Climbing the big ones

[Mark Cleary]

I was wondering if the average cyclist climbing the Alpe DHuez actually have to walk. I have never climb anything near that for any length of time. According the Strava I have only made a few cat 3 climbs and frankly the cat 4's are not easy. I could not imagine I could get up it without walking or taking a break. Do most cyclist do either/or both? I am pretty fit at least for a flatlander cyclist and certainly with practicing climbing I could get better. I just wonder if a 34/34 gear I would use could get me up it without stopping or walking. Anyone here done it?
Deacon mark

[Tom Kunich]

On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 12:05:45 PM UTC-7, deaco...@gmail.com wrote:
> I was wondering if the average cyclist climbing the Alpe DHuez actually have to walk. I have never climb anything near that for any length of time. According the Strava I have only made a few cat 3 climbs and frankly the cat 4's are not easy. I could not imagine I could get up it without walking or taking a break. Do most cyclist do either/or both? I am pretty fit at least for a flatlander cyclist and certainly with practicing climbing I could get better. I just wonder if a 34/34 gear I would use could get me up it without stopping or walking. Anyone here done it?

We have climbs in California as steep and as long at L'Alpe D'Huez. No, you don't have to walk But neither do you ride as fast as the pros. I would be dragging butt up a 12% section at 3 or 4 mph while they were going up the same at 10-12 mph.

[Lou Holtman]

On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 9:05:45 PM UTC+2, deaco...@gmail.com wrote:
> I was wondering if the average cyclist climbing the Alpe DHuez actually have to walk. I have never climb anything near that for any length of time. According the Strava I have only made a few cat 3 climbs and frankly the cat 4's are not easy. I could not imagine I could get up it without walking or taking a break. Do most cyclist do either/or both? I am pretty fit at least for a flatlander cyclist and certainly with practicing climbing I could get better. I just wonder if a 34/34 gear I would use could get me up it without stopping or walking. Anyone here done it?
> Deacon mark

I have done most of the ‘famous’ Tour de France climbs and I never had to walk. Alpe D’Huez is not the hardest climb, not even close. The first 2,5 km average around 11%. After that it gets easier under 9%. When it gets over 12% for more than 1 km it gets tough for me. Also 20 km climbs are hard on your back, like Stelvio or Mount Ventoux. With the gearing I have (34/32) I have to keep it under 10% and under 15 km.

Lou

[Mark Cleary]

Lou can you sit to climb it most of the way. I could not imagine being out of the saddle riding for lengths of time. I don't think my legs would take it. Then my dystonia from running might start acting up.
Deacon mark

[Lou Holtman]

I don’t ‘have’ to, but I will get out of the saddle from time to time to ease my back; for instance every hairpin. I’m relatively good at it. I once won a bet climbing out of the saddle a 12 km climb with a average grade of 7%. I got sore upper arms, but my legs were okay. It is all about gearing. I tried my gravelbike a couple of weeks ago in the hilly part of my country. It has a 48/31 crankset and I got a 11-32 cassette mounted. That made it easy to keep seated on the couple of 15% sections. Respect your age and ability.

Lou

[Frank Krygowski]

On 8/1/2022 3:05 PM, Mark Cleary wrote:
> I was wondering if the average cyclist climbing the Alpe DHuez actually have to walk. I have never climb anything near that for any length of time. According the Strava I have only made a few cat 3 climbs and frankly the cat 4's are not easy. I could not imagine I could get up it without walking or taking a break. Do most cyclist do either/or both? I am pretty fit at least for a flatlander cyclist and certainly with practicing climbing I could get better. I just wonder if a 34/34 gear I would use could get me up it without stopping or walking. Anyone here done it?

I agree with what Lou said in another post: It's all about the gearing.
I've climbed Rocky Mountain passes with full camping gear. I stopped
only for my wife to rest on her similar bike.

I think if your gearing matches your conditioning and strength, you can
climb anything that doesn't cause you to topple from lack of speed.

--
- Frank Krygowski

[ritzann...@gmail.com]

On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 2:05:45 PM UTC-5, deaco...@gmail.com wrote:
> I was wondering if the average cyclist climbing the Alpe DHuez actually have to walk. I have never climb anything near that for any length of time. According the Strava I have only made a few cat 3 climbs and frankly the cat 4's are not easy. I could not imagine I could get up it without walking or taking a break. Do most cyclist do either/or both? I am pretty fit at least for a flatlander cyclist and certainly with practicing climbing I could get better. I just wonder if a 34/34 gear I would use could get me up it without stopping or walking. Anyone here done it?
> Deacon mark

Agree with Frank and Lou. Climbing requires time, dedication, and correct gearing. I've climbed the Rockies, Alps, and Dolomites on a loaded touring bike. Rockies on a road bike too. Low gearing and sit and pedal until you get to the peak. Its also good to stop on hairpins to take a picture of the road you just climbed or the percent grade sign. And stop at the top to take a picture in front of the elevation sign.

As for your gearing, I advise going lower than 1:1. 24x28 and 24x32 are the low gears I've used in the mountains. That way you are not forced to get out of the saddle and stand and pedal. Much easier to sit on the saddle and pedal.

[Mark Cleary]

I have been riding basically this summer about 300-380 mile weeks I generally ride 50-65 miles a day. I go 6 days sometimes 7 days a week. I can generally ride all these at a respectable 17-19mph on the flatlands. The biggest grades I encounter as 6 % for possible close to 1/2 a mile that is it. My current 11-32 is fine and I do once in awhile go to the 34/32 gear as I prefer the not climb out of saddle.

I would think that puts me in some shape but for whatever reason I freak out seeing a big climb and grade going up. I think some of it is that I am used to spinning the flats at a relatively constant speed. Today I did a circuit ride I sometimes do and it was 62 miles in 3:23 at 18.3 mph. I was 36.9 through 2 hours and so very even pace. I would think I could climb but if I get out to of the saddle for a long time my legs can freeze a bit. This is my runner's dystonia acting up on the bike. My legs just don't keep spinning while standing.

My guess is that if I was rested a climb like this without stopping is doable, but I bet I would be humbled very fast and wiped. Although I recover fast so if I had a flat section after I would be fine.

Deacon Mark

[Tom Kunich]

My low gear is a 34-32 but I wasn't able to use it today. The shift cable seems to have pulled tighter lengthening it. Also the low cog stop settled in a bit so that it threw the chain to the inside on the first climb of the day - a 600 foot 8% climb that is a mile long and starts 3 miles from my home. So I was riding whatever the cog is below the 32 and I will fix all of that after I recover from my 32 mile ride with 2930 feet of climbing. This was without a break since the ride would normally be 37 mile round trip but at the county line there was loose tarred gravel so I couldn't get to the half way stop So it turned into a non-stop climbing ride. The last climb is 8% for a 200 foot climb and was I ever happy to clear that one and start downhill. I hit almost 38 mph on the way down and the final block to my home was at 10 mph. I haven't done this complete ride in a couple of years so it felt a lot harder than it is. Thursday I will try to do Norris Canyon and Dublin Blvd which is only 2400 feet of climbing but steeper climbs and descents. I passed what used to be the cheapest gas station in the area and regular was $6/gal.

[Tom Kunich]

That is a lot of miles but as long as you recover overnight and you don't hit periods where you're too tired to tide every day is OK as long as you can do it. 6% is starting to be a climb. Don't get out of the saddle for that. Gear down and spin.

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 2 Aug 2022 12:27:29 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
<cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:

>I passed what used to be the cheapest gas station in the area and regular was $6/gal.

You lie. San Leandro gas prices are current a little over $5/gallon.
<https://www.gasbuddy.com/gasprices/california/san-leandro>

Why the [deleted expletive] do you feel compelled to lie on something
so trivial and so easily verified?

--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[Roger Merriman]

It’s one of the less hard climbs ironically, as it’s only 7 and half miles,
vs say where as some of the others will be low to high teens.


I’ve climbed mt Teide a few times which is 22 miles into the crater ring,
as the Canary Islands are all volcanic!

At that length pacing and fuelling becomes very important as your climbing
for a few hrs.

Does gearing help? Yes I’ve climbed with nice light hire bike was a touch
harder than with my bikes Gravel bikes with at least 1-1 gearing or lower
as the newer one is.

But the big difference is pacing/fuelling!

Roger Merriman.

[Roger Merriman]

I’d say the hills that make folks walk are not the big epic alpine (or
similar) which though long have fairly tame grades, but shorter nasty stuff
that if your not used to it and have gearing for it.

For example hills up in Lake District, most have significant portions over
20% some with ramps into 30% and that if your not used to the idea of
it/experience plus have decent low gearing will have folks walking!

Roger Merriman.

[Tom Kunich]

It never occurred to me that French cycling enthusiasts that were turning out to see the climb up L'Alpe D'Huez would be first class prize assholes but when I walked perhaps a mile up there was a pretty shallow climb and the road was heavily lined by French speaking rowdies drinking bottled beer and after their favorite would pass they would throw empty bottles down on the road so that followers would get flatted. That sort of changed my entire view of the French and the Tour.

[ritzann...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 1:59:12 PM UTC-5, deaco...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 10:29:10 PM UTC-5, russell...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 2:05:45 PM UTC-5, deaco...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > I was wondering if the average cyclist climbing the Alpe DHuez actually have to walk. I have never climb anything near that for any length of time. According the Strava I have only made a few cat 3 climbs and frankly the cat 4's are not easy. I could not imagine I could get up it without walking or taking a break. Do most cyclist do either/or both? I am pretty fit at least for a flatlander cyclist and certainly with practicing climbing I could get better. I just wonder if a 34/34 gear I would use could get me up it without stopping or walking. Anyone here done it?
> > > Deacon mark
> > Agree with Frank and Lou. Climbing requires time, dedication, and correct gearing. I've climbed the Rockies, Alps, and Dolomites on a loaded touring bike. Rockies on a road bike too. Low gearing and sit and pedal until you get to the peak. Its also good to stop on hairpins to take a picture of the road you just climbed or the percent grade sign. And stop at the top to take a picture in front of the elevation sign.
> >
> > As for your gearing, I advise going lower than 1:1. 24x28 and 24x32 are the low gears I've used in the mountains. That way you are not forced to get out of the saddle and stand and pedal. Much easier to sit on the saddle and pedal.
> I have been riding basically this summer about 300-380 mile weeks I generally ride 50-65 miles a day. I go 6 days sometimes 7 days a week. I can generally ride all these at a respectable 17-19mph on the flatlands. The biggest grades I encounter as 6 % for possible close to 1/2 a mile that is it. My current 11-32 is fine and I do once in awhile go to the 34/32 gear as I prefer the not climb out of saddle.
>
> I would think that puts me in some shape but for whatever reason I freak out seeing a big climb and grade going up.

You are almost certainly in good shape. But you may not be in great shape. And the mountains you are envisioning may require great shape to dance up them. Regular bicycle riding gets you in good shape. But you have to really stress and push yourself to get to the next great level. Kind of like a runner. Casual runner runs every morning for 5 miles at a comfortable pace. Gets him in good physical cardiovascular shape. He is healthy. But if he signed up to run a marathon or even a 10K race, he would have to change his training to make it. Or compete in the race.

For the vast vast vast majority of us, being in good shape is more than enough. No need to get to great shape.

Thus my recommendation for lower than 1:1 gearing. Good shape allows you to climb any mountain with 24x28 or 24x32 gearing. You might maybe need great shape to get up the same mountain in 1:1 34x34 or 34x32 gearing.

[ritzann...@gmail.com]

Agree with Jeff.
https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA
As of 8/2/2022 by county:
San Francisco $5.762
San Mateo $5.666
Santa Cruz $5.73
Santa Clara $5.611
Alameda $5.616
Contra Costa $5.565
Marin $5.566
Solano $5.499
Napa $5.815
San Joaquin $5.511
Stanislaus $5.394
Sacramento $5.379
Yolo $5.396

Maybe with Tommy's cheapest gas station in the area it went out of business a month ago and they just left the sign as it was when they closed the doors. Therefore to Tommy gas price would be $6 forever and ever until the end of time. Tommy logic. Or maybe Tommy boy cycled all the way up to Modoc county where the average is $6.224. That is in the far NE corner touching Oregon and Nevada. 5-600 mile round trip ride. Nothing for Tommy.

[ritzann...@gmail.com]

Ever been to Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota Tommy? Lot of A-holes there. Drunkards. Yelling screaming fighting disorderly. Nudity too!!!!!!!!!! My uncles/aunts/cousins rode motorcycles back in the 1980s and 1990s. Suzukis. They were not like the degenerate people at Sturgis. You're from California Tommy. If everyone on this forum assessed California based upon you, it would not be pretty. Thankfully we also have Jeff from California on this forum to counterbalance you.

[Frank Krygowski]

On Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 3:27:31 PM UTC-4, cycl...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> My low gear is a 34-32 but I wasn't able to use it today. The shift cable seems to have pulled tighter lengthening it. Also the low cog stop settled in a bit so that it threw the chain to the inside on the first climb of the day -...

So many problems!

- Frank Krygowski

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 2 Aug 2022 18:25:04 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
<ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 4:13:49 PM UTC-5, jeff.li...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Tue, 2 Aug 2022 12:27:29 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
>> <cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >I passed what used to be the cheapest gas station in the area and regular was $6/gal.

>> You lie. San Leandro gas prices are current a little over $5/gallon.
>> <https://www.gasbuddy.com/gasprices/california/san-leandro>
>>
>> Why the [deleted expletive] do you feel compelled to lie on something
>> so trivial and so easily verified?

>Agree with Jeff.

Something must be wrong. Nobody ever agrees with me.
(chomp...)

Your price list seems a bit on the high side. This site looks more
representative of the prices for regular gas in Tom's county:
<https://www.gasbuddy.com/gasprices/california/contra-costa/1949>
Lowest price is about $5/gallon.

I've found that I could somewhat predict pricing trends by watching
the commodities future market price graphs:
<https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/gasoline>
<https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/crude-oil>
Right now, the trends are rather strange. Gasoline demand is high,
supplies are low, so prices should be increasing. Instead, they're
dropping. Very strange. Also, notice that retail prices don't track
the commodities market prices:
<https://www.gasbuddy.com/charts>

>Maybe with Tommy's cheapest gas station in the area it went
>out of business a month ago and they just left the sign as
>it was when they closed the doors.

Probably not. If a gas station went out of business in Tom's area, it
would probably be pillaged and looted by the local roving gangs of
illegal aliens. The sign would probably be stolen and traded for
illicit drugs.

[ritzann...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 10:29:52 PM UTC-5, jeff.li...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Tue, 2 Aug 2022 18:25:04 -0700 (PDT), "russell...@yahoo.com"
> <ritzann...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 4:13:49 PM UTC-5, jeff.li...@gmail.com wrote:
> >> On Tue, 2 Aug 2022 12:27:29 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
> >> <cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >I passed what used to be the cheapest gas station in the area and regular was $6/gal.
>
> >> You lie. San Leandro gas prices are current a little over $5/gallon.
> >> <https://www.gasbuddy.com/gasprices/california/san-leandro>
> >>
> >> Why the [deleted expletive] do you feel compelled to lie on something
> >> so trivial and so easily verified?
> >Agree with Jeff.
>
> Something must be wrong. Nobody ever agrees with me.
> (chomp...)
>
> Your price list seems a bit on the high side. This site looks more
> representative of the prices for regular gas in Tom's county:
> <https://www.gasbuddy.com/gasprices/california/contra-costa/1949>
> Lowest price is about $5/gallon.

I cannot and am not vouching for the prices shown. I just put "gas prices in California today" in a Google search and one of the links that popped up was the one I posted. Unlike many Google searches for facts, gas prices are something that can and does change. Its a less exact fact. So I am not surprised you found listings with different prices. Your Gas Buddy does have lower prices than I showed. Could be you are seeing individual store gas prices. While my numbers were averages all across the county. When I looked at your Gas Buddy websites I also saw prices listed in the $6 range. So if half are selling at $5 and half are selling (or listing) price at $6, then the average is about $5.50. My numbers shown were averages for the whole county. Not individual gas stations.