100 Greatest Cycling Climbs

Jonny7c

Definitely plenty of shortish sharp climbs in and around Batley. Trying to keep at a decent climbing standard by taking in Soothill on the way home from work on alternate nights - tend to avoid Scotchman Lane as it's a bit more of a slog.

I'm also trying to work my way through the 100 climbs book very slowly - done about 15 to date mainly in Yorkshire Dales. Wrynose Pass from the East side is by far the hardest attempted to date - so much so that I chickened out of Hardknott to save for another day. Shibden Wall near Halifax is short but extremely steep and difficult with huge cobbles.

mroli

Thanks @johnny7c - forewarned is forearmed!

JamesB

Well done with this challenge, bought book today as well !! Reckon I`ve alreday done a few over the years (including the 11/10 Bealach na Ba, which taken steadily didn`t find that hard, nowhere as bad as for example Bwlch Y Groes )but it will be nice to see what is said about all the climbs.

mroli

Thanks @jamesb - really need to send the begging email out to everyone I know now!

Video is up for Llandnidyr mountain, need to get the others up as well AND plan a busy hols at the end of May/start of June to pick up Scotland and the Lakes. Seriously - the hills are easy(ish) compared to the logistics!

did Box Hill at the weekend, need to upload that too - think I may have done Leith Hill too - but didn't count it!

http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/

tim_wand

Okay really looking for some information here. Was on holiday last week in Wales (Harlech) was with the wife and didnt take the bike/ was peeing it down and had kid in tow. So excuses over didnt even get the chance to walk this one but sign says 40% my maths makes that 1 in 2.5, I ve not seen that in the UK before.

This is just off the main street in Harlech. One side runs down the Castle saying 25% and this one runs off the other side stating 40%

Any one got any local experience of this hill and whether its worth going back with the bike. As I say didnt get time to check it out properly[img][/img]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Chinley Churner

@mroli

Give us a shout when you head up to Derbyshire

I live within spitting distance of 33) Winnat's and 37) Peaslows

I can also strongly recommend staying at my local if you plan on making a weekend of it

http://www.old-hall-inn.co.uk/

ThatBikeGuy

Carlton bank (No. 58) and Rosedale Chimney (No.55) Are my personal favourites, i live close by and do hill training up them, when i'm feeling brave anyway :oops:

Killer Bee

The Harlech climb isn't that bad really. You can get a good run up at it and power most of the really steep bit.

redvee

When you attempt Weston Hill/Landsdown Hill in Bath, avoid the school run as there is a pedestrian crossing approx 1/2 mile up from the roundabout. I failed on it today at that point :oops:

mroli

Thanks for the tip Redvee - will bear that in mind!

Chinley - I think we're going (work permitting) to be heading up to Derbyshire this weekend. Plan is to do the "Northern" hills on Sat and the "Southern" ones on Sunday before heading back.

Thanks for the tip on the pub - looks lovely. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly!) booked up this weekend - think that we've found a little cottage for a couple of days though. Will post more when I know - if you're around would be nice to ride a couple of hills with you!

mroli

Hill no 15 - Box Hill is up on the site.

Big day in Derbyshire today - 7 (yes 7!) hills done - details to follow asap - lots of cyclists out today.

Planning on hitting Riber/Bank Rd/Rowsley Bar and possibly the Cat and Fiddle too. Derbyshire is beautiful - but don't know how you guys do these hills day in day out.

Saw a British Cycling car today as well.

mroli

Another 4 done today. Legs feel like they're going to drop off. Riber in the wet was tricky - lots of back wheel spin. Will put up descriptions on the site asap. Also wife is putting up more decent photos onto flickr. Will put links on pages.

Loads of cyclists today in Derbyshire - really good to see and everyone nodded/waved.

wicked

Keep going your doing well!

Chinley Churner

D'oh... only just checked on here.

Glad you enjoyed the Derbyshire Hills... sorry it was a wet and windy one. Was out on the Cat and Fiddle on Sunday.. would have been good to have had some company.. hey-ho, another time.

mroli

Hills no 16 and 17 are up - Curbar Edge and Pea Royd Hill. Also should be links to more videos in the earlier ones and some really nice photos in flickr that my missus took. I think Hills 1-10 are complete with photo and video now, I just need to get 11-26 in the same shape!

We're heading off round the UK in a camper on Fri to try and pick up lots more.

Cheers

M

Jonny7c

Did Whinlatter Pass (back to front admittedly), Hartside and Crawleyside as part of C2C ride on Sunday. None of them should pose you any problems mroli, though Crawleyside after 90 odd miles and with a vicious cross wind was quite a challenge.

As an additional challenge you could try and ask the chef in the cafe at the top of Hartside to cook you scrambled eggs (or any other variation that isn't on the menu)!

Good luck with your next set of climbs!

mroli

Phew - just got back after 9 days in a small campervan (ish) thing - pretty cramped with me, the dog, the bike and the pregnant wife in there!

Picked up 39 climbs though, so with the 26 I am currently on, I have a LOT of updating of the blog to do. All I can say is, people who ride the Fred Whitton must be mental, I only did the hills and it almost did me in and wind is the killer on climbs!

Bealach Na Ba was amazing and tough with a blowy wind.

Lakes, Scotland, North West all going up soon (later on today touch wood!)

M

cristoff

mroli - you need to get those Derbyshire Hills up on your blog!!

shockedsoshocked

Hi Mroli,

Have you looked at the North Yorkshire Climbs yet? Carlton, Boltby and White Horse are doable in one ride (sort of comfortably!). Rosedale however is quite a distance away and theres a good few hills in between. Would certainly be an epic single day ride anyway.

If you'd like any company or help with a route give me a shout! Good luck with the rest of the climbs.

amun1000

Plenty of 1 in 3's in North Yorkshire - Chimney Bank is quite scary coming down - brakes overheat

shockedsoshocked

amun1000 wrote:

Plenty of 1 in 3's in North Yorkshire - Chimney Bank is quite scary coming down - brakes overheat

The only hill I'd rather go up than down every time!

JamesB

Well done on all your rides so far !!
BUT Just wait to you do Bwlch Y Groes though , N Wales 10/10 in book.

Rode it both ways on Saturday, `easy` north side, brales cooked going down south side to base then back up again , horrendously hard south side, sustained 20% section, 1100ft climb in 1.6 miles (average 13% :shock: ); made excessive use 34 x 29, and did it in 19 min a real VERY hard climb

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90436155

mroli

OK, OK, OK!!!!

I'm caught up to before we went away 10 days ago now - all the Derbyshire climbs are up (and a couple of the midlands/yorkshire ones where they were close!)

Will get cracking on getting the rest written up/put on the blog.

Skipped the North Yorkshire climbs this time round - so Shockedsoshocked, will give you a shout when I'm heading up there - I am thinking that it'd probably take 2 days to do all of them ok. Especially as Rosedale is meant to be such a beast!

JamesB - a lot of people have been telling me that the Bwlch Y Groes is HORRIBLE. Is it that much worse than the Devil's Staircase?

Oh and to the two lads from Leeds (one at Uni there) that I met out near Park Rash - hi, nice to chat to you - if you're on here!

JamesB

Yes Yes Yes it is FAR harder than Devils Staircase

I have ridden DS several times as it is not too far from me at all, on shorter rides and as part of The Devil ride Sportive.

Sorry but the two do not compare, DS is a short 3/4 mile climb with a couple of real hard bits ie first section after cattle grid and first hairpin (but if you go wide on it it is OKish .

BYG is tiwce as long and climbs tiwce as much :shock: ; there is absolutely no let up I found, briefly got into 26 sprocket but that was VERY short lived indeed. It is 20 years since I cycled up Bealach na Ba (on a laden tourer) but from recollection that too is less traumatic than BYG.--my legs were dead halfway up BYG last weekend !

Let me know when you plan BYG and I could come along for support if you wish

shockedsoshocked

mroli wrote:

Skipped the North Yorkshire climbs this time round - so Shockedsoshocked, will give you a shout when I'm heading up there - I am thinking that it'd probably take 2 days to do all of them ok. Especially as Rosedale is meant to be such a beast!

Two days would probably be a better idea if you were doing proper rides, some great scenery.

The Chimney isn't actually that bad. It is steep but short.

mroli

Hills 37-40 Mow Cop, Swiss Hill, The Rake and Nick of Pendle are all up on the site. Have made a good start getting the rest up, the video uploading is taking ages as it keeps crashing my computer for some unknown reason! The blogging is taking longer than the climbing!

Stuy-b

to be fair Malcolm Elliott's monsal head record was set on a day with a tail wind so strong it was blowing twigs up the hill past him. more impressive is rus downing last year doing a 1:20 with a head wind.

Cleat Eastwood

Nice. I can see you getting paid work as dirty phone caller Mroli, some top notch heavy breathing on them vids.

How is your bike geared by the way? Are you changing it for each climb?

mroli

Yeah - its a bit embarrassing that heavy breathing - nothing I can do about it - if I don't breath, I'm going to struggle!

I'm doing all these hills on the same set up - compact 50/34, Condor Squadra ('09), Planet X Model B's, 12-26 gearing on the back, Sram Rival kit, Schwalbe stelvio wired tyres, topeak saddle bag with 2 tubes, lezyne multi tool and 2 plastic tyre levers, Lezyne mini pump.

The only thing that really changes is whether I'm carrying 2 bottles or 1, if I've got a rear clip on mudguard thing and how much gear I'm carrying. I met a couple of nice lads from Leeds Uni who were pointing at my bike and saying the bits that they would take off(!), but some of these hills I am doing as part of longer rides.

I could strip it all out and make it as light as possible, but I think I've done some pretty tough climbs as is - the only two that are giving me cause for concern now are Rosedale Chimney and Bwlch y Groes - especially after what JamesB has said above!

I did buy an apex rear mech so I could put on bigger cogs on the back if I needed to - I'm hoping that it won't come to that, but I am at least prepared!

mroli

Hills 31 and 32 Langcliffe Scar and Malham Cove up now. Appropriate that they go up as a pair - but beware dangerous lambs!