Comments on: A Handy Guide to Climbing Grades http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/ It's like reality TV. Except it's real. And there's no TV. Fri, 04 Mar 2022 03:21:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: BikerBoyz http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563744 BikerBoyz Sat, 18 Aug 2012 01:31:29 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563744 20 & 30% grades on Baldwin St? That's all?? Try grades in the mid 40s on Ortloft Road in Central New York State. Check it out on strava: http://app.strava.com/segments/1560584 My 39x28 low gear is still a knee breaker 20 & 30% grades on Baldwin St? That’s all?? Try grades in the mid 40s on Ortloft Road in Central New York State.

Check it out on strava: http://app.strava.com/segments/1560584

My 39×28 low gear is still a knee breaker

]]> By: rjsmit1 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563489 rjsmit1 Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:42:00 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563489 Great post! Being a Virginia flatlander, I notice when the air gets thin at altitude. I visited my son this week in Salt Lake, who arranged for me to rent a bike at a local shop and took me to a hill called Suncrest. I really thought my son and I had a pretty good relationship, but that climb on a 95 degree day, starting at 4,500 feet above sea level with several miles at 8% was tough. The big reward was the 50.7 MPH ride back down - wow! Great post! Being a Virginia flatlander, I notice when the air gets thin at altitude. I visited my son this week in Salt Lake, who arranged for me to rent a bike at a local shop and took me to a hill called Suncrest. I really thought my son and I had a pretty good relationship, but that climb on a 95 degree day, starting at 4,500 feet above sea level with several miles at 8% was tough. The big reward was the 50.7 MPH ride back down – wow!

]]> By: Libby http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563478 Libby Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:18:40 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563478 Thanks for the illustrations...I used the terms mondo, killer and death knell to describe most hills. Or did until it was suggested to get mt. bike gears for my hybrid (Trek 6.7fx)...so I did -34x11 and hills aren't that bad anymore...I can climb without losing a lung or two (asthma sucks). Too often. Those deceptive grades (1-2%) work the otherway also, I think I'm sooo fit and could take on a Gran Fondo because I can go 25+km/hr without strain & I"m singing "I'm on top of the world looking down on creation" (I'm a first liner type of gal). Thanks for the illustrations…I used the terms mondo, killer and death knell to describe most hills. Or did until it was suggested to get mt. bike gears for my hybrid (Trek 6.7fx)…so I did -34×11 and hills aren’t that bad anymore…I can climb without losing a lung or two (asthma sucks). Too often.

Those deceptive grades (1-2%) work the otherway also, I think I’m sooo fit and could take on a Gran Fondo because I can go 25+km/hr without strain & I”m singing “I’m on top of the world looking down on creation” (I’m a first liner type of gal).

]]> By: Lonster http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563321 Lonster Sun, 05 Aug 2012 04:22:16 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563321 Two summers ago I rode Mt. Etna in Sicily. The locals have marked every switch back with the percent grade. It was exciting at first to see what was coming up and know what exact gear to be in for the corner. By the end I was dreading some of the 12-14 percent corners and hating the very idea of labeling them. It seemed Contador had a much easier time on them a few weeks later. I would have to assume his fitness level is a bit higher than mine. Clenbuterol not withstanding. Two summers ago I rode Mt. Etna in Sicily. The locals have marked every switch back with the percent grade. It was exciting at first to see what was coming up and know what exact gear to be in for the corner. By the end I was dreading some of the 12-14 percent corners and hating the very idea of labeling them.

It seemed Contador had a much easier time on them a few weeks later. I would have to assume his fitness level is a bit higher than mine. Clenbuterol not withstanding.

]]> By: Joe http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563315 Joe Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:56:58 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563315 well, I am a fatty @ 250 and you completely ignore heart-rate and fitness level therefore I suspect your a < 2% body fat guy and there're not fat at all which means you are making fun of us truly fat guys. I am a 2nd year rider with 2k miles 2/3 on a comfort bike in Colorado. My problem is keeping my heart in my Chest and staying in the 3rd ring of my Surly LHT. My garmin edge 500 has grade but I have not used it. I am competent and comfortable if I keep mt HR under 135 At 68, my max is 150. Without including heart / physical conditioning in your study, you are merely explaining the mechanics of the hill/gravity. Sign me as Disappointed. <em>Did I ignore fitness level, or is it possible I was just saving it for a future post? I gotta spread the ideas out, Mr. Disappointed. - FC</em> well, I am a fatty @ 250 and you completely ignore heart-rate and fitness level therefore I suspect your a < 2% body fat guy and there're not fat at all which means you are making fun of us truly fat guys.

I am a 2nd year rider with 2k miles 2/3 on a comfort bike in Colorado. My problem is keeping my heart in my Chest and staying in the 3rd ring of my Surly LHT.

My garmin edge 500 has grade but I have not used it. I am competent and comfortable if I keep mt HR under 135 At 68, my max is 150. Without including heart / physical conditioning in your study, you are merely explaining the mechanics of the hill/gravity. Sign me as Disappointed.

Did I ignore fitness level, or is it possible I was just saving it for a future post? I gotta spread the ideas out, Mr. Disappointed. – FC

]]> By: Full Monte http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563280 Full Monte Thu, 02 Aug 2012 21:38:07 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563280 I was told there would be no math on this ride. I was told there would be no math on this ride.

]]> By: Paul http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563274 Paul Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:37:31 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563274 I was riding up Broadway into St Louis, not a difficult hill or anything, just a bad area of the city and a bit into my ride so the spirit ebbs for a while. I was coming up to a guy sitting in an electric wheelchair about 10 feet into the road for some reason. He says something I can't understand. Finally the third time I hear it, "It's a 3 percent grade." Yep, taunted by a guy in a wheelchair *s*. I was riding up Broadway into St Louis, not a difficult hill or anything, just a bad area of the city and a bit into my ride so the spirit ebbs for a while.

I was coming up to a guy sitting in an electric wheelchair about 10 feet into the road for some reason. He says something I can’t understand. Finally the third time I hear it, “It’s a 3 percent grade.” Yep, taunted by a guy in a wheelchair *s*.

]]> By: bikemike http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563264 bikemike Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:15:40 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563264 I did a century in Melbourne, Florida a few years ago and although it was flat, it was during a tropical storm. Winds 40-50mph and i was riding my Zipp 808's. I'm sure if i should use pi or divide by Coke Zero to figure out the grade angle degree equivalent. I did a century in Melbourne, Florida a few years ago and although it was flat, it was during a tropical storm. Winds 40-50mph and i was riding my Zipp 808’s. I’m sure if i should use pi or divide by Coke Zero to figure out the grade angle degree equivalent.

]]> By: Clydesteve http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563263 Clydesteve Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:10:51 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563263 Justin, you are correct. On a 100% grade, you would gain 100 feet in horizontal distance while traveling (a^2 + b^2 = c^2) 141.42 feet. But, mostly road grades are less than 15%. To travel 100 feet horizontal on a 15% grade incline, you will travel 101.12 feet up the incline,thus for any reasonable grade, the incline distance is close enough to the same thing as the horizontal distance that you lose the difference getting off the bike to measure! I am pretty sure this scholarly article has now been peer reviewed, and should be submitted to a physics journal. Justin, you are correct. On a 100% grade, you would gain 100 feet in horizontal distance while traveling (a^2 + b^2 = c^2) 141.42 feet.

But, mostly road grades are less than 15%. To travel 100 feet horizontal on a 15% grade incline, you will travel 101.12 feet up the incline,thus for any reasonable grade, the incline distance is close enough to the same thing as the horizontal distance that you lose the difference getting off the bike to measure!

I am pretty sure this scholarly article has now been peer reviewed, and should be submitted to a physics journal.

]]> By: Clydesteve http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/comment-page-1/#comment-563262 Clydesteve Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:04:22 +0000 http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/08/01/a-handy-guide-to-climbing-grades/#comment-563262 I do 28% every day I commute home. Not to show off; to get dinner. It is under a mile, but no matter how low of gear i install, no matter how slow i go, it is painful. But, I persist, because of the dinner thing. http://veloroutes.org/r/86634 I really really liked the beautiful iconic artwork describing the various grades. Deceptively simple, yet elegantly descriptive. Except you need a different icon for >20%. It is just like the 15% one, with the addition of blood & puke particles. I do 28% every day I commute home. Not to show off; to get dinner.

It is under a mile, but no matter how low of gear i install, no matter how slow i go, it is painful. But, I persist, because of the dinner thing.

http://veloroutes.org/r/86634

I really really liked the beautiful iconic artwork describing the various grades. Deceptively simple, yet elegantly descriptive. Except you need a different icon for >20%. It is just like the 15% one, with the addition of blood & puke particles.

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