Anyone can ride Alpine climbs

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  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:

    I have seen truly hopeless cyclists going up Aubisque and Tourmalet in the same day...
    What do you mean by "truly hopeless cyclists"?

    People for which the equation lycra + mountains should not give a positive solution, but it does, somehow... people who weigh 15 times their bike or over... basically cyclists you would think they would never stand a chance in the world to climb the Tourmalet, but yet, they do... the advent of 34 x 32 gear ratios or smaller means virtually anyone can climb those mountains, with a splinter of determination... modern brakes means they won't die coming down them and modern clothes means that can be done virtually any time the road is open
    Is that not a good thing that some people who were previously excluded from cycling are now able to challenge themselves and get fitter in the process?

    Of course is a good thing... but it leaves you short of challenges pretty soon. If as a beginner you can ride the Stelvio and Galibier, then what's left to do for when you are fit? You can do them faster, but it's not the same satisfaction as conquering them for the first time.
    It's a bit like those folks climbing Everest before they can actually climb
    left the forum March 2023
  • Rigga
    Rigga Posts: 939
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:

    I have seen truly hopeless cyclists going up Aubisque and Tourmalet in the same day...
    What do you mean by "truly hopeless cyclists"?

    People for which the equation lycra + mountains should not give a positive solution, but it does, somehow... people who weigh 15 times their bike or over... basically cyclists you would think they would never stand a chance in the world to climb the Tourmalet, but yet, they do... the advent of 34 x 32 gear ratios or smaller means virtually anyone can climb those mountains, with a splinter of determination... modern brakes means they won't die coming down them and modern clothes means that can be done virtually any time the road is open
    Is that not a good thing that some people who were previously excluded from cycling are now able to challenge themselves and get fitter in the process?

    Of course is a good thing... but it leaves you short of challenges pretty soon. If as a beginner you can ride the Stelvio and Galibier, then what's left to do for when you are fit? You can do them faster, but it's not the same satisfaction as conquering them for the first time.
    It's a bit like those folks climbing Everest before they can actually climb

    What a load of tripe! How many "TRULY HOPELESS CYCLISTS" go straight out and tackle Stelvio or Galibier? None that I know!
    If only they were all cycling gods like you eh?
  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:

    I have seen truly hopeless cyclists going up Aubisque and Tourmalet in the same day...
    What do you mean by "truly hopeless cyclists"?

    People for which the equation lycra + mountains should not give a positive solution, but it does, somehow... people who weigh 15 times their bike or over... basically cyclists you would think they would never stand a chance in the world to climb the Tourmalet, but yet, they do... the advent of 34 x 32 gear ratios or smaller means virtually anyone can climb those mountains, with a splinter of determination... modern brakes means they won't die coming down them and modern clothes means that can be done virtually any time the road is open
    Is that not a good thing that some people who were previously excluded from cycling are now able to challenge themselves and get fitter in the process?

    Of course is a good thing... but it leaves you short of challenges pretty soon. If as a beginner you can ride the Stelvio and Galibier, then what's left to do for when you are fit? You can do them faster, but it's not the same satisfaction as conquering them for the first time.
    It's a bit like those folks climbing Everest before they can actually climb
    Even with low gearing these Alpine climbs would be a big challenge for me in my late 50's. However there must be other challenges out there, even for you Ugo. I was just reading about some guys that did the challenge of three different ascents of Mount Ventoux in the one day - I wouldn't think that would be a walk in the park.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    Even with low gearing these Alpine climbs would be a big challenge for me in my late 50's. However there must be other challenges out there, even for you Ugo. I was just reading about some guys that did the challenge of three different ascents of Mount Ventoux in the one day - I wouldn't think that would be a walk in the park.

    A challenge, yes, but you could do them if you wanted.

    By racking the vertical mileage up, the challenge is there at any level, but the joy of summiting a single mountain is something that I have lost to be honest, which is a pity... although I assume that leaves me more time to enjoy the views... :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    ugo, just a casual observer here. But over the last few months your posts have become increasingly curmudgeonly.

    I can usually predict the type of thread where you might come in and piss on someone's bonfire, and this is just one of them.

    Anyone that can ride an alpine col, especially when they could just drive up it, deserves our respect. We're all supposed to be brothers/sisters of the cog, you're no better than anyone else.
  • Rigga
    Rigga Posts: 939
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    Even with low gearing these Alpine climbs would be a big challenge for me in my late 50's. However there must be other challenges out there, even for you Ugo. I was just reading about some guys that did the challenge of three different ascents of Mount Ventoux in the one day - I wouldn't think that would be a walk in the park.

    A challenge, yes, but you could do them if you wanted.

    By racking the vertical mileage up, the challenge is there at any level, but the joy of summiting a single mountain is something that I have lost to be honest, which is a pity... although I assume that leaves me more time to enjoy the views... :wink:

    So, which team do you ride for Ugo?
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Team fin de cloche.

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