preferred-google-button
log in
register

Defeated by Blaze Hill, gears for 25% incline

  • Creator
    Topic
  • 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.

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 7 replies - 46 through 52 (of 52 total)
1 2 3 4
  • Author
    Replies
  • September 11, 2012 at 5:21 pm #700065
    0
    spongebob

    I would suggest not spending
    I would suggest not spending any money and “optimise gravitational resistance” and train like a beast over the winter then dominate the incline with your current setup next year.

    Then you can remain macho on your double!

    September 11, 2012 at 3:06 pm #700063
    0
    dave atkinson

    I run a 50/34 compact and
    I run a 50/34 compact and 11-28 cassette; that’s enough gears for even me (100kg) to get up most stuff. I needed an 11-32 for Hardknott Pass though 👿

    September 11, 2012 at 3:03 pm #700061
    0
    Psycling

    I too would suggest a compact
    I too would suggest a compact chain set. I live in rural north Yorkshire and there’s plenty of 25% hills round here. Managed to climb anything with this and a 25 sprocket but this year invested in a 28 sprocket as my knees used to ache after a day riding in the hills.

    September 11, 2012 at 2:09 pm #700059
    0
    cat1commuter

    I’ve done a couple 25% roads
    I’ve done a couple 25% roads in Cornwall (there are plenty). But that was on my bike with a Rohloff hub, which goes as low as MTB gears.

    This year I failed to get up a Cornish hill on 34 x 29 ([url=http://goo.gl/maps/rSyZY]Church Hill, Golant[/url]). Thinking back, I should have tried getting out of the saddle!

    Anywhere with a double arrow on the 1:25,000 OS map is a challenge.

    September 11, 2012 at 2:04 pm #700057
    0
    ploughclose

    I ain’t no pro either and I
    I ain’t no pro either and I don’t go racing. I have always used a compact (50/34 on the front). I honestly don’t think that anybody who is below a level where they’re competing regularly needs to consider anything else but a compact. There’s this macho element which deems that you must have 53/39 on the front, because it’s “hard”. Cobblers.

    I also have a 28 tooth on the rear cassette. That’s (just) got me up everything I’ve climbed, and that includes some 25 percenters. It also makes me a more effective hill climber over greater distances, ‘cos I can just sit in the saddle and spin whilst others blast their legs coming out of the saddle. Conserves energy and is much more efficient. Helps that, despite the fact that I’m 6’3″, I only weigh 70 kg (11 stone)!

    September 11, 2012 at 2:01 pm #700055
    0
    andylul

    I run a compact with a 12-29
    I run a compact with a 12-29 on it and that got me up Yorks Hill (but just)

    My buddy’s just swapped out his 12-25 for an 11-28 Ultegra on his Canyon (standard chainset) – he’s a couple stone lighter than me and flies up anything approaching 1 in 4.

    When he had his rear cog swapped over, he didn’t have to have anything adjusted with the rear changer, cost him £70 (fitted) at LBS

    Hope that helps

    September 11, 2012 at 2:00 pm #700053
    0
    Some Fella

    I have no advice to give re.
    I have no advice to give re. gearing but can assure you Blaze Hill has claimed many a poor soul and you should not feel any shame.

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 7 replies - 46 through 52 (of 52 total)
1 2 3 4
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.