Your steepest gradient

Beckers62

Inspired by watching todays stage of the Tirreno Adriatico

I've done a local 20% and some 20+% in Mallorca... but these guys have a 30% climb in todays circuit. Just watching is giving me a nosebleed

What have you done

thegreatdivide

This is just down the road and it's evil - hits 27% at points

http://app.strava.com/segments/1538696

Beckers62

That looks fun. Thanks for posting. I'd nip out and have a crack at it right now, but sadly I'm about 600 miles away ;-)

bernithebiker

This bad boy in North Cornwall is 15% average, but has a short section on a bend, where you almost have to unclip for fear of dabbing a foot to the ground - must be 30%.

http://app.strava.com/segments/651547

styxd

hardknott pass is 33%, steepest Ive done.

bompington

Pitroddie? Hardly, that's one of my regular commuting routes, although I prefer Kilspindie (next road along) as it's longer and higher ;-)
Really can't see where Pitroddie is 27% TBH.

thegreatdivide

bompington wrote:

Pitroddie? Hardly, that's one of my regular commuting routes, although I prefer Kilspindie (next road along) as it's longer and higher ;-)
Really can't see where Pitroddie is 27% TBH.

There's two wee sections that hit 27% on strava. I reckon one part is on the wall of a road just past the farm at the bottom. Kudos for doing that on the commute! Kilspindie is deffo a bitch of a climb though – and the state of the road on the first half doesn’t help. Haven't been up it since late Autumn when it was suffering after all the rain – god knows what state it’s in now. I’m more a Rait man myself.

sbbefc

http://app.strava.com/segments/887072

http://app.strava.com/segments/901876

http://app.strava.com/segments/1147400

gthyer

Have only ridden locally in Cornwall. Hills here seem to be short and sharp around coastal areas which are a lot of fun.

The steepest I've ridden is Blue Hills near St Agnes. It ramps to 31% but is fairly manageable.
There's another local one that I haven't tackled that gets to 34% so will have to hit that one day.

Cheshire Cat

Second Hardknott, not necessarily the hardest climb though, as it only reaches it's steepest gradient in a couple of places - I would say that Rhino's from the Langdale side is a much tougher climb.

seanorawe

This is one of the steeper ones near me. Hopefully ill get on it some time this weekend. With my inexperience and lack of drop out gear (13-26 Compact 8 Speed) Im not looking forward to it.

http://app.strava.com/segments/1207107

deswahriff

Cudham Hill in Kent....only short but 25 - 30 % in places (you know when you feel the front wheel lifting up)...brutal little thing.....

borisface

Chick Hill East Sussex - only short but hits 42% for a few feet according to Strava

http://app.strava.com/segments/649889

philvantwo

Roland hill in kidderminster, nobodys ever got up there on a bike!

Brian B

Cheshire Cat wrote:

Second Hardknott, not necessarily the hardest climb though, as it only reaches it's steepest gradient in a couple of places - I would say that Rhino's from the Langdale side is a much tougher climb.[/quote]

Steepest - Chimney Bank as its steeper than Hardknott although not near as long or as hard as Hardknott.

Have to disagree with your quote as I think Hardknott from Boot is tougher than any other climb in the Lakes or the rest of Blightly. :twisted:

markos1963

Ankerdine Hill near Worcester, not amazingly steep, ave 17%, but when I rode it I was 35miles into a 39m TT and it was against the wind. We have a hill in Norwich(yes I know it's meant to be flat) called Gas Hill which is over 20% in some places but you can get up it on a fixed if you're strong enough.

thefd

borisface wrote:

Chick Hill East Sussex - only short but hits 42% for a few feet according to Strava

http://app.strava.com/segments/649889

I may be wrong but the steepest I can see this hitting is 21.7%.

This is mine which hits 21.2% - ride it often on a standard chainset! Much easier on my compact.

styxd

Cheshire Cat wrote:

Second Hardknott, not necessarily the hardest climb though, as it only reaches it's steepest gradient in a couple of places - I would say that Rhino's from the Langdale side is a much tougher climb.

Have to say, you could be right. Its not as steep though. They're all a fucking drag on a standard double. I just mince up them on a compact now though!

motd2k

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

pride4ever

everyone knows its Hardknott. The Strines has some 20% plus bits and is dangerous as hell taken at speed.

tubbs_214

Church Lane in Hebden Bridge is the steepest ive done also done the Rake in Rammsbottom which is a close second (it has a hand rail its that steep). Although this may change when i got to the lakes and tackle Hardknott Pass in the summer.

Calpol

Todays stage of Tirreno saw something I haven't seen before. Pro's come to a stop on a climb and require a push to get going. At one point I noticed a Blanco rider with one foot down pushing himself along. Brutal. 30% apparently.

RonB

Back road out of Combe Martin, must have been a 30:30 gear on my old MTB and had to stand up for fear of falling backwards if I sat down. Didn't walk any of it though 8)

crispybug2

Canonbie Road SE London

About 25% and it's got f*cking speed humps!!!!

cat_with_no_tail

http://app.strava.com/segments/967531

http://app.strava.com/segments/970881

2nd one has the steepest section, 1st one is the toughest climb.

Monty Dog

I've found some little singletrack roads in Devon and Cornwall that are hideously steep, nearing 40% where you start to feel the back wheel beginning to break-out and you have to keep your bum over the saddle. When you start having to throw your body about on the bike to maintain forward progress and grip, it's a good indicator of steepness) I'd certainly rate Hardknott from Eskdale tougher than Wrynose (Rhinos 8) !)

MountainMonster

There was a road that I had a strange love/hate relationship near my old town in Austria that was 7-8km long and averaged about 22% over that distance. Was a very, very brutal climb, but a great feeling once done.

teisetrotter

deswahriff wrote:

Cudham Hill in Kent....only short but 25 - 30 % in places (you know when you feel the front wheel lifting up)...brutal little thing.....

Where is that? Done it a few times, it is a good old climb whether you do the long gentle climb of North Cudham Lane or the sharper Cudham South. The little sections from Downe get to 21 but that is only a couple of hundred yards!

I think Chalkpit Lane is better as it is longer and gets to 24 on the hair pin.

ADIHEAD

Steepest I've done is probably Crowcombe in the Quantocks. Around 25% or so but it averages 14% for a mile so pretty hard. Reasonable grip though. I don't mind 20% plus climbs if there's some grip available as I'm a wimp once the back wheel starts slipping. Don't get why more teams on today's stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico didn't fit compacts/WiFLi or equivalent? Surely the ultimate lack of professionalism to have your rider walk up a climb?

roger_merriman

Steepest (on road) for me would be hill nr my folks that averages 17% not sure what the ramps hit guess would be 25-30 % give or take, GPS/strava etc are useless for max grade of hills, it's on of the 100 greatest climbs and a savage if short hill.

ADIHEAD

[quote="GPS/strava etc are useless for max grade of hills.[/quote]

Indeed, according to Strava I've done some bits well over 30% :shock: All I know is I can tell I've ridden a hill 20% when the next morning my stomach muscles hurt where I've been pulling up on the bars so hard :roll: