Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

brettjames
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Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby brettjames » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:28 pm

so I tackled the top of Morphett Road, Seacombe Gardens just the other day.....WOW!!!! I was s close to defeat.

According to mapmyride.com its a short little 15% climb, and its INTENSE!!!!! To the point you feel like your going to tip backwards.

Has anyone else given this a crack and is there a steeper hill in Adelaide ?
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Biffidus
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Biffidus » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:34 am

I did that in first gear (44-11) on my old MTB years ago. It's a damned steep hill.

rustychisel
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby rustychisel » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:22 am

Oh, there is undoubtedly a steeper road somewhere, lots of them in fact. Next time you're in the Eastern suburbs ride up Kensington Road, through the Hallett Road roundabout, keep going, through the next roundabout, keep going up... swing right, oh, that's steep

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Old Man Well
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Old Man Well » Tue Jul 07, 2009 3:49 pm

Years ago when I was fitter I used to ride up and back down it every day on my BMX just for fun! I have to see if I can still do it now.
I think there is a steeper hill in Blackwood somewhere but I can't remember exactly where, sorry.
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby U2adam!!! » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:46 pm

Old Man Well wrote:Years ago when I was fitter I used to ride up and back down it every day on my BMX just for fun! I have to see if I can still do it now.
I think there is a steeper hill in Blackwood somewhere but I can't remember exactly where, sorry.
Is this the one which is blocked off at the lower end to stop cars ploughing down it? That one is in Hawthorndene next to Blackwood, Myrtle Road if it's the same one.

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Biffidus
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Biffidus » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:44 pm

rustychisel wrote:Oh, there is undoubtedly a steeper road somewhere, lots of them in fact. Next time you're in the Eastern suburbs ride up Kensington Road, through the Hallett Road roundabout, keep going, through the next roundabout, keep going up... swing right, oh, that's steep
Do you mean this one? I can't make out the gradient on the sign but it looks pretty steep.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby shiv » Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:42 am

Ive been eyeing off Morphett Road for a while now as I head of for my nice flat beach ride. Need to get some hill riding into my legs before I tackle it though I think. Kensington rd is another goal for fitter times

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby rustychisel » Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:09 am

Biffidus wrote:
Do you mean this one? I can't make out the gradient on the sign but it looks pretty steep.
Yeah, that's the one, looking down before the sweeping right hander. It's steeper at the top, much...

go have a look at Sunnyside Drive, Glen Osmond, up and down like a bitch, finishes opposite the Old Toll Gate.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Old Man Well » Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:00 am

Is this the one which is blocked off at the lower end to stop cars ploughing down it? That one is in Hawthorndene next to Blackwood, Myrtle Road if it's the same one.
Hawthorndene, yeah thats it. I couldn't remember the suburb name, thanks!
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Richard.L
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Richard.L » Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:56 pm

My mates and I ( Students of Seaview HS) CAN BARLEY walk up the hill with my/our bikes. So we just take side streets then walk up the last slope (2 slopes) and zoom down :twisted:

Some of the roads/hills around Hallet are fair long and steap, but good gives u a good view at the ocean.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby shiv » Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:27 pm

Last night I found a nice hill climb that could be a good test for any pain addicts. Woodland Way is 3.1km with 315m of climbing, so a nice long 10% climb. Its of Norton Summit Road, take a right at coachhouse drive and just follow the hill through to teringie drive. Its basically a short cut to the top of NS, so if the usual route isnt doing it for you anymore then this may help.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby brettjames » Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:07 pm

2 words........"Sheoak Road"

Upper Sturt, on the way through to Crafers, dead quiet road, and once you pass Pony Ridge Road and swing a left BANG, it throws down in your face a 20%+ pitch. The sign gives you a fair warning what your in for (check the link) but it's just to lure you in......
First you look and think....yeah, thats not so bad........and then BANG.............it really starts to buck, and before you know it your on such a slope your almost just riding on your back wheel. OUCH!!!!!

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby shiv » Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:45 am

Out for a ride this morning, did the veloway and had some more time to kill so finally gave Morphett Rd a go. Starts out ok, gets steep enough to let you know its a hill, then that last kick OOOOWW. That was hard work. First time Ive had to really pull up a hill. Now that Ive done it, its on to sheoak or kensington

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Sumichino » Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:39 am

Kensington Rd isn't too bad, at least it's no worse than the Corkscrew, and it is very short. However, Sheoak Rd has one section that really is greater than 20%. The only other road I know of that's similar is the Woodland Way. Sometime soon I'll have to make it down south to have a go at Morphett Road.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby adelaidecyclist » Wed Nov 11, 2009 6:26 pm

Check out Tregarthen Rd sometime if you're into the whole frustration thing. :wink:

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby rustychisel » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:04 pm

adelaidecyclist wrote:Check out Tregarthen Rd sometime if you're into the whole frustration thing. :wink:

aka 'the big dipper'?

Pas de problem, dear chap.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby alex » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:56 am

mt osmond via beaumont... not the steepest but its consistently painful. personally i find it quite similar to corkscrew road in terms of pain. nice road though.
if i get killed while out on my bike i dont want a 'memorial ride' by random punters i have never met.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby rustychisel » Fri Nov 13, 2009 11:06 am

Mt Osmond Rd from either side... short but painful, eh. did it last year on a 35º day. Why, I don't know (cause I was housesitting just around the corner.). Getting 'home' every ride involved climbing what seemed to be the steepest hill in Glen Osmond.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby adelaidecyclist » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:20 pm

Mt Osmond via Womens Pioneer Trail last weekend. Quick way to acclimatize to the heat.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby tripstobaltimore » Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:42 am

rustychisel wrote:Mt Osmond Rd from either side... short but painful, eh. did it last year on a 35º day. Why, I don't know (cause I was housesitting just around the corner.). Getting 'home' every ride involved climbing what seemed to be the steepest hill in Glen Osmond.
mt osmond is a walk in the park compared to some of the other adelaide climbs.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby rustychisel » Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:07 am

I believe you, but know this... I don't walk.

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Ben85 » Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:35 am

Education road, Happy Valley. Ive never made it to the top. Only tried once though. Only short climb and you dont spend any time in the saddle :D
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Wild Turkey » Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:34 pm

I think Sheok Rd. Belair is 20%? for a while?

I got around 85kph down it 12 years ago on a MTB that was old then.

The grade is not the problem.

Its the pot hold, gravel coated right hander at the bottom thats a test!

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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby Dazzman » Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:58 pm

for all of you out training for the TDU up Gorge Rd, if you are looking for a different challenge, try Torrens Hill Rd. Its off Gorge Rd a couple of Kms past the Kangaroo Creek dam, first left I think - it pretty much goes straight up the side of the hill for a few Kms, then you end up at Paracombe. From there you can head back down Ansteys or take Range Road South (or North?) which brings you across to the top of North East Rd. Torrens Hill is one of those unrelenting climbs where there is no let up until you have reached the top
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Re: Morphett Road - 15% Gradient!!!!

Postby MichaelB » Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:45 pm

Dazzman wrote:for all of you out training for the TDU up Gorge Rd, if you are looking for a different challenge, try Torrens Hill Rd.....p
No thanks. Have ridden past it and a brief side glance is enough to say no thanks :oops:

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