Can I manage an Alp?

philhul

Hi,

I've got a week off work at the beginning of September and am thinking about chucking the bike in the car and going to the Alps. However, I'm a bit nervous as to whether I will manage any of the climbs.

I went to Mallorca at the beginning of June and those climbs were ideal for me, just pick a gear, take my time and spin up. As I understand the famous climbs in the Alps have a slightly higher average gradient and are a LOT longer. Is that correct?

I went to the lakes yesterday and was failed horrifically on the Honnister pass which has killed my confidence somewhat, but this is a different type of climb isn't it? I think the Alps will suit my preferred style a lot more.

Any comments / advice appreciated!

Cheers
Phil

junglist_matty

If you can ride your bike as hard as hard as you can on the flat and maintain that for about an hour you should be fine. Otherwise, you'll probably need to stop a few times on the way up.

Put it this way, I'm 95kg and not good at climbing (I crawl my way up in the granny ring, but get there eventually), I did a 15 mile climb in Spain which was just under 5000ft of vertical elevation.... It took me 1hr 50mins to get to the summit, the final 20mins were pretty tough, but the want to get to the top inspired me to keep going without stopping.

Just go and ride your bike for long hard sustained efforts (if there aren't any big hills near you) to get used to riding in your higher power zones for longer periods of time.
OR
Go find a decent hill, and do hill reps.


But to answer your question, yes you should be fine so long as you put in a decent bit of training, just take it slow on the mountain climb.

essjaydee

Good question and one I've been thinking about recently :idea:

I'm 100Kg's and not a great climber, but can get up most hills and my Sram WiFli gearing has been a joy for me. 34x32 and just keep spinning as I find this works for me far better than trying to grind up in a higher gear. Hardknott is the only one that has beaten me so far and that was on a 34x28 last year. Am doing this twice in the next couple of months and determined to beat it :x
I've been looking at some big European climbs, and would love to tackle a few, so will follow this thread with interest.

andrewleck

Me too

You will be fine so long as you hydrate and fuel correctly and have the correct gearing on your bike. oh and pace yourself.

Last year was my first time on a bike in the alps but I was touring (bike + gear 40kg 'ish) I was 44 and weighed 90kg and been cycling 12 months. I had a triple but tbh only used the granny ring on the final ramp of the Bonette and still had to walk the last 100 yds gearing was 48/36/22 x 11/34 viewtopic.php?f=40003&t=12868037

This year I am doing the same as you, booked the ferry, LIGHTWEIGHT roadie in the boot along with tent and off I go.

What climbs have you earmarked? I am going for just over 3 weeks and planning on driving between 3 or 4 bases to bag a few iconic cols if our paths cross wouldn't be adverse to some English speaking company LOL

crescent

it depends how quickly you want to go up them. It sounds like you're not trying to break any records so I would think you'll manage it fine if you just pace yourself and be prepared to have a couple of breaks on the way up. I did a couple of alpine climbs in May, hard but rewarding, I would say. Best advice is get as many climbing miles in as you can between now and September and, more importantly, make sure you enjoy the experience.

barrybridges

Anyone can get up an Alp. What matters is that you have realistic expectations for yourself in doing it.

Any of the major climbs will be long and - generally - steep. But the difference between the UK and the Alps is that the climbs are consistently steep and unrelenting. Once the road starts going up, in general you won't have many 'rest' bits of downhills (although there are a few exceptions); it's just 1 - 2 hours of grinding away towards the clouds.

With appropriate gearing and the patience, you can definitely do it, but it's probably better to think of it as a long, slow grind than a race. If you need to take breaks then great. You have some pretty spectacular views to enjoy as you go, so why not?

markhewitt1978

I found when doing the road to Soller in Mallorca that the key was not to worry about doing it all in one go. So what if you need to stop to catch your breath, have a drink and take in the views every so often? If I'd insisted on not stopping I would have ended up falling off my bike sideways with exhaustion

SFT

I ride in the alps 3-4 weeks a year and I am not a young lightweight climber but a middle aged guy who enjoys a good day out.
The short answer to your question is yes, but...
Pick which to tackle first. The Col petit st Bernard from Seez is an ideal starting point; it is quite long but the gradient is gentle and you can stop refreshments at La Rosiere before the last 8km
Also think about the gearing so you can keep your legs spinning.
Plus make sure you have sufficient kit for changeable conditions and plenty of food and drink.

If you base yourself somewhere like Bourg St Maurice you will have plenty of Cols to tackle and lots of variety.

Enjoy!

philhul

Thanks guys, some good tips and I feel a lot more confident. I bought the rapha book on the northern alps so was going to base myself there. I managed coll de soller quite easily as part of a long ride with lots of climbing but suffered on easier climbs on other days, just depends how you feel on the day really. I live in Gateshead so have got hills galore around me but most tend to be short and sharp which doesn't suit me. I prefer the long gradual grind

durhamwasp

le Grand Bornand is an excellent base! The climbs from there are good quality but not quite Alpe d'Huez or Ventoux. Having said that, I have seen all sorts of different abilities of climbers get up both the Alpe and Ventoux - 50-60yr olds, mountain bikes, teenagers, 90kg+ people. You can do it, if you take your time and spin your way up.

Omar Little

I've never been up Honister Pass so not sure how it compares but i found the likes of Hardknott and Wrynose in the Lakes to be harder than the likes of Ventoux and Alpe d'Huez. Unless its baking hot then i find you can get in the zone and enjoy it despite the effort / suffering whereas i dont think even the strongest of riders can enjoy Hardknott!

t4tomo

^^^^^ this

Nothing in the alps is a steep as the likes of honister & hardknott etc where there are sections at 25%. BUT they are much much longer. In the UK a steep road goes straight(ish) up a steep hill. in the alps they use hairpins bends to get up steeep hils so he actual gradients are less, but the vertical ascent in one "hill" is much more, plus the weather can be more variable

markhewitt1978

philhul wrote:

Thanks guys, some good tips and I feel a lot more confident. I bought the rapha book on the northern alps so was going to base myself there. I managed coll de soller quite easily as part of a long ride with lots of climbing but suffered on easier climbs on other days, just depends how you feel on the day really. I live in Gateshead so have got hills galore around me but most tend to be short and sharp which doesn't suit me. I prefer the long gradual grind

Try cycling to Alston!

mrc1

Go for it! I think a lot of people talk themselves out of climbing in the mountains when the reality is that 99% of people can get themselves up the climbs if they want to (positive mindset is a massive amount of the process). Don't let the gradients and distances put you off - just get on your bike and enjoy yourself.

They will certainly be tough and you will almost undoubtedly find yourself considering stopping and turning round at many points (everyone does this don't worry) but if you get your mindset right (ie "This will be tough and I'm going to be pedalling for a long time" so that you manage expectations) start at a pace slightly slower than you think you should be going (to give you some leeway), find a rhythm that you are comfortable with then just stick to that while soaking everything in and enjoy the stunning scenery and overall experience you will love it.

andrewleck

philhul wrote:

I bought the rapha book on the northern alps so was going to base myself there.

Was planning on (probably) Ventoux/ Verdon Gorge/ Glandon/ Croix de Fer/ Sarrene / Huez / Ornon / Iseran/ Mont Cenis/ Petite St. Bernard and then possibly heading into Switzerland (Grimsel/ Nufenen/ La Tremola/ Furka) on the way home. If you come across an unfit bloke swearing and cussing his way up on a black and yellow ROSE say hi!!

andymiller

The climbs in the Alps differ hugely. Some are short and steep and some are long and not very steep. Some are high (2500m or more) while some are relatively low. There's no such thing as a typical Alpine pass.

There's no substitute for looking at the altitude profile for the climb you are interested in. If you google 'altitude profile' or 'elevation profile' plus the name of the col/mountain the chances are someone has produced a profile.

dylanfernley

if i can ride up them fully laden with touring gear , then i would imagine any reasonable fit person would have little problem, just be prepared for it to take a lot longer than anything in the uk.

markhewitt1978

andymiller wrote:

The climbs in the Alps differ hugely. Some are short and steep and some are long and not very steep. Some are high (2500m or more) while some are relatively low.

..and the last one's Georgina, who's incredibly tall...

(sorry, cbeebies reference!)

mididoctors

I guess there is only one way to find out.

MichaelW

Anyone can climb an Alp, even natural born flat-landers. You need a gear low enough so that you can spin along at a comfortable work rate. Alpes can be long so ride at your own pace, never be tempted to catch another rider.
Few alpine climbs have the brutal gradients of British hills.
Keep yourself fed and watered. Some Alpes have drinking water gushing out of the rocks but others don't
Personally, I find the descent to be harder.

andymiller

MichaelW wrote:

Few alpine climbs have the brutal gradients of British hills.

Maybe, but a climb in the Alps might well involve an altitude gain of more than a 1000 metres. In comparison Ben Nevis is 1350m (more or less). So you're comparing apples and pears.

Haggis Hurler

Can you manage an alp, hell yeah, like the person before this said, anyone can. I'm 55, 120Kg, normally hauling everything with me in big panniers. not often I overtake anyone on the way up and I always carry more water than I think I'll need.

pollys_bott

markhewitt1978 wrote:

andymiller wrote:

The climbs in the Alps differ hugely. Some are short and steep and some are long and not very steep. Some are high (2500m or more) while some are relatively low.

..and the last one's Georgina, who's incredibly tall...

(sorry, cbeebies reference!)

64, 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane...

Anyway - I was in a similar place to the OP last year when it finally dawned on me that we were actually, finally going to France on holiday and we were spending the first week near Bourg d'Oisans and yes I was going to get a day out sur velo. After driving up the lower slopes of the Croix de Fer and being slightly daunted by what I found I lowered my sights to the Col d'Ornon. And it was great - I told myself not to go much above 160bpm (80-82% max HR) so stuck it in the granny ring and twiddled my way up 11.5 kms averaging 6% and I think it took me about 50 minutes. As others have said, if you can sustain that sort of effort for 'x' length of time then you'll be able to get up many of them.

NIIXSY

I agree with most of the replies to this thread, yes you will get up an alp, ive just come back from the tour de france, myself and my husband climbed alpe d'huez, I weigh 54 kg and have a compact chainset Vuelta Corsa, 50/34 it was tough and I did it without stopping in 1 hour 15 mins but with everyday training, my husband who weighs 90 kg and more or less the same bike set up as me had to stop 3 times! It depends on your fitness levels I guess but my husband had little training and still did it, its true there are allsorts of people going up on all different bikes ages and sizes as its a challenge for them and fun I might add, I would thoroughly recommend it or throw in a holiday around the tour de france see some stages and do the climbs it will be the best holiday you have! You get so close to the tour on the mountain stages and its all free as long as you can get there etc. we drove, parking not too bad if you are prepared to walk a few miles on day of the tours etc. once you are there its like a carnival amazing stuff! We parked at bourg d'oisans on the day of the climb of ADH and you can climb from there, we also stayed at Les 2 alps, nice long climbs there too and around these alps area! Just take your time plenty of hydration (camelback) gels and a camera for the scenery!
Next year we are aiming for Mont Ventoux and maybe the Col du Galibier which is in the alps as well we drove along this area and very high long climb but well worth the views! I could talk all day about the mountains! Oops also forgot you can do glacier skiing in the summer we did les 2 alpes for 1 morning!

christiandransfield

Great post and I wish you all the best for the trip!

I cycled 5 mountain stages of the Tour de France last year, despite only having cycled 250 miles in training in 6 weeks since I'd decided to take up cycling properly before I left for the trip, so anything is possible if you're mentally focused and prepare at least a little before you go.

I'd say the most important thing would be to eat well (the usual cycling breakfast... porridge, banana etc), and hydrate as much as possible. Drinking too much will result in your going to the loo a little more than usual, but letting yourself get dehydrated can become dangerous up such challenging climbs. The same goes for food. Take a wedge bars/gels and the like in your jersey pockets and never let your blood sugar level become low, because that will massively sap your energy level as well. Make sure to take some protein to take immediately after each ride, too, preferably within 20 mins of finishing (protein shake +a large meal after an hour or 2 for dinner or similar).

Most of all, enjoy the views and experience, and try not to worry about Strava or the like. Easier said than done, though!

If you get the bug for it, I've just posted about my upcoming Tour de France 2014 mountain stage cycling/spectating trip, if anyone fancies joining us!

andymiller

christiandransfield wrote:

I cycled 5 mountain stages of the Tour de France last year, despite only having cycled 250 miles in training in 6 weeks since I'd decided to take up cycling properly before I left for the trip, so anything is possible if you're mentally focused and prepare at least a little before you go.

I'm willing you bet you had a pretty good base level of fitness - I doubt you went from coach potato to Chris Froome wannabe in six weeks.

There are Alpine passes and there are Alpine passes: the Colle dell'Agnello (to take one of the ones you did this year) in the final climb from Chianale involves a climb of about 1000 metres in altitude with an average gradient of a smidge under 10 per cent and plenty of sections at 14 percent. Probably not the one to start with if you aren't confident of your fitness/climbing ability.

To the OP. Look at the altitude profiles: there are sites like climbbybike.com that have more profiles than you can shake a stick at (or you can of course simply roll your own). Pick one that isn't too steep and isn't too long (but a long not very steep one is manageable with breaks). And then work your way up from there (unintentional pun).

Also, do or find altitude profiles for the climbs you've done and use these as a basis for comparison.

Start early and try to get above 1000 metres early in the day.

stash36

Good thread!
Long time reader but first post. We're on holiday in Pau and I've hired a bike to tackle the Tourmalet. I thought I'd try the Col d'Aubisque first as its down the road, and drove up it one evening to see what I was in for first. It really put me off! You reach a town called Eaux Bonne in 2.5k and I thought "I won't get this far", as the road through the town is really steep. From there it just seemed more and more a ridiculous idea as my car roared up each bend in low gear.
I should say I'm 43, been cycling just a year but did complete Lejog in 10 days back in June. My recent training includes the A635 up by Dovestones Reservoir. I love that climb, and managed to do it twice in succession just before we came away.
Anyway, I could hardly sleep that night, thought "Sod it! Let's try" and got up really early and set off three miles outside of Laruns at 07:30. Within two hours I had climbed to the top and was absolutely elated with my effort. I stopped 4 times for a breather but made it, and the views were well worth it, a beautiful clear day.
The descent was just incredible.
So don't let the doubts creep in! Just do it.
Tourmalet to come.

andrewleck

stash36 wrote:

Good thread!

Tourmalet to come.

Good luck, I hate the Tourmalet. last 6km at an average 10% on a loaded tourer

stash36

Ha ha thanks for that inspiring pic! I completed the climb yesterday morning in about 2:23. I actually didn't see any of those signs after 5km to go, not sure if they are missing or I had my head down and missed them. Good job really as I was still searching for the 4km or 3km sign to come when I rounded the last bend and was faced with the souvenir shop at the top. Boy that's a tough last bend, I nearly toppled into the gutter.
Not half as much fun as the Aubisque, especially the descent. As mentioned above, there is lots of flood damage apparent and the authorities have done well to get it open so soon.

mrc1

Awesome work well done!

Luz Ardiden is well worth a go if you are still in the area!

stash36

Yeah cheers for that, I actually drove up part of the Luz climb by mistake looking for the town, it looks really steep early on. Today was the last day with the bike and I'm gutted to return it! Just done a nice loop from Pau through Rebanacq and back. Still its been a nice addition to the family holiday and I need to find a way of doing more of this, it's quite addictive.