Swains Lane Hill Climb

curium

For all you London-based cyclists.

Rollapaluza Urban Hill Climb 22.07.10 Swains Lane, London.
With support and prizes from Condor Cycles

6.30pm -9pm
FREE to enter or spectate
Prizes of over £750 in value thanks to Condor Cycles
£500 cash prize pot from Rollapaluza
Online Entry (closes 9pm Tuesday 2oth)

Rollapaluza are proud to announce the “Urban Hill Climb” which we believe will be the first London Hill Climb evet with a full road closure.

On Thursday 22nd after the pros in the Tour de France have battled their way up the Col du Tourmalet, Londoners (and visitors!) will be able to grab their own piece of glory on the slopes of Highgate’s renowned Swains Lane which features in Hill Climb expert Simon Warren’s new book “100 Greatest Cycling Climbs”

http://www.rollapaluza.com/?page_id=1607

Cafewanda

JG should find that a doddle .

_Brun_

I'll be there in spectating/photographing/drinking capacity. Should be a good evening.

jonginge

Haha. Hill climbs are nasty and need plenty of practice on the hill in question. Might spectate, though. Anyone else?

Oddjob62

Got the day off and it's just round the corner from me so i'll be there.

spasypaddy

i might head to this, depends on whether i decide to club ride i guess. Could always head there after the club run to catch the last 40mins or so.

rjsterry

JonGinge wrote:

Haha. Hill climbs are nasty and need plenty of practice on the hill in question. Might spectate, though. Anyone else?

Exactly. Having a go at it without any previous experience sounds like a recipe for humiliation.

mrc1

Im entered - just hope I can get out of work in time to get up there. It may result in me doing it with my rucksack etc on

Coriander

Sounds like fun.

spasypaddy

funnily enough its been on my list of hills to ride for a while now. may go and use it for hill repeats instead of muswell hill next week

mrc1

spasypaddy wrote:

funnily enough its been on my list of hills to ride for a while now. may go and use it for hill repeats instead of muswell hill next week

It's a much nicer place to train as its one way for traffic and therefore very quiet.

I'm interested to see where they start and end it as that will have a pretty big effect on what approach to take.

cjcp

Sold out. Oh dear, what a pity, never mind.

davis

perhaps I'm missing something, but according to Bikehike that's only 72m of ascent, maximum gradient of 12% -- is that actually a hill?

Of course, maybe my keyboard is writing cheques that my legs can't cash* but that doesn't sound too bad.

*: Yes, I hate that phrase too. You know what I mean though

spasypaddy

mrc1 wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

funnily enough its been on my list of hills to ride for a while now. may go and use it for hill repeats instead of muswell hill next week

It's a much nicer place to train as its one way for traffic and therefore very quiet.

I'm interested to see where they start and end it as that will have a pretty big effect on what approach to take.

yeah but if its only one way i'd have to do a loop rather than going straight back down like i can at muswell hill.

_Brun_

mrc1 wrote:

I'm interested to see where they start and end it as that will have a pretty big effect on what approach to take.

Road closure is from the junction with Chester Rd to 25m before Bisham Gardens. I'm guessing the finish would be somewhere around the last speedbump, just as it starts to level out.

_Brun_

davis wrote:

perhaps I'm missing something, but according to Bikehike that's only 72m of ascent, maximum gradient of 12% -- is that actually a hill?

Maximum gradient is 18%. It's more of an uphill sprint than a climb, rough guess at a time would be around 90 seconds for the quicker riders.

davis

_Brun_ wrote:

davis wrote:

perhaps I'm missing something, but according to Bikehike that's only 72m of ascent, maximum gradient of 12% -- is that actually a hill?

Maximum gradient is 18%. It's more of an uphill sprint than a climb, rough guess at a time would be around 90 seconds for the quicker riders.

Ah, It appears the SRTM data doesn't get the required resolution. Right. I'll call it a hill, then.

mrc1

_Brun_ wrote:

mrc1 wrote:

I'm interested to see where they start and end it as that will have a pretty big effect on what approach to take.

Road closure is from the junction with Chester Rd to 25m before Bisham Gardens. I'm guessing the finish would be somewhere around the last speedbump, just as it starts to level out.

Cheers for letting me know. I generally turn around at the zebra crossing just past Chester Road so that makes sense. That length of route makes it quite interesting. I imagine that a lot of people (myself included) will go out of the blocks too fast on the shallower gradient then suffer on the last section...

If its not raining tonight I'll do a practice run and post my time so that we can guage what effect race day adrenaline has

itboffin

Arse! i'd have had a go :roll:

Cafewanda

Dinner at Oddjob's after? I'm in!

Chewy Cheeks

I will be going along for a spectate.

lubbly

mrc1

Headed up there on the way home and did the course from a standing start in 2:15. Not too bad considering it was at the end of a fast commute and i was wearing my bag with lock etc in.

I pushed a little bit too early on the steep bit so was dying at the end but i think that given fresh legs etc i should be able to get under the 2 min mark!

mrc1

PS if anyone fancies lending me a set of light weight climbing wheels so i can swap out my aksiums itd be muchos appreciated

hambones

Heading over for some Highgate Hills training this evening (10 til 1 if anyone cares to join!) but I try to avoid this one normally - maybe give it a go tonight but I doubt I've ever got under 3 minutes!!!!

spasypaddy

sorry ham, you are riding at 10pm till 1am over highgate hills? what is it with you and your crazy riding times!

rjsterry

So? How d'you get on mrc1?

mrc1

It's this thursday night - still fingers crossed my boss will let me out in time! Havent had any further details from the organisers yet, so I guess it is just a case of turn up on the night and smash it.....

rjsterry

So? How d'you get on mrc1?

EDIT: I am a halfwit: double post, and got the wrong day :roll: Let us know anyway.

Clever Pun

Anyone coming along tonight... a couple of beers in the flask await

_Brun_

I'll be there, but possibly not till 7.30. Will give you a buzz when I'm around.

mrc1

Ive got the green light from my boss to leave early so i can get up there in time (I have an early slot) - looking forward to it!