Whats your favourite climb?

tubaonwheels

I loved climbing Luz Ardiden last May, beautiful climb. Did Tourmalet couple of days later, great climb but weather was lousy so not as enjoyable. Nearer home Rosedale chimney is always a laugh?
All these done on my mtb. Have my first decent road bike on order though so looking forward to trying lots more climbs next year.

charlie_potatoes

Trisross wrote:

A little gem in the French alpes is Col Du Chaussey which is being used by the Tour next year. Very quiet and narrow with great views. You can get over to the Madeleine from it to

+1
Lovely little climb. We found this last summer.
Just 3 cars passed us on the whole climb.
I can't help thinking that the Tour will spoil it a bit now though.

bernithebiker

Trisross wrote:

Galilea is my favourite in Mallorca. But Sa Calobra is an amazing climb.

A little gem in the French alpes is Col Du Chaussey which is being used by the Tour next year. Very quiet and narrow with great views. You can get over to the Madeleine from it too.


Thanks for all those amazing pics

Where is Galilea? Near Puigpuinyent? Not sure if I've done that one or not.....

jaxf

Colle San Carlo in the Aosta - 16% at the bottom (like the Joux Plane, which I agree is a nice wee climb), flattening off to a pretty consistent 10-11%. Not too many cars, reasonable road surface, lovely changes of scenery, through the meadows and the trees. And combined with the Col du Petit Saint Bernard, a pleasant day out.

I also really like Col d'Iseran from Val d'Isere, even the wee hard section of the last 1.6km where I'm puffing like a train owing to the altitude and the cold.

I climbed Col du Saisies in October, and can remember nothing about it!

I did not like Bealach na Ba, I expected something like Cormet de Roseland from my scant looking at the profile, and then when I got to that nasty section of the 3 hairpins at 18% .... blimey - I did not enjoy it, I was not expecting it, I was not mentally prepared for it. And I was wet through and cold.

Trisross

Galilea is near Calvia and Puigpunyent, kind of in the middle.

galatzo

Trisross wrote:

Galilea is near Calvia and Puigpunyent, kind of in the middle.

Galilea was the first climb I did abroad so I love it. Made me think I was a proper cyclist ! A lways stay in the southwest at my folks place so do it every March and August ( it's great in August when your sweating buckets and can't hear a thing for the crickets).
At home I don't like any at the moment !

zak3737

You're all wierd, very wierd.

Anyone who 'enjoys' climbing is seriously de-wired, wierd, and devoid of any natural humanistic instincts.......we were not meant to go 'uphill, it takes effort ffs.

Ever since I first stepped on a MTB, I've hated hills with a passion, and only when I've been in Morzine, on a feckin Chairlift, have I 'enjoyed' going uphill, and the subsequent 90mins coming downhill again.

Like I say, you're all wierd. ;-)

peat

I like going uphill on an MTB too, Zak. I love the long, technical climbs that leave you with no time to think about being tired.

You should learn to love them, you will always spend more time going up than down.

Brian B

Done a lot of the really big climbs abroad out of the TDF/Giro but my fav climb abroad is probably the Gavia due to mainly how beautiful the climb is heading towards Bormio and its hard too without being to bad but leaves you ample time to savour the climb.

Here in Blightly my favourite climb has to be the Bealach na Ba again because its a breath taking climb in regards to scenery. Its not as hard as Wrynose/Hardknott but it is tough enough to feel it and the views at the top across to the Isle of Skye and out over the Atlantic just have to be seen at least once.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YgcVhTokisc/T ... 7505_n.jpg

http://www.wowscotlandtours.com/wp-cont ... Summit.jpg

slowmart

Zak3737 wrote:

You're all wierd, very wierd.

Anyone who 'enjoys' climbing is seriously de-wired, wierd, and devoid of any natural humanistic instincts.......we were not meant to go 'uphill, it takes effort ffs.

Ever since I first stepped on a MTB, I've hated hills with a passion, and only when I've been in Morzine, on a feckin Chairlift, have I 'enjoyed' going uphill, and the subsequent 90mins coming downhill again.

Like I say, you're all wierd. ;-)

I've always liked a lovely climb called Minton Batch, most people love the decent but I find the climb really enjoyable on my mtb bike. Most of my mtb mates think I'm weird too but each to their own.

briantrumpet

Zak3737 wrote:

You're all wierd, very wierd.

Anyone who 'enjoys' climbing is seriously de-wired, wierd, and devoid of any natural humanistic instincts.......we were not meant to go 'uphill, it takes effort ffs.

Ever since I first stepped on a MTB, I've hated hills with a passion, and only when I've been in Morzine, on a feckin Chairlift, have I 'enjoyed' going uphill, and the subsequent 90mins coming downhill again.

Like I say, you're all wierd. ;-)

There are two types of enjoyable climbs for me: short & sharp (Peak Hill in Sidmouth is a nice one round here) to bust the lungs; and the long Alpine-type (needs to be at least 30 minutes) on which you have to concentrate on long-term power and breathing - not quite meditation, but getting in that sort of area. I think these are even more fun when you get to know them reasonably well and can judge if you've got it right, as well as knowing there aren't going to be any surprises.

BTW, if I am anything, I'm weird. Spelling is weird, innit? (Sorry, I would have restrained my inner pedant had you not used the word four times )

EDIT - and I do genuinely enjoy the going up as much as the coming down ... and in the case of Peak Hill, I really don't enjoy the coming down much at all, at least, not the steep way, back into Sidmouth.

tackleberry

Not exotic nor is it blood vessel bursting in its steepness but Hartside Hill near Alston is my favourite. First proper long (by local standards anyway) climb I ever did. Best done from Renwick mind. Much quieter. Not too far away is another long hill heading south towards Alston from Whitfield. Long and steady with great views over the moor and, more importantly, smooth tarmac - mostly.

Miss it.

T

florerider

Anything that is 10km or more at 5 to 8%

nunowoolmez

Col D'Iseran double - just immense - super fast descents too!
Col D' Izouard double - the scenery is bizarre & the climbs are epic
Telegraph & then both sides of Galibier - always feel a special aura climbing this & makes me feel very small

Sa Calobra - still one of my fave descents & a lovely climb back up

Not many in the UK i would put in favourite category, but i do like

Bwilch, Rhigos, Black Mountain in Wales are perfect for me

I'd also put Hardknott & Honister in there just because they are such tests of will power & grit more than anything else. Hardknott also because it looks like Mordor!

feisty

Never cycled in the Alps or all these really tough climbs but there are a few hills in Kent (Toys, York, Brasted etc)

Toys Hill in Kent (the tough side) is my favorite. Mentally gets you everytime. You see the post box, turn the corner and then see what seems to be vertical climbing.

Not as steep as many others but longish, and energy sapping

vinnymarsden

I'd also put Hardknott & Honister in there just because they are such tests of will power & grit more than anything else. Hardknott also because it looks like Mordor![/quote]

Definitely agree re Hardknott, and also just along the way Wrynose…both gut busting…and true they do look like some Mordor style landscape….especially riding between the 2!
Wrynose has the ULTIMATE payback in that if you go up H/K first, then across to and up Wrynose you get the INSANE descent to the cattle grids at the bottom!!
A really good climber in our group was caught by me, actually off the bike WALKING down with his shoes off, quote " I DONT FANCY IT!!!" My reply was that you had paid for the ride down by busting it going up…my theory anyway!!!

briantrumpet

VinnyMarsden wrote:

A really good climber in our group was caught by me, actually off the bike WALKING down with his shoes off, quote " I DONT FANCY IT!!!" My reply was that you had paid for the ride down by busting it going up…my theory anyway!!!

I can't be doing with hills that give away all your gained height in just a minute or two. Now, 30 miles of descent ... that's worth doing: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6685830 - I did this last year on a Paris to Rome ride.

meanredspider

I think it's hilarious that everyone remembers the names of these hills. I've done lots all over the place but, with the exception of The Alpe (and that took me 100 miles of going up and down it to get it to stick) I don't remember the name of a single one: Alps, Ardennes, England and much of Scotland. It says something about roadies that it's not the down but the up that they remember: as much as climbing is memorable, I love the thrill of descending far more - that's when you know you're alive.

briantrumpet

meanredspider wrote:

It says something about roadies that it's not the down but the up that they remember: as much as climbing is memorable, I love the thrill of descending far more - that's when you know you're alive.

Different thing though ... the concentration necessary for descending and the speed is certainly thrilling (and in the case of my beloved Col de Rousset I love feeling the warm Mediterranean air towards the bottom of the hill) ... but I equally love focusing on rhythm and effort on long ascents, with the views opening up as you go.