What do most people consider to be a 'hilly' ride?

itboffin

Grill wrote:

1,000ft per 10 miles is what I would classify as hilly, but that's not to say that a route can't be more difficult with less, especially if it's quite sharp.

Yep i'm working on that basis at the moment, my Marmotte training means i'm out as much as possible looking to gain as much height in the least amount of miles, I did a week in Mallorca at the end of last month where I managed to find plenty of 1000 in 10 and even some 1500 in 10 riding but a quick rough calc. suggests I need at least 2000 in 10 - i'd say that was proper hilly :?

butcher of bakersfield

Just about every ride I do no matter the distance is around 900ft to every 10 miles. And it damn near kills me. It's up and down all the time. Some good 20 percenters. Occasionally there's mild gradients, depending on the direction head out in, but they go on for miles. It's very rarely flat and I often dream of pancake landscapes. I find it difficult to keep my average speed above 13mph, unless on a very short ride.

Then when I do get to flat sections I find them boring!

itboffin

butcher of bakersfield wrote:

Just about every ride I do no matter the distance is around 900ft to every 10 miles. And it damn near kills me. It's up and down all the time. Some good 20 percenters. Occasionally there's mild gradients, depending on the direction head out in, but they go on for miles. It's very rarely flat and I often dream of pancake landscapes. I find it difficult to keep my average speed above 13mph, unless on a very short ride.

Then when I do get to flat sections I find them boring!

Yeh double edge sword, would be really nice to have the choice or a mix of both alas out here in the west country it's just lumpy.

roger_merriman

I'd go with where you climbing a hill, over pure numbers as well.

Clearly some areas are hillier than others living SW london rides out to Surrey hills, don't compare in numbers or simple, that's a big/steep hill like going to visit my folks place in the Brecon Beacons

jmillen

Another vote for the approx. 1000ft per 10 mile length of ride always feels pretty hilly to me

Living in Devon, easily achievable on most rides.

pilot_pete

Another who agrees with this ^^^

I did 150 miles on Sunday with over 9000' of total climbing and considered that to be merely an undulating ride...

PP

robbo2011

I've just checked my Garmin stats since I got it back in the autumn of last year, and in 44 rides I have done 52,512 metres of climbing in 2,700km which is near enough at the 2% rule. Good job I like climbing. Still only mid-table mediocrity in the Strava segment rankings though.

sloppyschleckonds

Somerset levels, 100ft every 50 miles can be tough

handful

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Somerset levels, 100ft every 50 miles can be tough

+1

At least there is the option of slight diversion to take in Burrington Coombe, Shipham Hill, Cheddar Gorge etc or Quantocks/ Exmoor to make life more interesting!! Nice to have both options though

HiCadence

I ride in the N-W of England and the elevation is about 600 - 700ft per 14 miles and i'd consider that hilly.

Crispyapp

Generally our rides each weekend range any thing from 50 to 65 mile with anything from 4500 to 6000ft climbing. But this is without purposely trying to fit hills in. We rode a local sportive last Sunday which did exactly that and it was just over 10,000ft climbing in 75 mile on gradients upto 31% max. (Cobbles) this was probably the hardest ride I've done. Ever.