Mt Coot-tha Challenge

[goneriding]

I trust everyone has signed up for the Challenge is is rearing to have a crack at the record? This will be my first Challenge ride and I am looking forward to having a real go at the hill. I haven't ridden that particular route before and won't be able to until the day itself.

What experiences/advice do you guys have of riding this?

[winona_rider]

Winona Rider's guide to Mt-Cootha

i think the MCC route tackles the mountain counter clockwise - the longest and hardest way up. It also includes a shortish but steep pitch up from the botanical gardens which will sap your strength for the climb proper if you go nuts here.

After that bit you have about 1 kms of downhill and a bit of flat. When the road turns to the left and you see simpsons road on the right you are at the start. There is a spray painted line on the road - but i imagine there will be other stuff there on the day to make sure you know this is it.

The spray paint on the road indicates other milestones. the total climb is 2.3kms (i think).

For the first 1000 metres the slope ain't so bad except for short steeper bits around some corners. When you see some iron rope fencing on your left things get a bit tougher.

Soon you will see TV towers and this means you are almost there and you can start going harder. luckily just a little bit beyond this point the gradient drops a bit too.

the last 50-100 metres is a bit steeper and will hurt!
My best time is 10mins 30seconds.
One day I will get under the 10min mark and can strike that off my list of goals.

TIP for the day: Do not go so hard you need to stop. On the news last year they singled out some poor dude who had obviously taken on more than he could chew and wow - he would have got a ribbing from his pals on monday morning. yep.

To get around the rest of the mountain there are up and down sections and only one bit of hill that may require dropping to the smaller front chainring.

[BobW]

You dont actually go up that first 600m killer from the Gardens, you actually come on to the Mount via Simpsons road, near the old chip factory, There is a painted Start point about where you actually start, then a marker every 250m up the climb to Chanel 10, and over the top at Chanel 2. Thats it, starts off at about 8% climb, most is about 9-10% the last 100m is about 13%. They have just recently widened a couple of the corners so cars can overtake the masses of riders on a daily basis. It is fun - not. Just lately there are hundreds of people riding up in the mornings. We are all nuts, according to my wife, I am still trying to convince here that she could do it!

I did it last year and loved it, and no I didnt spew at the top, although I did see a couple of people do so.