Finding Hill Gradients...

Ka12
Ka12 Posts: 216
edited July 2012 in Road beginners
Hi,

After taking the plunge and joining a ladies cycling club I now want to try some hills on my own before going out with the club on tougher routes - I need to find some hills local to me but also want to know what the gradients are so that I can compare with the routes the club do.

Which would be the best online mapping tool to use for gradients.

Thanks
Sarah

Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Bikehike.co.uk I find pretty good - just select "show elevation data" lower right and then "Gradient" in the box that appears above.

    Anyway - unless they're negative they're all too steep .... ;)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,490
    http://www.mapmyride.com/
    http://ridewithgps.com/

    I prefer the latter.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    You can always use my chart if you like.
    1. Piece fo cake
    2. Easy
    3. Well, that got me breathing a bit.
    4. I think I need a compact crank.
    5. I know I need a compact.
    6. OMG am I going to make it?
    7. I hate this, I can't do this, I hate this, I can't do this, I hate.........
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Strava will give you local hills and will allow you to compare with others who have done the same
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Gradients aren't that useful alone - road surface and wind direction make a massive difference too. Strava is best as you can compare your times to any mates using it.
  • b0dski
    b0dski Posts: 136
    Agreed Strava every time
  • guy.spartacus
    guy.spartacus Posts: 321
    dennisn wrote:
    You can always use my chart if you like.
    1. Piece fo cake
    2. Easy
    3. Well, that got me breathing a bit.
    4. I think I need a compact crank.
    5. I know I need a compact.
    6. OMG am I going to make it?
    7. I hate this, I can't do this, I hate this, I can't do this, I hate.........

    ^THIS^

    I don't like to see gradient signs because when I see the '25%' one in Winchelsea it gives me an excuse
    Road - '10 Giant Defy 3.5
    MTB - '05 Scott Yecora
    BMX - '04 Haro Nyquist R24 (don't judge me)
  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    dont trust strava - its data is waaaay off. Its just useful for finding local routes. You're up round blackpool arent you - how far were you looking to ride to find hills - theres some lovely riding round there trough of bowland/ pendle hills etc. were you thinking of going out that far?
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • Ka12
    Ka12 Posts: 216
    You're right I'm in Blackpool, I have ridden out to Scorton and believe there is a nice hill called Snowy Hill just near where we went but we stuck to the flat!

    Looking for any as near to me as possible but will cycle out further to include some hills soon :)
  • blackhands
    blackhands Posts: 950
    I've just plotted Snowhill Lane on Ride with GPS and its about .6 of a mile - a short section of about 8% then mostly 5%.
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    dennisn wrote:
    You can always use my chart if you like.
    1. Piece fo cake
    2. Easy
    3. Well, that got me breathing a bit.
    4. I think I need a compact crank.
    5. I know I need a compact.
    6. OMG am I going to make it?
    7. I hate this, I can't do this, I hate this, I can't do this, I hate.........

    Plus, of course

    8. Gasp, {heave}, collapse. :)
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Peddle Up! wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    You can always use my chart if you like.
    1. Piece fo cake
    2. Easy
    3. Well, that got me breathing a bit.
    4. I think I need a compact crank.
    5. I know I need a compact.
    6. OMG am I going to make it?
    7. I hate this, I can't do this, I hate this, I can't do this, I hate.........

    Plus, of course

    8. Gasp, {heave}, collapse. :)
    :lol::lol:
  • jameses
    jameses Posts: 653
    Get an OS map and head for the roads marked with these symbols: > or >>
    They show hills with greater than 14% and 20% gradient respectively.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    JamesEs wrote:
    Get an OS map and head for the roads marked with these symbols: > or >>
    They show hills with greater than 14% and 20% gradient respectively.

    which neatly links back to http://www.bikehike.co.uk

    as has been said further up thread, % grade can be misleading as can category hills.
  • buzzwold
    buzzwold Posts: 197
    roger merriman wrote:
    JamesEs wrote:
    Get an OS map and head for the roads marked with these symbols: > or >>
    They show hills with greater than 14% and 20% gradient respectively.

    which neatly links back to http://www.bikehike.co.uk

    as has been said further up thread, % grade can be misleading as can category hills.

    Hey brilliant. This now answers a question on a gradient of a couple of hills near me that I rode a few weeks back and my total climb. Also, how wimpy my current 15 mile and 25 mile regular runs are. I don't feel too bad about 5 hours for the near 54 mile journey over 3647ft of climb and with a couple of 16% thrown in, plus 3 other 10%s. Will be using this from now on. Many thanks
    Someone's just passed me again

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