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Defeated by Blaze Hill, gears for 25% incline

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  • September 11, 2012 at 1:30 pm #16801
    Organon

    Variety is the spice of life they say so I thought a bit of hill climbing would help my all round strength for my sportive ambitions. That is how I found myself tackling Blaze Hill on the edge of the Peak District. I am used to battering my way around the north Cheshire plain between Mobberley and Middlewich in my biggest gears 53/11. In seconds I found myself on my smallest gear 39/25 and struggling.
    10kph, 9,8,7,6,wobble. And I was off. After a quick breather I tried to get on again. I couldn’t get enough pressure on the crank and hop on with my left; I couldn’t get going again. I had to walk my bike up the last 100m like a kid. I had been defeated!
    I found out that Blaze Hill has an incline of up to 25%, just as steep as some of the worse finishes on the Vuelta.
    Umm, so I don’t want say that I couldn’t ever get up there on 39/25, but I ain’t no pro. So what size cogs at the back would get me up that hill or anything else? There can’t be many other steeper roads in the UK.

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Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 52 total)
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  • July 16, 2014 at 7:52 am #700125
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    russyparkin

    39/28 here, i live on
    39/28 here, i live on dartmoor and we have savage 25% hills

    never needed to walk a hill yet so that should get you up anything

    alternative is go semi compact 52/36 you still get the power gear on the big ring and its a bit more sensible in the lower ring

    July 15, 2014 at 9:14 am #700123
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    paulrbarnard

    mace1961 wrote: for me

    mace1961 wrote:
    :? for me cycling is about crossing personal boundries and of course that means pain and endurance then convert that pain into adrenalin thats the fun, its only a hill guys just get over it !!

    You’ve captured it perfectly =D>

    July 15, 2014 at 8:53 am #700121
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    Scrufftie

    How about a semi-compact? I
    How about a semi-compact? I run 52/36 with an 11-28 cassette for hilly days. This means I rarely spin out but I have a nice bail out gear, too, to get up anything. Works fine with a short cage rear mech. I had gone to compact (50/34) but it spins out too easily.

    July 14, 2014 at 8:06 pm #700119
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    mace1961

    for me cycling is about
    😕 for me cycling is about crossing personal boundries and of course that means pain and endurance then convert that pain into adrenalin thats the fun, its only a hill guys just get over it !!

    July 13, 2014 at 8:18 pm #700117
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    mace1961

    so now you know what real
    =D> so now you know what real cycling is ! its about climbing. 😉

    October 19, 2012 at 8:39 pm #700115
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    daviddb

    Damn right about the horror
    Damn right about the horror that is cornwall. Trying to climb out of Coverack with a belly full of fish and chips even with a triple and 12/26 = bleaugh!!

    September 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm #700113
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    joemmo

    FYI – Shimano do Tiagra, 105
    FYI – Shimano do Tiagra, 105 and Ultegra short cage mechs in an ‘A’ version that will take a 30T rear cog. I struggled to find one in the uk though so ordered it from Rose in Germany.
    http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/shimano-ultegra-rear-derailleur-rd-6700a-ss/aid:573580
    I compared it to the standard max 28T 105 mech and it’s just got a slightly different placement of the upper jockey wheel. If you want bigger than a 30T you can fit a medium cage XT mech that should run to 34T

    September 24, 2012 at 7:47 pm #700111
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    Organon

    captain_slog wrote:That looks

    captain_slog wrote:
    That looks glorious. Don’t know if it counts if you stop to take pictures, though.

    Thanks, wait, hey, I’m not allowed to stop at the top? If we take that argument to the extreme; if I had just climbed Col du Tourmalet I’m still not allowed to take a pic? I should just plough on over the other side. Well this is just training, you’ll know when your in a race, and there is no stopping.
    Stopping on the slope was were it all started.

    September 24, 2012 at 5:40 pm #700109
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    giff77

    Well done mate!
    Well done mate!

    September 24, 2012 at 7:14 am #700107
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    captain_slog

    That looks glorious. Don’t
    That looks glorious. Don’t know if it counts if you stop to take pictures, though.

    September 24, 2012 at 12:42 am #700105
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    Organon

    I did it! Blaze Hill it earns
    I did it! Blaze Hill it earns it’s name on a magnificent late Saturday afternoon. It doesn’t look like 25% and this is only the end of the first part, there was another 20% section above it up to the Macclesfield Road. Proves I need to learn how to maintain my bike to do anything challenging.
    So the 39/25 was enough but only just, fortunately all of ‘Britain’s Steepest Roads’ are well away from me. But I’ve signed up for the Etape Cymru 2013 so I have a year of hell in the Peak District to get ready.

    cheers, G

    September 19, 2012 at 3:33 am #700103
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    mpt68

    veseunr wrote:Buy my Canyon

    veseunr wrote:
    Buy my Canyon CF SLX (61cm) with a compact 50/34 and 11/28 on the back. Just over 6.8kg and climbs like a beast. Brand new Ultegra/Dura Ace everywhere and it is soon to be advertised properly. PM is interested and I’ll send some pics after I finish building it!

    Built to go up the Alps, but trip fallen through and I can’t have a £2k+ bike sitting around when I have 6 others in the garage!

    Clever thing to do would be split it and sell for parts (Frame £1300, New groupset £800, Wheels £500, Handlebars, Stem, Seat, etc £200) but too nice for grabbing a few extra ££ – need someone to use it properly.

    is the bike anywhere near being finished ??
    would interested in it if it is.
    looking to buy a new bike in that price range

    September 19, 2012 at 1:27 am #700101
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    giff77

    Just remember when your lungs
    Just remember when your lungs are burning and your legs are turning to jelly ‘dig in’ mate. Hoping you can conquer it. Look forward to hearing all about it.

    September 18, 2012 at 4:06 pm #700099
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    Organon

    Well I am going to try it
    Well I am going to try it again tomorrow or Thursday. It turns out I was actually trying to do the hill in 39/23. My gear alignments were off and shifted inwards to favour my smaller cogs (I’ve had shifting issues before and need it to go to the top ring.) But it is now tested, aligned and shifts through all 10 gears. Will it be enough with a bit of determination?

    I am amazed this thread is still going by the way!

    September 18, 2012 at 2:43 pm #700097
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    simonsti

    I have never found I need
    I have never found I need anything more than 39/25 for any of the local climbs around me.
    That includes any of the macc forest climbs, mow cop or south peak district climbs.

    It is just a matter of practicing climbs in a big gear to get better at them.

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