Has anyone cycled Leven Bank in Yarm, Stockton-on-tees?

suzygarbo
suzygarbo Posts: 52
edited February 2014 in Road beginners
I have booked myself onto a ride and am slightly worried about having do tackle Leven Bank, I was wondering if anyone has done it and if they have any advice for me?

I have been cycling for 2.5 weeks and have been doing only slight hills, this hill is big and want to know if I will be able to manage it or should I just walk up?
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Comments

  • Phil562
    Phil562 Posts: 73
    Depends which direction your going in, if towards Yarm then it's relatively easy, towards the Fox Covert pub is harder, just get in your granny ring and take it easy.....or when your out peddling go via it every time ;-)
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    It's a climb :)

    Though there's a lot worse around that area. I've only ridden towards the Fox Covert. There's a lovely downhill section before it sweeps left over a bridge and then right onto the climb.

    Road sign suggests its a 15% incline.

    There's no point in letting it defeat you already. Just give it your best shot and get into your lowest gear. If you have to give up half way then at least you've tried.

    There's a crawler lane on the way up by the way so plenty of space for traffic to get by without squeezing you off the road.

    Good luck!
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    Don't worry bout the % it's only about 50 yards long and the speed you can keep as previously described will get you half the way up.

    edit What ride is it?
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    Just checked my last ride up there and My Garmin reckons an average of 10%.

    I'm pretty slow up there but I've not had to walk yet. You'll be fine!
  • abanazar
    abanazar Posts: 16
    When you're first starting out it is natural to be apprehensive of 'big hills'. Don't worry about what Strava says the gradient is. Just give it your best shot - low gear, high cadence. Don't be too hard on yourself if you have to stop, just resolve yourself to go back and get further next time. In time, Leven Bank will go from a 'big hill' to 'no big deal'. Good luck!
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    patrickf wrote:
    There's a crawler lane on the way up by the way so plenty of space for traffic to get by without squeezing you off the road.
    Nope, that got taken out so that they could put a right-turning filter lane in for the new houses; just a single lane up in that direction but it is wider going back towards Yarm.
    As the others said, it's only short. Worst thing is you can get off and walk up the side in no time.
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    Me-109 wrote:
    patrickf wrote:
    There's a crawler lane on the way up by the way so plenty of space for traffic to get by without squeezing you off the road.
    Nope, that got taken out so that they could put a right-turning filter lane in for the new houses; just a single lane up in that direction but it is wider going back towards Yarm.
    As the others said, it's only short. Worst thing is you can get off and walk up the side in no time.
    Really? When did that happen? Perhaps I just didn't pay attention last time I went up, but I'm so used to seeing it there.

    As everyone has already said and I meant to say further up, it may average 10%, but the climb is only 0.1 miles long.
  • suzygarbo
    suzygarbo Posts: 52
    Well I finally bit the bullet and gave it a go, I went up towards Yarm side first and had to walk up the last little bit but after a ride around Yarm I came back and dit it the other direction towards the Fox Covert and I found that not as bad as I thought. I will try it again on Thursday or Friday before I tackle it with a group on Sunday.

    Thank you all for the really good advice I really appreciate it :)
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    Well done! Carlton Bank next :lol:
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    +100, well done.

    As someone said it's sometimes all in the mind, the body's etc.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    You'll find it much easier next time once you've managed it once.

    Greetings from Preston Farm Industrial Estate!
  • avababy24
    avababy24 Posts: 162
    Nice to see some posts from 'Teesside', makes me kind of homesick whilst I'm working away :(

    Still never mind, soon be flying round Guisborough on that new CR1 build :D
  • suzygarbo
    suzygarbo Posts: 52
    I agree, not many people seem to be from Teesside but I decided to ask about leven bank anyway and I've been surprised by how many people replied that know it.

    I am going to have to see Carlton bank now you have mentioned it, in the car tho if its as bad as it sounds lol

    Loving biking :)
  • me-109
    me-109 Posts: 1,915
    Well done for Leven. Carlton is altogether different and the surface has really deteriorated this past year.
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    Carlton/Sutton/Clay bank are all brilliant climbs. I make an effort to ride at least one of them when I'm back home.

    There's also a tough one that's known as 'White Horse' bank (Low Town Bank Rd.) that brings you out at the Yorkshire Gliding club. That's hard going and ramps up to 20% in some places.

    It's a shame that people always think that Boro is an industrial, smoggy wilderness. If you just pan round 180º there's some of the most brilliant cycling roads in the UK.

    East Anglia is so bloody flat :(
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • Tangomania
    Tangomania Posts: 4
    suzygarbo wrote:

    I am going to have to see Carlton bank now you have mentioned it, in the car tho if its as bad as it sounds lol


    carlton bank .... eeek . big respect to you tried it myself last year and had to stop twice on the way up . not to get my heart rate below 300 bpm but to admire the view [ yeah right ] . it was made worse by a guy overtaking me uphill who had done it 4 times in succession. good luck hope you beat it
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    Did the bank today out of yarm garmin gave a max gradient of 20%, filter lane now painted red to keep traffic apart but still used to aid overtaking.

    Was on way to do Clay Bank via Great Ayton and Battersby going up by the local side road max gradient also 20% but a lot longer and higher average - 14%. Rest at the car park and then high 30's m p h to Great Broughton. Hutton Rudby also has a short bank hitting 21% at top - always get my gears wrong for that one.

    Have tried Carlton Bank but could just about get past the cattle grid, will have to have another go.

    There's some names to conjour with avababy.
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    Me-109 wrote:
    Well done for Leven. Carlton is altogether different and the surface has really deteriorated this past year.
    I'm told Carlton Bank (the road) was closed recently and that they've been resurfacing a lot of country roads. I'm going up there this weekend so here's hoping that it has been resurfaced! Downhill was interesting with that road surface...
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    plowmar wrote:
    Hutton Rudby also has a short bank hitting 21% at top - always get my gears wrong for that one.
    Hutton Rudby bank is great fun! :) The climb up to Hutton does get pretty steep towards the end, so you have to make sure you take lots of speed through the little S bend leading down to the climb.
  • k3vinjam3s
    k3vinjam3s Posts: 266
    We really are blessed here in smoggie Teesside I think. With clay and Carlton bank and the loop round from Clay to Carlton via chop gate we are spoilt. Then if you go through kildale towards westerdale that has to be the most stunning and hilly road I've riden.
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    Absolutely, but don't let everyone know.

    I know it's not hilly but my best ride is out to High Force with stop at cafes in Middleton.
  • k3vinjam3s
    k3vinjam3s Posts: 266
    plowmar wrote:
    Absolutely, but don't let everyone know.

    I know it's not hilly but my best ride is out to High Force with stop at cafes in Middleton.

    I haven't ventured out that way from Stockton, I've been to the cafe in piercebridge but always on hunt for new cafes. I use the lakeside cafe near scorton and the glebe cafe at kildale mainly. Any recommendations?
  • Tangomania
    Tangomania Posts: 4
    if you get the chance have a go at bolam bank which is between killerby and bolam just off the A 68 north of darlington .If you come from killerby its about 11% for 200m then seems to go on up at 8% for a mile and half .Also when you get back to the main road [ Dere street ] turn right and you can get up to 51mph [ personal best ] on the hill which goes all the way to piercebridge .
  • suzygarbo
    suzygarbo Posts: 52
    I'm looking forward to venturing out a bit further starting next week to see all of these places. I love that we have the country roads on our doorstep
  • k3vinjam3s
    k3vinjam3s Posts: 266
    suzygarbo wrote:
    I'm looking forward to venturing out a bit further starting next week to see all of these places. I love that we have the country roads on our doorstep


    From ingleby I would head towards Hilton and the country lanes are your oyster! We are lucky as both cyclists are friendly and nearly all motorists seem to be courteous towards us.
  • Phil562
    Phil562 Posts: 73
    Apologies for hijacking suzygarbo 's thread however ....... As this has turned into a bit of a Teesside thread are any of you members of a Teesside based cycling club and if you are which would you recommend for noobies and what level of fitness on the flat and hills would they expect.
  • k3vinjam3s
    k3vinjam3s Posts: 266
    Phil562 wrote:
    Apologies for hijacking suzygarbo 's thread however ....... As this has turned into a bit of a Teesside thread are any of you members of a Teesside based cycling club and if you are which would you recommend for noobies and what level of fitness on the flat and hills would they expect.

    Not a club member I'm afraid. Hear good things about Stockton wheelers but just don't fancy club scene just yet. My advice would be to just get out on your bike and enjoy it.
  • Phil562
    Phil562 Posts: 73
    k3vinjam3s wrote:
    Phil562 wrote:
    Apologies for hijacking suzygarbo 's thread however ....... As this has turned into a bit of a Teesside thread are any of you members of a Teesside based cycling club and if you are which would you recommend for noobies and what level of fitness on the flat and hills would they expect.

    Not a club member I'm afraid. Hear good things about Stockton wheelers but just don't fancy club scene just yet. My advice would be to just get out on your bike and enjoy it.


    Thanks for that ..... Ido enjoy it ..... Was contemplating taking it to the next level :)
  • avababy24
    avababy24 Posts: 162
    Sounds like we should get an informal Teesside group ride organised one Sunday morning ?
  • abanazar
    abanazar Posts: 16
    To update, I went up Carlton Bank earlier today. The bit where the surface was worst has been resurfaced - near the top with the wall on your left. :D

    To the OP, was your ride the Stockton Wheelers ladies ride? If so, I suspect I passed your group going the other way just north of the A172. Hope Leven Bank was ok!

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