I am currently in Carlsbad training, so I decided I had to climb mt Palomar. I clocked 1.09 from store to store going up the westside. I averaged 155 hr, (my max is 195 and LT is 175) So I just rode it to the top, did not race it. However I would like to know some times. I heard that Norman Stadler owns the record being 57’ orso.
Anyone ?
That’s a good time. I have no idea who holds the record but I heard that Tony Rominger and/or Lance Armstrong set some ungodly tempo when he/they tried it.
I remember back in the day (2002) I managed to haul my butt to the top in ~1:20. It also happened to be the first time I’d ever done a climb that lasted more than 10 minutes. The back spasms were legendary. But it was worth it to descend for ~15min. Woohooo!
And I still had to ride all the way back to Encinitas. Ouch!!!
about three years ago, we had an informal race up the mountain. Trent Klasna rode 53 minutes that day. My personal best is a 65, but more recently I have been in the 70 minute range this year as I have not been training for the climbs.
i think slowman’s written an aritcle on the jurgen zack/spencer smith match race up palomar. likely some crazy times were thrown down that day.
-mike
Trent Klasna rode 53 minutes that day.
That is a huge effort. Maybe around 5.5w/kg or so?
Wimothy, how about you ride it at LT and let us know how you do? I’m interested to see what the quasi-pro triathletes are worth up that climb.
What do you think? Could a Heras, Armstrong, Ullrich, Basso, etc… go 40-45 minutes on that climb in a TT situation?
the year that Trent went 53 on Palomar, he was pretty much the top US based pro rider, he was winning or placing in just about every race he entered. When he took off from the start no one went with him and he soloed it up the whole way so who knows if he was going 100% all the way to the top. I would venture to guess that Lance or Heras in race conditions could go 47 or 48 minutes.
Wouldn’t be awesome if they included a Palomar time trial in the upcoming Tour of California!!
Armstrong went 58-59 min on mont ventoux TT, that climb is as long as palomar but @ average grade of 10%, while palomar is 7%
.
What do you think? Could a Heras, Armstrong, Ullrich, Basso, etc… go 40-45 minutes on that climb in a TT situation?
I always get a kick out of the fact that you gotta lean in the curves quite a bit at that kind of speed… not my problem 
When I lived there… The boys on their long Wed ride from Solana Beach would get up there anywhere from 58’-61. That is from store to store. It was always a nice ride home.
According to AC.com…
76.8kg bike+rider @ 6.3w/kg (rider only) on a 6.8% climb (4200’ of gain) for 11.7mi could hold 7.1m/s or make the ascent in 44:11. That’s downright gnarly, but I think possible.
I’d rather see the tour of California include a Mt. Baldy TT since it has a few “walls” involved unlike Palomar, but I wouldn’t mind seeing either of course. Any course that is accessible to me would be sweet.
This is a nice link with some accurate info on climbs such as Ventoux (7.5% as opposed to 10%)
http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/socalclimbs.htm
This is a nice link with some accurate info on climbs such as Ventoux (7.5% as opposed to 10%)
http://www.socalvelo.com/sub/socalclimbs.htm
ok, true, but I think it’s 10 from when you enter the woods from te side of bedoin.
Anyway, damn f*cking steep, agreed ?
Yeah, I can agree on the fact that climbing over a mile high in just 13.5 miles is pretty damned steep.
Are you going to make an honest effort at Palomar within the next week or so? If you want company in such an effort I’d be stoked to join you.
I was there for all the rides people are talking about, and here is the scoop. Spencer rode 58:50, Jurgen went 59:40 or so, Trent went 54:47 I believe, and that is the fastest time that is verifyied. Hampsten went 58+ many years ago, about the time he was one of the best climbers in the world, and when Norman went his 57, it was in much worse conditions than Trents time. In reality they probably went about even given the conditions. What’s possible? In my mind it would be about a 49 or so for a guy like Lance, given neutral conditions. And the grades get up to 11% in places, not sure where the 6% average comes from, maybe because of the half mile or so of flat downhill in the middle… Always a lot of what ifs, and maybes concerning Palomar, but the reality is, these are the times done the last 20 or so years. Souza used to go up it twice a week sometimes, and usually just under an hour. Don’t think Mark Allen ever broke an hour, and all the times I’m talking about are from store to stop sign…You did a good time for a first timer, and could be one of the elite sub hour riders someday. Keep it up…Monty By the way, I’m was a !:03.10…
Yeah, I can agree on the fact that climbing over a mile high in just 13.5 miles is pretty damned steep.
Are you going to make an honest effort at Palomar within the next week or so? If you want company in such an effort I’d be stoked to join you.
I would love to, however I am doing Ironman Arziona in 10 days and the ride up there is just to long from where I live. I have my srm back now (bat was dead) so that would also be interesting. Do you have a car ? can we put our bikes in car, park car at store and do first about an hour of riding, do the climb and come back down the other way. ?