (for the steep bits at the bottom). Or it may have been 30/28. Definitely a low gear though.
The coaches are terrifying when they come past round the hairpins.
I think you can turn left near the top and carry on to the top of Dunkerry Beacon.
It must be one of the longest (highest) climbs in the South of England. I think it's more climbing than the Kirkstone pass.
Minehead and Dunster are pretty little towns to visit if you're touring. Watchet is also nice + has a good restaurant.
(wishes he was in the tour + expedition thread)0 -
i recently tested my new tarmac pro on these hills! used to ride a compact but my new bike has a 53 on the front no idea what that means?
Anyhow if you ride from barnstaple into lynmouth then climb out and over to porlock the climb is real fun pretty cool views as well ! head into porlock on the toll road which is good fun
at porlock fill up with water, then ride out of porlock via the main road its kinda funny seeing the expressions on evryone faces who are sat on there arses driving up in cars poisening you as they go!
its a fun climb but for me the real fun was heading back into lynmouth the decent is awesome and really long just be careful its so easy to get some serious speed up and at the very end of the decent is a sharp left under trees where it is generally damp or slippery. keep going out of lynmouth the lower third is just so steep your lungs will be screaming by now then you have a couple of choices head straight on, or turn right to lynton and head for the valley of the rocks its stunning and also filled with more really good climbs.
the one thing i found riding around these parts is what looks achievable on computer or maps will take you far longer in reality so be aware ! fit riders heaven
Lynmouth is harder to climb but shorter head further into the valley of rocks and continue west and you will find even more delights :shock:0 -
Went down Porlock on Tour of Exmoor. Glanced down at Garmin and it said -35%! Not sure how accurate this is, also I was doing 52mph nearly, so vision might have been a bit blurred.0
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Is it harder than Winnats Pass in the peaks? I got up that in 34/19.0
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according to this
http://www.noping.net/english/
475 watts would get me up a 25% gradient at 5mph, and I reckon my cadence would be 37 rpm.
but given that I weigh about 71kg, that would be 6.7 watts/kg, which I believe would put me in contention for the tour.
makes you realise just how hard they go...0 -
freehub wrote:
How about the Devils Staircase on the mountain road to Tregaron? Could you do that on 34x19 too?0 -
Porlock is an insane climb - not done it yet but driven it many times over the years and really must try it sometime on the bike. I'll need every bit of 34/27 though... :roll:Your Past is Not Your Potential...0
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We ,missuss and i,attemted it today.It is steep, but its the traffic that gets you.We had to dimount three times when coaches went past us on the hairpins,just buggers your rythm.First mile is akiller then a v. hard slog.Tripple a must but great feeling when its over.
I was on a stump jumper and the wife on a siirus,I think I would have struggled even more on our road bikes.0 -
I went up this hill earlier this month.I was there mid-week and the traffic was light especially at 8am.This is one serious climb approx 3 miles long taking 25 minutes to climb.
The first mile is the hardest with two 25% bends and in fact on the apex it`s probably even steeper.I used a triple with 30/26 and even with this gearing it`s absolutely insane! I`m inclined to agree that you wouldn`t get up with 34/19,i know i certainly wouldn`t.Things ease off after a mile or so to more managable gradient but it`s still tough to the top with a false summit towards the end.
As for coming down make sure your brakes are good and on the two sharp bends you really do need to slow to 10mph and get your weight on the back of the bike.About 6 minutes to descend!0 -
Here is a picture of the first right hand bend i took while not riding the bike.
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