I’m doing a race that claims to have a “very challenging bike course” with a 7 1/2 % grade climb at mile 22 (27 mile course). How bad is 7 1/2 % grade? I’m a bit ill-informed on these measurements in relation to roads. For those familiar with the Columbia triathlon course, which also had a couple of good climbs, how would this compare? I’ve been intentionally riding the steepest climbs in my area to prepare, but not sure what to expect.
Thanks.
The Alpe d’Huez climb in stage 8 of this year’s TDF starts at an altitude of 722m in Bourg d’Oisans and finishes at the top of Alpe d’Huez at an altitude of 1850m, a total altitude gain of 1128m. The climb is 15 km long. Therefore, the average grade is 7.52%. AND THAT’S NOT A VERY BAD HILL???
Depends how long the climb is. If its less than 1/2 mile (likely, I would estimate none in columbia are longer than 1/2mile) I recommend “killing” yourself out of the saddle to get up it and past it as soon as possible. You should be able to do it with a 39/23 combination.
There is a difference between a hill and a climb like the one you reference. A 7.5 % slope is a moderately steep hill, but no big deal. A 15 km climb with a 7.5 % average grade is a different animal altogether since it will probably have sections at 12 or 15% or more. 15 km of that is enough to make me pack it in.
I agree. It’s not the average 7.5% that is hard, it’s those steeper sections that make it hard. I certainly wouldn’t risk taking a cogset without a bailout gear if I were worried about it, but, I wouldn’t be worried about it. It’s all relative, though. If you are like some of these mountain goats that will ride a hill like that in the upper teens (mph) on the steepest sections, whatever gearing that they need to maintain that speed at their preferred climbing cadence is as low a gear as they need. If you’re not a mountain goat, but are more like a rhinoceros, I’d take some smaller gears, and they’d get smaller as the hill got longer!
I’m running a 55/42 up front and a 12-25 in back. Hopefully that will do it. The course description (Diamond in the Rough) is "very challanging bike course with a 7.5 % grade climb at mile 22 (of 27 mile bike).
I think it will depend upon how good of shape you are in for hills (Lance probably wouldn’t even notice it) and how you race the course up to it. If the course is “verry challenging” it may have other hills in it and if you hammer up them and arrive at this one wasted, it may seem like 75%.
It is more a matter of how it affects you and not how it affects others as to how you will view that hill. Be sure to drive the course (or ride it) before the race so you know what to expect.
Frank
55/42 sounds like a 650C wheel setup to me (my old QR 650C had those chainrings) and a 11/21 cogset that was good enough for most riding. I did swap out the 11 and installed a 24 for the old IMNZ bike course which had several long and steep hills however. Mean bike course that one. Funny though, I never swapped the 24 back out and the 11 back in. But then again I’m not a real cyclist…I just play one on TV.
TriDork
I agree too, and confirm that the road between Bourg D’Oisans and Alpes d’Huez is not a road with constant slope. Actually you don’t get much elevation in the first kilometers out of BdO.
Best thing is to ride the course with your race setup before the race. There’s a Baltimore Area Tri Club group leaving from the start area Sunday morning (7/6) at 9 am. Also some racers doing a brick of the course on Friday sometime. Let me know if you want to do either or both.
Thanks Mike, I am a BATC member and did get the emails (from Kevin and Ray) about the course preview. Unfortuately I’ll be out of town for the holiday. I was thinking about the option of driving up there and maybe riding it early morning on the 4th, but thanks to all for responding to my questions.