Hill climb smashfest?

[lemmiwinks]

Hi all, I'll be in Canberra next week staying in Watson and I'd like to ride up the big hill with the Telecom/Telstra tower thingy on top of it (I don't know what it's called). Is this doable/safe WRT traffic? I'll be on holidays so I can go mid week during business hours or possibly on a weekend if that's a better bet. Failing that I'm open to suggestions for other climbs that are better/closer/safer etc. I'll be riding to/from the climb from Watson, no driving, so needs to be reasonably close to there. I've ridden to Belconnen and back but the climb wasn't that bad, probably looking for more of a challenge than that.

Cheers!

*edit*

Well I read the sticky and it looks like I'm talking about Black Mountain. Looks good for riding, Mt Ainslie too. Gotta read the stickies *slaps forehead*

[twizzle]

Have fun - gradient over the first few hundred metres is about 14%. Traffic isn't usually a problem, most cars are taking it safely. Watch the descent, the bumps in the braking zones for the corners can be a bit scary. I don't mind it on my hybrid (V-Brakes), but my road bike can't stop coming down there - frikken scary! Heading up the hill, there's an alloy plaque about 200m from the bottom attached to the rail in memory of a cyclist who died coming down the hill who went too fast around the last corner and went head-on into a 4WD.

Ainslie's better (except the hard part is near the top), but there's some badly repaired pot holes on the right hand side of the lane near the bottom of the hill that people don't see in the shadows on the descent. Guy crashed there last year at 70'ish : brain damage, broken ribs, punctured lungs. If you stick to the left of the road, you should be O.K., but you might want to have a recce coming down first.

Other than that, Canberra->Lake George lookout return on the Old Federal Highway is 60'ish km of fun, the only danger being a step in the road where a drain runs under a few k's past the Tulip farm - just something to note for the descent on the way back.

And try the Mt Pleasant lookout in RMC Duntroon. It's a nice little hill. Or you can try Red Hill.

[Bantam Roosta]

Let me know if you want a partner in crime for a ride or two. I'm pretty flexible with times, so let me know if you're keen.

I can meet you in Watson.

[psike]

You could try the 5 Peaks ride - abotu 100km and takes in Mt Pleasant, Mt Ainslie, Black Mountain, Mt Stromlo and Red Hill.
For my money I'd head south and try Honeysuckle Ck and Corin.

[lemmiwinks]

Thanks for all the replies (especially the warnings from twizzle - I don't want to become a statistic ). In the blue mtns ATM, should get to Canberra later today. Will keep you posted. 14% I've only got 42/21 low gear!

[twizzle]

14% I've only got 42/21 low gear!

Canberra - home of the triple & compact.

[lemmiwinks]

Black Mountain 0, me 1

After a fast paced commute in with my sister in laws' boyfriend (apologies to the other Canberra commuters that I got in the way of as I bumbled my way along), I headed off on my own to find the road up to Black Mountain. I'd gone from cocky to feeling pretty worried, especially after I checked the elevation profile on mapmyride.com as I had serious doubts I could push my low gear up those inclines but it actually turned out to be pretty good - I even managed to sit down and climb a couple of times. Took me about 14-15 minutes but I wasn't pushing as I wanted to make sure I could climb the whole thing and not blow up. Hopefully I'll get a chance to ride Mt Ainslie later on in the week. As much as I'd love to it would be unwise if I was to spend all day every day riding. I'm hoping to squeeze in a ride or two in each day and I think I'll try and make Black Mtn a daily event.

[twizzle]

Ba$tard - my best ever time is 14:13. Mind you, me + bike = ~ 116kg.

[lemmiwinks]

I reckon I'd have 20kg on you even with my 10kg bike so don't be too hard on yourself Mind you, I'm still no Alberto Contador!

[Bantam Roosta]

I've got 35kg on you Twizzle. Doesn't help me much.