2000ft in 35 miles?

straas

This isn't one of those 'look how much I've done posts'

Just want to know if this is a lot of climbing really, I'm used to the cheshire plains with no climbing and have recently moved over to yorkshire.
I did this ride the other day and bonked towards the end as I only had water on me, luckily there was a co op handy for a snickers and lucozade.

Question is, was this a lot in 2.30 hours - or have I lost a lot of my fitness (been off the bike for over a month)

briantrumpet

straas wrote:

Question is, was this a lot in 2.30 hours - or have I lost a lot of my fitness (been off the bike for over a month)

That's a 'piece of string' question really - depends what you're used to and could do before. That's a fairly average ride in Devon, for instance, and do-able in a couple of hours .... if you're used to it.

straas

Well I used to do around 15 miles 5x a week as a commute on a very flat route where hitting 20 was fairly reasonable, and about 60 miles with 100ft of climbing would take maybe 3.30 hours.

I know I'll have lost fitness as I've been off the bike for a while, but I've never really done hilly rides, so nothing to compare it to.

meanredspider

That's more or less my round trip commute. As Brian says, it's probably a couple of hours on a road bike.

briantrumpet

straas wrote:

Well I used to do around 15 miles 5x a week as a commute on a very flat route where hitting 20 was fairly reasonable, and about 60 miles with 100ft of climbing would take maybe 3.30 hours.

I know I'll have lost fitness as I've been off the bike for a while, but I've never really done hilly rides, so nothing to compare it to.

Just sounds like you need to get out in them thar hills as much as you can then! Learn to love the challenge of them, and you'll get better at coping with hilly routes. Personally I love the variation that hills give a ride - in some ways I find a long flat slog a harder ride, but that's probably because I hardly ever get to ride a flat route.

MountainMonster

Quite an average ride, nothing amazing, but not bad either. Quite good if your just starting out on hills. Keep at it, you'll watch the time drop!

TommyEss

Echoing the others - just use this as your new bench mark and aim to beat it next time.

Bobbinogs

TommyEss wrote:

Echoing the others - just use this as your new bench mark and aim to beat it next time.

Yepp, good advice. Whether it is a lot of hills or a good/bad time is just relative to other riders and there will always be some who have done more/quicker and less/slower.

My last (completed) ride was a deliberately lumpy one on Saturday and I covered 75M and 6,500ft of climbing, for ref, but I have been working hard all summer building up. It did feel bloody tough towards the end but that was the idea as I was deliberately trying to keep the pace up throughout and riding alone. The actual time I took is only important to me (it is written on my kitchen wall now and will be my inspiration when I get back on the bike, hopefully in mid-December).

Don't forget riding on the flat can be equally tough if you keep the workrate high enough (just watch those boys suffer on TTs) so essentially it is all about the effort (and it sounds like you were working hard on an interesting route, so enjoy the suffering and use the time for motivation next week...or same time tougher route :twisted: ).

EDIT: I would recommend a snack like a banana/flapjack after 90 mins as yours was a tough (if short) route for no fuel given a month off and I always get a physcological boost (if nothing else) from eating something.

Oh, and vorsprung posted a useful guide some time ago: Climbing (in metres)/Distance (in km). Anything getting near to/above 20 is going to be hard work, climbing wise.

Pross

I've been looking at the majority of my recorded rides and they seem to come in at around 650 feet of climbing per 10 miles of distance on the usual rolling terrain around South Wales. The occassional ride that takes in a 'proper' climb can go up to 800 feet per 10 miles. Average speed of 14 mph is OK, as others say it isn't overly fast but certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Bonking on a relatively short ride would suggest that you weren't properly fuelled and hydrated before starting.

Chris James

straas wrote:

Just want to know if this is a lot of climbing really, I'm used to the cheshire plains with no climbing and have recently moved over to yorkshire.

I feel your pain. I grew up in Chester so know the cheshire plains roads well. I lived for a while in Weston-upser-mare, next to the Somerset levels.

Then i moved to Huddersfield .... ouch.

2500 ft in 35 miles is pretty hilly but not excessive.

I usually classify my hilly runs as 1000m height gain (3300ft) in 30 miles. You do get used to it.

chiark

My local loop going north of Leeds started off doing 1500ft in 24 miles, which is about the same. I'd say that's pretty normal for around these parts

As above, you've got yourself a baseline though which is the important part. I seem to keep finding hillier/windier routes and slowing down my average right now, which is quite depressing!

inseine

Oh, and vorsprung posted a useful guide some time ago: Climbing (in metres)/Distance (in km). Anything getting near to/above 20 is going to be hard work, climbing wise.

I'd a agree with that. For me a 'normal' ride without specifically seeking out climbs is around 10m per KM and I'd never find a route of 20 where I live but can in Yorkshire. The Marmotte, for example is less than 30 IIFC.

Pross

A 20km ride on that basis would effectively be 10km of climbing at 4% and then going back down.

Even on what I would call a very hilly route I don't get much above 15 using that formula, mainly because of the 20 mile ride to and from the proper hills.

Bobbinogs

I find it works well on most of the lumpy audaxes I am interested in/regularly do, which are typically 1.5-2.0 AAA (1,500-2,000m of accredited climbing) on a 100k loop. Some, like the one near Rhosgoch, are up to 2.5 AAA and they are tough if done at a brisk pace.

sloppyschleckonds

straas wrote:

This isn't one of those 'look how much I've done posts'

Just want to know if this is a lot of climbing really, I'm used to the cheshire plains with no climbing and have recently moved over to yorkshire.
I did this ride the other day and bonked towards the end as I only had water on me, luckily there was a co op handy for a snickers and lucozade.

Question is, was this a lot in 2.30 hours - or have I lost a lot of my fitness (been off the bike for over a month)

Below average I would suggest.

blackpoolkev

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

straas wrote:

This isn't one of those 'look how much I've done posts'

Just want to know if this is a lot of climbing really, I'm used to the cheshire plains with no climbing and have recently moved over to yorkshire.
I did this ride the other day and bonked towards the end as I only had water on me, luckily there was a co op handy for a snickers and lucozade.

Question is, was this a lot in 2.30 hours - or have I lost a lot of my fitness (been off the bike for over a month)

Below average I would suggest.

A bit harsh I would suggest.

Going out for two and a half hours on (comparatively) tough terrain after a month off deserves a bit of credit.

markos1963

It's all relative, just got back from a 50 miler that was planned as a hilly ride(for Norfolk) and we done 2600ft in 49 miles at 17mph av. Felt tough but in reality it's nothing compared to other parts of the country.

Bobbinogs

markos1963 wrote:

It's all relative, just got back from a 50 miler that was planned as a hilly ride(for Norfolk) and we done 26ft in 49 miles at 17mph av. Felt tough but in reality it's nothing compared to other parts of the country.

FTFY

bobtbuilder

As a rule of thumb I use 100ft of climbing per mile as the benchmark for hilly.

eltonioni

It's a start. My commute looks like this.

meanredspider

bobtbuilder wrote:

As a rule of thumb I use 100ft of climbing per mile as the benchmark for hilly.

Ah - I see. My commute (below) clearly isn't "hilly" then....

The Highlands are clearly too flat

markos1963

Bobbinogs wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

It's all relative, just got back from a 50 miler that was planned as a hilly ride(for Norfolk) and we done 26ft in 49 miles at 17mph av. Felt tough but in reality it's nothing compared to other parts of the country.

FTFY

We did check it on two Garmins as we couldn't believe it either

saddleworthcycler

As a complete beginner who has been cycling for a month I am relieved to know that the route I've built up to so far is regarded as 'hilly. It is 22 miles with 2000ft of climbing with half of the climbing in the first 5 miles. Alas there isn't much choice but to go up hills around here! I did that in two hours today which I realise is slow, but not being in fantastic shape before a month ago I am amazed at how much easier it feels every time I go out on my bike. I'm sure I will continue to be able to increase distance and speed over the next weeks and months!

sloppyschleckonds

blackpoolkev wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

straas wrote:

This isn't one of those 'look how much I've done posts'

Just want to know if this is a lot of climbing really, I'm used to the cheshire plains with no climbing and have recently moved over to yorkshire.
I did this ride the other day and bonked towards the end as I only had water on me, luckily there was a co op handy for a snickers and lucozade.

Question is, was this a lot in 2.30 hours - or have I lost a lot of my fitness (been off the bike for over a month)

Below average I would suggest.

A bit harsh I would suggest.

Going out for two and a half hours on (comparatively) tough terrain after a month off deserves a bit of credit.

It wasn't meant as harsh, the OP wanted to know if it was a lot of climbing. As someone else has posted, 1000ft per 10 miles could be described as hilly.

meanredspider

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

It wasn't meant as harsh, the OP wanted to know if it was a lot of climbing. As someone else has posted, 1000ft per 10 miles could be described as hilly.

Certainly came across as harsh.

Still find this benchmark of "hilly" as nonsense. My commute home (below) doesn't even pass that test and it's not even a round-trip (where you'd need to descend back to your start elevation). That's something like a 400ft climb from sea-level then back to sea-level then a 750ft climb. There can't be many more "hilly" parts of the country than the Highlands.

hmbadger

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

blackpoolkev wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

straas wrote:

This isn't one of those 'look how much I've done posts'

Just want to know if this is a lot of climbing really, I'm used to the cheshire plains with no climbing and have recently moved over to yorkshire.
I did this ride the other day and bonked towards the end as I only had water on me, luckily there was a co op handy for a snickers and lucozade.

Question is, was this a lot in 2.30 hours - or have I lost a lot of my fitness (been off the bike for over a month)

Below average I would suggest.

A bit harsh I would suggest.

Going out for two and a half hours on (comparatively) tough terrain after a month off deserves a bit of credit.

It wasn't meant as harsh, the OP wanted to know if it was a lot of climbing. As someone else has posted, 1000ft per 10 miles could be described as hilly.

"could be described as hilly" is a bit cautious!

Tour of the Peak this year (short route) was 108ft/mile and that was definitely hilly! A classic 50 mile loop of Snake Pass, Strines Moor, Holme Moss comes out at 112ft/mile.

You can get hillier obviously!

hmbadger

Manchester-Blackpool 62 15.6 1803 29
Arley Hall Lanes 20 15.4 533 27
Greenfield, Holmfirth, Glossop, Stalybridge 38 11.5 4127 109
Pennine 100 km 67 12.6 5297 79
Marple, Lyme Park, Marple Dridge, Gee Cross 32 12.1 2834 89
Tour of the Peak 65 11.3 7029 108
Marple, Charlesworth, Monks Rd, Glossop, Hayfield Rd, Gee Crs 36 11 4023 112
Disley, Whaley, Combs, Chapel, Dove Holes, Buxton, the St 46 10.9 4697 102
Manchester 100 101 15.4 2964 29
Marple Bridge, Hill above Chisworth 21 12.7 1855 88
Just Monks Road, Brabyns Brow 8 9.3 1517 190
Glossop - Snake Pass - Holmfirth - Holme Moss - Glossop 49 11 5487 112

hmbadger

hmbadger wrote:

Manchester-Blackpool 62 15.6 1803 29
Arley Hall Lanes 20 15.4 533 27
Greenfield, Holmfirth, Glossop, Stalybridge 38 11.5 4127 109
Pennine 100 km 67 12.6 5297 79
Marple, Lyme Park, Marple Dridge, Gee Cross 32 12.1 2834 89
Tour of the Peak 65 11.3 7029 108
Marple, Charlesworth, Monks Rd, Glossop, Hayfield Rd, Gee Crs 36 11 4023 112
Disley, Whaley, Combs, Chapel, Dove Holes, Buxton, the St 46 10.9 4697 102
Manchester 100 101 15.4 2964 29
Marple Bridge, Hill above Chisworth 21 12.7 1855 88
Just Monks Road, Brabyns Brow 8 9.3 1517 190
Glossop - Snake Pass - Holmfirth - Holme Moss - Glossop 49 11 5487 112

Sorry for that garbage - meant to format before submit. Anyway the 4 figures after each ride are miles, av speed, total climb (feet), and ft/mile.

As you can see, I'm a very slow rider. I haven;t worked out the formula yet, but I reckon that my av speed is pretty much completely determined by ft/mile.

Pokerface

Also depends on how the hills break down in that ride.

For instance, if you have 1900 feet of climbing in the first 5 miles and then 100 feet over the next 30 miles, then it's probably going to be a tough ride!

But if it's fairly content up and down over the entire ride, it'll be easier and won't feel as hard, despite the same amount of climbing in both rides.

briantrumpet

Pokerface wrote:

Also depends on how the hills break down in that ride. For instance, if you have 1900 feet of climbing in the first 5 miles and then 100 feet over the next 30 miles, then it's probably going to be a tough ride! But if it's fairly content up and down over the entire ride, it'll be easier and won't feel as hard, despite the same amount of climbing in both rides.

Also - certainly as far as I'm concerned - it'll be a faster route if the ups are short and sharp, but the descents gradual, as I'm quite light and a decent climber, but the gradual downs help me maintain the sort of speed that a more heavily built rider can maintain on the flat. My slowest rides inversely are the ones that have long drags up, then give away all the altitude in short steep descents.

Garz

Ahh the donning of the rainbow jersey Colin! congrats