Terrifying Hills?

[Mr. Beanz]

I have never experienced riding in mostly flat terrain. In my area, its typical +/-800 feet or so for every 10 miles. The 6% doesn't really do this hill justice,
9/25(or 2 hours ago)-7:55

I shaved 3 minutes 33 seconds of my first attempt and am 4/38 on the Strava app. I've started to really enjoy hills and am now one of the better hill climbers in my cycling club .

I guess we all have a different opinion on what climbing means. I honestly think your graph is a relatively flat terrain. 1500 ft in 22 miles?

Our terrain is 4400 ft in less than 20 miles. That is 3x the elevation of the terrain you claim to be climbing?

The only real climb I see on your graph is 8 minutes @ 6% ? :lol:

My climbing profile: 4800 feet in less than 20 miles.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Lightweight riders will always have an advantage on the hills, but even heavier riders can do well.

So true! I like climbing and have done my fair share. Heck right out my front door Baldy Rd goes up 5,000 ft in 14 miles.

GMR down the way from us is 4500 ft in 20 miles.

Crystal Lake/hwy 39 8,000 ft to Dawson Saddle.

Train on these kids of rides and a big guy can smoke lightweight riders on some big climbs.

I've done some timed events/centuries with 10,000 ft gain. The lighter guys take off faster. Heck they kick my butt on GMR for the first 8 miles. But go into overtime, the endurance takes over. On the big rides, climbing after 30 miles, a big rider can overtake a whole lot of lighter riders if he's in good condition.

I tell you when I start out on these rides, the first 20 miles I feel I'm at the back of the pack. At the end of the ride, I finish before 2/3 of the lightweight guys at 230 lbs! We have to pull into a shoot to get our bar codes scanned then the computer reads out your official time. You should see the look on the light weight riders around me when they find out I finished way ahead of them! :lol:

The video I posted earlier, I am riding with 165 pound guys, It's punishing trying to keep up for the first 8 miles or so. After 12 miles, they start dropping off one by one.

I I think too many riders are considering themselves good climbers based on being the first one over the freeway overpass! :lol:

These ain't no 10 minute climbs!

 

[Uawadall]

I guess we all have a different opinion on what climbing means. I honestly think your graph is a relatively flat terrain. 1500 ft in 22 miles?

Our terrain is 4400 ft in less than 20 miles. That is 3x the elevation of the terrain you claim to be climbing?

The only real climb I see on your graph is 8 minutes @ 6% ? :lol:

My climbing profile: 4800 feet in less than 20 miles.

-I've said a few times that the terrain I ride on is semi hilly and neither "flat" nor truly "hilly". In that regard, I've rarely experienced either extreme for long stretches.

-This particular route has many false flats that turn into decently steep climbs. Strava list the segment at 6% grade, but l don't think it really does it justice. The opening and the ending taper off a little and they're spots that exceed 15-20% on this.Its listed as a category 4 climb.It was the steepest thing I've climbed when I first attempted it a few months ago and like it would with anyone, their was an adjustment period. At my lowest gear, I felt like I was crawling up it. With a little more experienced and strategic stranded climbing, its much easier for me now. It may not be the greatest achievement man has ever seen, but shaving 3 minutes and 33 seconds off a segment in a month and a half shows that I've been improving.

-5 months ago I couldn't even sit on a bike properly,corner,climb without standing, or ride with one hand to grab a water bottle. I'm a 10x better rider than I was then and will only improve more

Lastly, the only way I can experience extreme hills in my area is to get a mountain bike(hopefully will get one next year). I'd love to go to another state or even country with extremely steep and steady climbing efforts. Maybe someday I can come down to your area and ride with you(NY is a long ways away though).

 

[Mr. Beanz]

. Strava list the segment at 6% grade, but l don't think it really does it justice.

So your 6 is bigger than my 6!


Here is a pinpoint of my 6% on the same graph posted above on the 4500 ft/ 20 mile climb. I dunno ,seems to me you keep trying to glorify little climbs wanting to make an 8 minute climb seem more difficult than what it really is!

I think you have newbie syndrome!

31.9% at this point but who is counting? Oh yeah, you are! :lol:

 

[Uawadall]

So your 6 is bigger than my 6!


Here is a pinpoint of my 6% on the same graph posted above on the 4500 ft/ 20 mile climb. I dunno ,seems to me you keep trying to glorify little climbs wanting to make an 8 minute climb seem more difficult than what it really is!

I think you have newbie syndrome!

31.9% at this point but who is counting? Oh yeah, you are! :lol:

Everything is relative, it not about "glorifying", its simply about testing progress overtime and improving from when you started. Saying things like "making an 8 minute climb seem more difficult than it is" is pretty much the same as saying a rider with 20+ years of experience or 5 months should be at the same point. Like I said, if I went from not even being able to grab a water bottle or get on a bike properly to putting a decent effort on a hill, why not be happy about progress? I see plenty of strong riders in my area(20+ miles an hour strong) who also have completed the hill in the 7-8 minute range. I know a segment isn't the end all and I use it mostly as a way to improve and monitor progress.

Also, I can't just make a mountain appear out of thin air 11 miles from my house . I ride 3 times a week always starting from my house, I make do with the terrain I have. I usually like your post, but on this one you seem to be of the mindset that I'm over glorifying something you think shouldn't be that hard and I haven't had a true test of climbing. While I acknowledge that there are things much more difficult that I will hopefully encounter, to say that I shouldn't be satisfied with steps in the right direction.......Thats like if Chris Froome looked at your graph and started laughing his head off... .If I'm still around here in 2-5 years maybe you'll see something that satisfies you,lol...

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Actually I'm finding you very arrogant in your posting. Of course you deal with what you have but seems every other statement is "I'm the best climber in my group". Even if it is true, I'd bet your group would not like what you are positing here. They'd probably boot you out for being arrogant. I bet 95% of them would not want you to ride along with them if they saw your postings.

As far as Froome, I'm not silly enough to tell him what a great climber I am and how I drop everybody on the hills day after day.

I think it is good that you make progress but you should find a more classy way to state your improvement rather than boasting continuously.

Really, your posts are a little too cocky. I'm just trying to let you know how it is. People who actually climb are not impressed with freeway overpass racers. People who climb for 5 are 6 hours are not impressed with 8 minute climber claiming to be a good climber. Strava users who contend with thousands or riders including those who ride in the Tour De France are not impressed with those who boast about being number 2 against 25 other riders.

I guess I was saw your arrogance rising when you told me back when I posted a segment graph that you would not be happy with that position on the board since you are number 8 out of 34, big whoop! Like I said then, there are riders that ride to do the ride, then there are those that concentrate on a little section to impress themselves.

If I'm doing a 5,000 ft climb, what the heck do I care about the first 8 mile 2,000 ft segment? Or in your case, why would I try to impress myself with an 8 minute climb and boast about my position on that segment?

You expect me to encourage your arrogant behavior? I think not! Especially when the boasting is 8 minutes against 35 riders! :lol:

 

[jhuskey]

Gentlemen always let your legs do the talking. Everything else is just unfounded bragging.