2013 Strava Climbing Challenge

[boss]

I think 1% is a good goal if you don't ride hills much but are looking for motivation.

I am aiming for somewhere between 1.5%-2% and to achieve that I'll be riding my fair share of hell rides.

In general, I think 100km and 1000m elevation is a respectable century with a couple of hills in my books. Up to 1500m and you've put in some work. 2000m and you're starting to get tough. Above 2000m is pretty wild. And when you start getting above 2500m you are doing really well.

That sort of scale varies from individual to individual, and their appetite for climbing. I really want to do a few 100km rides this year and get 3%+ elevation in there with no repeats

[Daccordi Rider]

1% should be fine if you don't seek out hills. I need to hit 1.65% if I want to achieve my aim so this means lots of climbing, not many flat rides, less crits I'm on target so far.

[BrisVegas]

thanks guys. I haven't tracked it before, but noticed that the Rainbow Ride at Byron last year was 2,000m climbing over 100km and that was very hilly I thought. My typical ride is the river loop or longer ones out to Redcliffe/Wynnum/Cleveland etc. I'm 100kgs and am working on cardio for weight loss at this stage. Perhaps when I am skinnier I'll make hills my friend.

I'll put down 1% and see how I go. Cheers.

[Daccordi Rider]

http://app.strava.com/activities/36676219

Here is yesterdays ride which gave me 3.2%. Try that one Boss.
All the best with it Brisvegas. Hills keep you honest, no hiding from the effort there. I'm sure you will be Contador esque in no time.

[boss]

http://app.strava.com/activities/36676219

Here is yesterdays ride which gave me 3.2%. Try that one Boss.
All the best with it Brisvegas. Hills keep you honest, no hiding from the effort there. I'm sure you will be Contador esque in no time.

Piece of cake for 70km! Hahaha. I might try that ride though. Looks like you held good pace too, 24km average aint half bad.

My route of choice if I really want to crank serious figures is Old Freeway -> Lofty -> Ashton -> Marble Hill Rd -> Montacute -> Corkscrew (repeats) -> back up Montacute -> Marble Hill Rd -> Descend Norton -> Up Norton -> Lofty -> Descend Old Freeway. If I have time I like to go up Mt Osmond at the end, but often I'm running late!

On that ride, with 3 corkie repeats, I'm at 1700m with 50km on the bike. 3.4%!

This weekend I'd like to do 5+ repeats on Corkscrew and that should see me with some serious elevation for the 100kms. Somewhere around the 2.5% mark.

Scoring 3%+ over 100km would involve a lot of repeats or a series of really tough climbs like the guys on AC do once a year. Dirty dozen or something.

[stinhambo]

Perhaps I should change mine to 60,000m too then. My back isn't very strong so I won't be going for the ridiculous gradients but I'll do my best!

[BrisVegas]

Perhaps I should change mine to 60,000m too then. My back isn't very strong so I won't be going for the ridiculous gradients but I'll do my best!

gotta love peer pressure!

[stinhambo]

Perhaps I should change mine to 60,000m too then. My back isn't very strong so I won't be going for the ridiculous gradients but I'll do my best!

gotta love peer pressure!

Indeed! You push yourself harder in the company of others too. It's a proven fact!

[toolonglegs]

I am a bit worried already... , the only way I could possibly hit my target is by driving closer to climbs before I start riding . Really don't want to do that!. If I ride from home I need to do between 40 to 60 kms on the flat ( before and after ) before I hit proper hills. Either I am going to get really fit this year or crash and burn trying!.
PS... I get really bored on rides over 2 hours... anyone else have that problem .

- toolonglegs
- norbs
- Marshious
- hannos
- DaveOZ
- Mugglechops
- grt046
- Dimma
- Chuck
- kb
- chucknitro
- Daccordi Rider
- sblack
- boss
- cavebear2
- warthog1
- singlespeedscott
- oldnewby
- RoFlmaTiC
- VBplease
- Wardie
- clydesmcdale
- Lukeyboy
- Jason C
- Red Rider
- gretaboy
- jzr
- stinhambo

[stinhambo]

PS... I get really bored on rides over 2 hours... anyone else have that problem

Yes. I've seen some headphones on the market that vibrate through your jaw to creat sound or some that point at your ears. Safe so you can hear traffic but they might alleviate some boredom.

Ooh I just though of a brilliant idea!

[boss]

PS... I get really bored on rides over 2 hours... anyone else have that problem

Yes. I've seen some headphones on the market that vibrate through your jaw to creat sound or some that point at your ears. Safe so you can hear traffic but they might alleviate some boredom.

Ooh I just though of a brilliant idea!

My limît is 4-5 hours, after that I get a bit stirr crazy.

If I'm riding solo I always listen to music and try and keep my rides quite hilly/challenging. Because if I ride flats solo I'm bored after an hour.

So it's probably the challenge of hills that keeps me excited.

[Daccordi Rider]

Just think TLL, you will be cranking out the miles while we are huddled around the fire moaning about lack of riding. My limit is about 4 hrs solo, bit more with a group. After that I'm over it.

[oldnewby]

I'm pretty new at this caper, but I actually love rides that go for 6+ hours.. sort of doesn't feel like a 'real' ride to me unless it's 3+, and really start enjoying it after that.
Wish I could do more rides that go for that long...
I'm sure that will wear thin after a while
Anyway, daccordi & chuck... awesome start to the year for climbing, you two are kicking butt!

[clydesmcdale]

As promised... This morning 30C at 7.30am top of Mount Gravatt

[DTdotcom]

Nice work mate, it was 39 degrees by 1030, I only managed one lap

[BrisVegas]

good effort clydesdale. I've never been up mt gravatt, I should go check it out.

Nice looking bike too.

[jasonc]

PS... I get really bored on rides over 2 hours... anyone else have that problem

Yes. I've seen some headphones on the market that vibrate through your jaw to creat sound or some that point at your ears. Safe so you can hear traffic but they might alleviate some boredom.

Ooh I just though of a brilliant idea!

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/09/pana ... -hands-on/

[singlespeedscott]

I have changed my climbing goal for the year to a more realistic 60,000m. Soft I know.

[jzr]

My route of choice if I really want to crank serious figures is Old Freeway -> Lofty -> Ashton -> Marble Hill Rd -> Montacute -> Corkscrew (repeats) -> back up Montacute -> Marble Hill Rd -> Descend Norton -> Up Norton -> Lofty -> Descend Old Freeway. If I have time I like to go up Mt Osmond at the end, but often I'm running late!

boss - you may have heard already but if not, there's an update over on AC forum, watch out on Montacute with the road works. Even if they're finished by the weekend (which I'm not sure they will be) there's still apparently a fair bit of debris floating around and if the track is cut up and/or they're still working, traffic could be an issue.

PS. be keen to hear a report on your 7900s once fitted in terms of how they handle on the climbs. Sounds like we ride similar roads.

[toolonglegs]

PS... I get really bored on rides over 2 hours... anyone else have that problem

Yes. I've seen some headphones on the market that vibrate through your jaw to creat sound or some that point at your ears. Safe so you can hear traffic but they might alleviate some boredom.

Ooh I just though of a brilliant idea!

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/09/pana ... -hands-on/

Might work well under my beanie ... no helmet to get in the way after all .

[goneriding]

Not sure what's going on with my sig but it seems to be picking up data from this year and last year. Whilst I am happy to claim 116 km's of up 10 days of 2013 is a bit odd. I'll wait and see what happens overnight.

Either way I am up to 5,350m of climbing thus far.

[brett.hooker]

Okay... Looking like 50,000 metres is a more realistic climbing goal for me...
Let's see how the tracking goes...

[stinhambo]

I did 450m of climbing today which I'm stoked with as I did it solo! I even took a photo! -



"It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired-you quit when the gorilla is tired."

[boss]

PR's on two of my favorite climbs, one today and one yesterday. Really stoked, because honestly I feel like crap. Little bit of the flu leftover from last week, and drained from pushing out almost 400km and 6420m up since Sunday.

Lazy 40km and 600m this morning. Not that lazy really, I was pushing hard!

Not going to do any more riding today except for my 6km commute home. Resting tomorrow and big numbers on Sunday hopefully.

[stinhambo]

Damn you mountain goats on bikes!