What's your favourite climb?

[Walsh95]

Curious to get to know a few more big ones around the place, and any decent rides which can go with them

[Derny Driver]

What place / state might that be?

[gretaboy]

Hahahaha coming in at just under 100 kg.....no climb is my friend or favourite

this fat boy has to work hard on any climb

[kb]

For me in Melbourne, it would have to be Mt Donna Buang. Quiet, gorgeous, steady work but not too hard, long enough and not as far away as all the alpine resorts. I'll have a better idea after 7 peaks though.

[g-boaf]

I don't have any favourite climbs. Some days I'm motivated to try and do better on them, other days I don't care.

I also suffer from the lactic acid building up in the legs and then that's when I slow down. Absolutely not racer material (which is fine because I'm not interested in that).

[george-bob]

I love the '5 gorges' in the north of sydney.

Bobbin head
Crosslands (2km of 7% average)
Galston gorge
Berowra waters
Brooklyn (not really a gorge)

Do it twice for a winning ride with ~3500m of climbing.

[biker jk]

Fitz's Hill. 2.5km (AT) 10.7%.

[clackers]

Kinglake is my 'local'. Only one bend where it may or may not hit 10 degrees.

[Le Mong]

I love the '5 gorges' in the north of sydney.

Bobbin head
Crosslands (2km of 7% average)
Galston gorge
Berowra waters
Brooklyn (not really a gorge)

Do it twice for a winning ride with ~3500m of climbing.

Strava for this route?

[toolonglegs]

Probably a bit far away for the OP... but my fav locals are these 3.
Col des Portes, not to be confused with the more famous Col de Porte. In winter this can turn into a real adventure http://www.strava.com/segments/985227" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Col de Miribel ... 2nd most popular training / testing climb in the area http://www.strava.com/segments/3381967" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Col du Verdun ... most popular training / testing climb in the area, also one of the best descents you will ever ride... set up for motor sport hill climbs, beautiful surface and banked corners, plus it is closed to all motorised traffic most weekend mornings http://www.strava.com/segments/709036" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MREJ]

Mt Hotham, Vic. A majestic climb, with variety, scenery, challenging sections and a good surface, with the bonus of 30k of downhill if you turn around at the top.

Honeysuckle, ACT. A good honest climb and an ascent to a different world, from paddocks to lichen.

Otford Wall, NSW. 2k of punishment; you'll know you're alive.

[jimsheedy]

I love the '5 gorges' in the north of sydney.

Bobbin head
Crosslands (2km of 7% average)
Galston gorge
Berowra waters
Brooklyn (not really a gorge)

Do it twice for a winning ride with ~3500m of climbing.

Strava for this route?

http://app.strava.com/activities/90104002" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is 6 gorges or 3 x 2

I'm not sure where crosslands is.

[pawnii]

Kinglake is my 'local'. Only one bend where it may or may not hit 10 degrees.

that one hill that you're talking about is over 15%

[Cossie Phil]

I have a few favourites...

Saddleback Mountain Jamberoo Side - NSW
Jamberoo Mountain Road - NSW
Honeysuckle Creek - ACT
Fitz's Hill - ACT
Mt Buller - VIC

Every one is different...and has provided that 'why am I doing this' moment once or twice!!

[clackers]

Kinglake is my 'local'. Only one bend where it may or may not hit 10 degrees.

that one hill that you're talking about is over 15%

Because it's such a short section to establish a reliable baseline, I've never trusted what my GPS bike computer tells me, Pawnii.

[Anthony1234]

I love the '5 gorges' in the north of sydney.

Bobbin head
Crosslands (2km of 7% average)
Galston gorge
Berowra waters
Brooklyn (not really a gorge)

Do it twice for a winning ride with ~3500m of climbing.

Strava for this route?

http://app.strava.com/activities/90104002" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is 6 gorges or 3 x 2

I'm not sure where crosslands is.

I'm also interested in more info on "Crosslands".

Anyone care to share?

[biker jk]

Crosslands Rd Strava segment.

http://www.strava.com/segments/1597689

[jasonc]

Crosslands Rd Strava segment.

http://www.strava.com/segments/1597689

very coot-tha like

http://www.strava.com/segments/615163

[jimsheedy]

unfortunately it's at the end of the 3rd gorge

[The GayLord]

A few of my favourites;

5) Honeysuckle Creek is a nice climb. Watch out for the cattle grid on the decent.
4) climb from Bellingen to Dorrigo up the Waterfall Way. Very scenic.
3) Bowen Mtn. I trained on that blacktop for 3 Peaks last year. I know every bump on the road.
2) you want to know how 100+kgs goes up Back of Falls Creek? Slowly! Rules my mates abide by is you must ride to Say What corner in the big ring!
1) the hill my house is on. When I'm climbing that, it means the suffering is over and I'm home.

[singlespeedscott]

I'm a mediocre climber but I do enjoy the challenge of riding hills. My favorite climb on Brisbane's north side, actually more like the glasshouse Mtn's area, is Bellthorpe Range rd -

http://www.strava.com/segments/699665" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dalai47]

National - Victoria

Mt Donna Buang for the reasons kb mentions above.



Closest climb to Melbourne with some decent length to train for OS, Unfortunately if heading to the Northern hemisphere summer/autumn means riding it in Winter



Mt Buffalo for the views as it climbs up the north side of the mountain.

Mt Dandenong for the myriad of climbs that can be connect together.

I haven't ridden climbs interstate except for SA. Adelaide has a great collection of shorter climbs close to the CBD - Norton Summit rd to name just one.

[dalai47]

International

Preference is for loops if possible rather than out and backs, so the selection below is with this in mind. There are hundreds of mindblowing climbs in Europe; easy to never ride the same mountain twice if you didn't want to!

France (French Alps - still need to get back to ride the Pyrénées)

Col de l'Arpettaz is relatively unknown would be top 10 in my European list. Narrow one lane rd with minimal traffic and over 40 hairpins on the way up. Descent over the other side. Easy to link up with the numerous climbs in the area http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... -sept.html



Marmotte circuit - crosses a couple Hors category climbs Col Du Glandon / Col de la Croix de Fer and Col Galibier http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... s-hot.html



Cime de Bonnette - beautiful and remote climb on smooth hotmix. Can be continued as a 180km loop over the Col de la Lombarde and Colle della Maddalena http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... e-8th.html





Col Agnel and Col d’Izoard - Col Agnel is another remote climb. Col d’Izoard via the Casse Deserte links back into Briancon http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... ember.html

Col Agnel



Mont Ventoux - brutal climb with unique vistas. http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... ember.html

[dalai47]

Italy (only limited time spent Northern Italy - still need to visit and ride in the spectacular Dolomites)

Passo dello Stelvio - not a true loop, but the best way to climb both sides is climb up from Bormio, descend a short way back towards Bormio and turn off and descend over the Passo dell’Umbrail. Here you can loop around to ride up the classic Prato allo Stelvio side - 24.3km long, with a 7.4% average gradient and an extra 8 hairpins more than from Bormio with a tally of 48! http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... -18th.html

Bormio side





Prato Allo Stelvio side



Mortirolo Passo dello Gavia. Mortirolo is a steep beast 12.4km @10.5%! Looped nicely over the spectacular Passo dello Gavia. http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... -19th.html

Mortirolo



Gavia

[dalai47]

USA - extremely underrated compared to Europe in my opinion. The climbs were just as long, just as steep but with the added demension of altitude. Hit over 4300m a couple of rides! Unfortunately most rides ended up being out and back affairs...

Pick in California would be Onion Valley Road from the small town of Independence 20km @7.8% http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... ember.html





There other amazing climbs in California, but the highlights would be the high peaks in Colorado. Some rides were starting at an elevation higher than our highest peak Mount Kosciuszko and still involve over 2000m gain!

Mt Evans from Idaho Springs was 45km long and the highest paved road in North America! http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... ember.html





Pikes Peak - only opened to bikes this year. Not only high but brutally steep towards the top - steepest km just before the top was 10.6%. Different to Mt Evans which was a gradual ascent in comparison and a lot busier (Mt Evans rd was already closed to cars). Toughest climb I did in the States! http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... ember.html



Arizona

Mt Lemmon. Over 50km from the start of the climb to the gate just before the summit! http://climbinglama.blogspot.com.au/201 ... ember.html