How are climbs categorised?

EKE_38BPM

This hill is a cat 4 but that mountain is a cat 1 'they' say, but how do 'they' categorise the climbs?

I've heard that it was originally based on the highest gear a Citroen 2CV could get up it in.
Cat 4 = 4th gear
Cat 3 = 3rd gear
Cat 2 =2nd gear
Cat 1 = 1st gear
Hors catégorie = Outside category = a 2CV can't get up it at all.

Is that a total crock-o-shit and if so, how do 'they' determine what category a climb is?

roger_merriman

EKE_38BPM wrote:

This hill is a cat 4 but that mountain is a cat 1 'they' say, but how do 'they' categorise the climbs?

I've heard that it was originally based on the highest gear a Citroen 2CV could get up it in.
Cat 4 = 4th gear
Cat 3 = 3rd gear
Cat 2 =2nd gear
Cat 1 = 1st gear
Hors catégorie = Outside category = a 2CV can't get up it at all.

Is that a total crock-o-shit and if so, how do 'they' determine what category a climb is?

Rather depends who they are, The various races categorise hill different ways. It seems to be influenced more by length than gradient overall, short but very steep tends to have a lowly cat 4 while the longer but much less steep hills end up being Cat1/2

Stage 3 TOB finish the (Tumble) give a CAT1 while long, and in places steep is doable by most reasonably fit folks, while the numerous steep lanes though very short, are close on 20% average and thus inspite of there lowly cat4 status are much more likely to make folk walk, and curse that hill.

rubertoe

EKE_38BPM wrote:

This hill is a cat 4 but that mountain is a cat 1 'they' say, but how do 'they' categorise the climbs?

I've heard that it was originally based on the highest gear a Citroen 2CV could get up it in.
Cat 4 = 4th gear
Cat 3 = 3rd gear
Cat 2 =2nd gear
Cat 1 = 1st gear
Hors catégorie = Outside category = a 2CV can't get up it at all.

Is that a total crock-o-shit and if so, how do 'they' determine what category a climb is?

EKE - this is how they originally categorised climbs - so yes you are right.

Obviously they differ now per the race as Roger said.

Initialised

EKE_38BPM wrote:

This hill is a cat 4 but that mountain is a cat 1 'they' say, but how do 'they' categorise the climbs?

I've heard that it was originally based on the highest gear a Citroen 2CV could get up it in.
Cat 4 = 4th gear
Cat 3 = 3rd gear
Cat 2 =2nd gear
Cat 1 = 1st gear
Hors catégorie = Outside category = a 2CV can't get up it at all.

Is that a total crock-o-shit and if so, how do 'they' determine what category a climb is?

Was that with or without breaking a single egg in a basket of eggs on the passenger seat?*

how the 2CV suspension was specified to get over a ploughed field

Long_Time_Lurker

Cat 1 - Little
Cat 2 - Blowing out my arse
Cat 3 - I'm going to get off and push
Cat 4 - I'm getting in the car

At least they are my categories. Although as I get older, and my bikes get heavier, there are a lot more category 2 and 3 climbs where I live now.

kurako

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Cat 1 - Little
Cat 2 - Blowing out my ars*
Cat 3 - I'm going to get off and push
Cat 4 - I'm getting in the car

At least they are my categories. Although as I get older, and my bikes get heavier, there are a lot more category 2 and 3 climbs where I live now.

Wrong way round no?

To put things in context how would you categorise epic climbs like Balham hill or Col du Chutney Mary?

desweller

I'd love it if the UCI required local administrators to keep a sh1t 1950s old banger in the head office garage to categorise climbs.

Tour de France: 2CV
Tour of Poland: Trabant
Tour of Britain: ?

EKE_38BPM

DesWeller wrote:

I'd love it if the UCI required local administrators to keep a sh1t 1950s old banger in the head office garage to categorise climbs.

Tour de France: 2CV
Tour of Poland: Trabant
Tour of Britain: ?

E-Type Jag.

The Rookie

850cc Mini would be more appropriate.

The Trabant was East German, the Poles had FSO (aka Polski Fiat)

The Italians could have the original Cinqecento (500) and the Spanish the SEAT 133 (their version of the Fiat 126)

drlodge

Info here on how climbs are categorised by Strava and MMR, a combination of length, gradient and height gained. It seems there's no definitive way. http://sportivecyclist.com/strava-mapmyride-cycling-climb-categories/

drlodge

Info here on how climbs are categorised by Strava and MMR, a combination of length, gradient and height gained. It seems there's no definitive way. http://sportivecyclist.com/strava-mapmyride-cycling-climb-categories/

rick_chasey

http://inrng.com/2014/07/how-are-climbs-categorised/

wandsworth

EKE_38BPM wrote:

DesWeller wrote:

I'd love it if the UCI required local administrators to keep a sh1t 1950s old banger in the head office garage to categorise climbs.

Tour de France: 2CV
Tour of Poland: Trabant
Tour of Britain: ?

E-Type Jag.

Reliant Robin.