So as you Colorado peeps know the Pikes Peak Hwy has been temporally opened for bicycles to ride it. Or if you havn’t I would get on riding it they stop at the end of the month.
So I am wanting to hear others thoughts on their ride up it. Is there any other rode/ride in Colorado you could compare it too? Compare it to any parts of races you have done before? (Slightly wanting to know how the hills on CDA compare for grade and length.)
My self it was a very long hard slow ride. I started at Glen Cove in an effort to focus on getting to ride the HWY above treeline while not killing my legs for the hike up Longs Peak I have planned for this weekend. 3000 vertical ft gain over 7 miles for me avg speed about 4mph (slow). Got off and walked a few times in spots where my legs were cooked already. Had fun with the slight down hill coming into bottomless pit. Was informed by the ranger just before COG corner that I needed to get back on my bike that I was not aloud to walk. So I got back on my bike. Nearing the top a follow bike said just what I was thinking while he slowly passed me. ‘‘F this shit.’’ Once on the summit I went inside placing my bike just outside the COG entrance (East side) I suggest this only due to it being further away from the parking lot and easier to keep an eye on it if parked next to the window. After a bathroom break snack break and BSing with some of the underpaid overworked summit staff I know. I headed back down. For the ride down I did not track my numbers it did only take about 10mins for me to reach glen cove again. High speed going down above treeline was 35mph riding the breaks. I would suggest to anyone riding down to not over due it take in easy it is a very dirty road with lots on places with lose sand.
Over all a very hard fun ride I would suggest to anyone that hasn’t gotten out and done it yet. The hwy may never let bikes ride it again. This is a test to see if they may in the future choose to open it to bikes.
Good job getting up there. But if it only took you 10 minutes to get back down to Glen Cove, it heightens my suspicion that their pilot program to allow bikes will end with the decision to not allow them again. Its just too tempting for cyclist to bomb down way over the posted speed limit of 25 mph. You could have been ticketed by the ranger. I’ve ridden it a couple times when they closed the road to cars for the annual bike event. Curious to see what their decision is going forward.
As far as comparing it to other rides in Colorado, I haven’t found a paved road ride nearly as tough. Evans is 5% and Flagstaff is pretty short. The passes around the state typically only average 4-6%. Pikes peak is over 7% for 18 miles and the 3 miles of the Ws is major grind. Ouch!
Good job getting up there. But if it only took you 10 minutes to get back down to Glen Cove, it heightens my suspicion that their pilot program to allow bikes will end with the decision to not allow them again. Its just too tempting for cyclist to bomb down way over the posted speed limit of 25 mph. You could have been ticketed by the ranger. I’ve ridden it a couple times when they closed the road to cars for the annual bike event. Curious to see what their decision is going forward.
Not only that, but they heat gun car brakes to make sure that they aren’t too hot and make cars sit until they cool if necessary. Are they going to be doing the same for bikes?
It’s a tough tough climb, but for f’ks sake, be a little more sensible. It’s a narrow, switchback road with car traffic, you aren’t bombing down a carless roadway in the Alps being protected by the TdF motorcade.
I agree about the bombing down. I had to ride my breaks to keep it around 20 miles per hour. Fastest I saw was 35mph. But I was also trying to not watch my speedo.
I don’t think it is going to last either. Thats why I made sure to get out and atleast ride it above treeline. But I don’t think its the biker themselves that are going to cause it. It is going to be all the tourist drivers in mix with the bikes on the HWY. But in all honesty the decision has probably already been made before the bikes were ever let on the HWY. There just doing it either to please someone or prove a point. If it was due to making sure riders can prepare for the ride and ride safely. Then they need to banned cars, hikers and the cog. While lots of people prepare for the trip many don’t and the same thing is going to happen with the bikers too. But thats my thoughts. I worked as an EMT up there one summer and know how offen people get themselves in trouble.
While during the summer I think it could be really insane with bikes on the HWY. Openly it during the off seasons mouths I think would work out nicely. Maybe not able to ride middle of the winter due to weather but early fall and late spring.
I havnt riden on the pedal bike but the motorcycle I was thinking maybe hwy 67 just north of deckers. Had a fairly steep grade. Ever riden it?
Edit: Devlin. No they were not checking cyclists breaks. I was waved right throw the check point. Also I think the point where car breaks fail and cycle breaks fail are going to differ so they wouldn’t even know yet what numbers to look for. I felt my wheel and it did not feel warm at all. The rider is going to have to ride on feel and know when to take a break and let them cool.
I would have loved to give this a go this year. Unfortunately my leg is nowhere near ready for that climb. Hopefully they’ll open it up again next year. Sounds like it’ll be more challenging than Evans.
Yeah, up past Deckers there are some decent grades. Just seems like a dicey stretch of road with minimal shoulder and quite a few yahoos up that way. I really like Guanella Pass from Georgetown. Totally rebuilt, smooth as silk, some sections @ 9-10%, and the drivers don’t seem to be in a hurry. Nice 3000ft in 10 miles.
Not going to get up Pikes Peak - but wanted to wish you luck and say have fun with Longs Peak. Hubby and I did it 3 weeks after IMLP a few years ago and I didn’t think I was going to make it back down - total of almost 17 hours, about 4 hours longer than IMLP. Lots of stops, lots of tears. Very sore knees on the way down. I say it was one of the most amazing hikes I’ve ever done going up. One of the worst hikes I’ve ever done going down (from the bottom of the boulder field to the car was just terrible). Would still tell anyone in shape to do it! An awesome hike with some amazing scenery!! Enjoy.
Edit: Devlin. No they were not checking cyclists breaks. I was waved right throw the check point. Also I think the point where car breaks fail and cycle breaks fail are going to differ so they wouldn’t even know yet what numbers to look for. I felt my wheel and it did not feel warm at all. The rider is going to have to ride on feel and know when to take a break and let them cool.
It’s not the wheel that gets warm, it’s the pads, at least on a bike. The rim has a full rotation to cool off.
I raced up the damn thing in mid-July and it hurt big time, but if I had only been on a training ride, it would have been very enjoyable. It’s going to come down to how hard you’re riding and how well you handle the altitude. Some friends tried it last weekend and turned around just above tree line because a couple of people were feeling like crap…altitude sickness. It’s never brutally steep, just a seemingly endless grind, except for a short section about 2/3 of the way up when you really need a break.
To be honest, the ride down wasn’t much fun. To keep my speed down, I had to ride the brakes, which led to hand cramps. You couldn’t really enjoy the view due to the speed you’re going.
Long story short, give it a shot, if you can. Never know when they might close it down to bikes for good. I agree, tourists, sand and people bombing downhill are not a good mix. Only a matter of time until bike meets windshield or biker misjudges hairpin turn and the party is over.
Hey, I’m flying into colorado springs in a couple weeks to stay for a couple weeks. I’m bringing my road bike with compact crankset and 11-28 cassette. Am thinking about trying this climb out towards the latter part of my stay. Unfortunately, will need to bike to the base and then climb as my rental car won’t be capable of transporting bicycles. Can you make any recommendations as to how to get to the base from the airport region?
Unfortunately riding the Pikes Peak Hwy is only currently open till the end of this month. As for just riding there. Best route would be Pikes Peak Ave which will turn into Colorado Blvd the HWY 24 is the only route. I have never riden hwy 24 but do know there is a lot of traffic on the road.
Thanks for the info. Any suggestions for rides while out there?
The eastern side of colorado seems o be fairly bleak from what I remember. Was hoping to get some epic climbing in.
South Cheyenne Canon is short but a good climb, Woodmen road to Vindicator, Fillmore rd (hill), On the north and west side of town is alot of rolling hills.
Edit: Devlin. No they were not checking cyclists breaks. I was waved right throw the check point. Also I think the point where car breaks fail and cycle breaks fail are going to differ so they wouldn’t even know yet what numbers to look for. I felt my wheel and it did not feel warm at all. The rider is going to have to ride on feel and know when to take a break and let them cool.
It’s not the wheel that gets warm, it’s the pads, at least on a bike. The rim has a full rotation to cool off.
John
My father in law rode up Pikes Peak last weekend…5 miles on the way down he shredded his carbon Reynolds wheels…they literally melted and exploded. He had cool stop carbon specific brake pads even, & braking on the steep downhills heated up the rims to the point of shredding/melting them. He hitch hiked down. No carbon wheels on Pikes Peak!
South Cheyenne Canon is short but a good climb, Woodmen road to Vindicator, Fillmore rd (hill), On the north and west side of town is alot of rolling hills.
Not a lot of long climbs in the area, but to the list above I would add S.26th St. up through Gold Camp Road is good for about 4.5 miles of consistent 4-5% grade. Crystal Hills Blvd over in Manitou area is about 1.5 miles of 8% stuff. Rossmere St. in NW hills area is good for a mile of 8-12% and you can extend it by about a half mile by adding Chuckwagon St. before Rossmere. These shorter ones are good for repeats.