The Alpe d'Huez

I just came back from a week up Alpe d'Huez (and it was very nice thank you)

I was wondering if anyone on here had ridden up it? Also, if it were to be ridden fixed what gear might one use?

I did it on a mountain bike with slicks on a few years back, it was ace. You'd be talking stupid low inches to get up it fixed, and then coming down would be a nightmare. The fastest i've ever been on a bike was coming down that hill.

I did it during one of my ski seasons, only one up on a rigid MTB, but multiple times down on my downhill bike with set up with slicks, fucking sick, went through a pair of vans in 4 runs from putting my feet out motorcross style round the corners!

About 12 years ago on the day the tour went there; boiling hot, suffered like a dog on my 39x23. But coming down! So many cyclists, like rush hour down hill, passing them all courier style, hardly ever had such fun before or since.

thinking about maybe doing it in the new year, when the earliest to consider weather wise?

I've put together a run of back-to-back 360's in/down the pipe in d'Huez.

I got the chair lift up....

thinking about maybe doing it in the new year, when the earliest to consider weather wise?

end of May if lucky.

L'Alpe D'Huez not THE Alpe D'Huez
I once snowboarded down the longest black slope in the world - from top of resort to below the main village - in about 20 mins. Epic memories!
not as hardcore as the Megavalanche - on the same slope in the summer:
http://www.tworide.com/features/megavalanche/

did ride it geared last Friday (and it was very nice thank you)
imo it is a good one to take on fixed. i was happy with 39/24-26. but then what do you do on the descent? it is enough hassle hauling one bike over to France and the last thing you want is being stuck between so many nice routes with a bloody fixed ride, so would be one geared one fixed, tsss. it might make sense if you participate in the weekly time trials they do on Thursdays.

Excellent climb, the Galibier nearby is also a must if your in the area

I just came back from a week up Alpe d'Huez (and it was very nice thank you)

I was wondering if anyone on here had ridden up it? Also, if it were to be ridden fixed what gear might one use?

It took you a week to get up it?! =P

Was actually thinking today about doing it fixed in 2009, any recommendations on GI? Got a flip-flop hub at the min so at the top I could just switch over and relax back down.

Depends on how fit and strong you are ofcourse; I would recommend 39x25 but then I'm feeble.

Do it with gears. I'm sure it's possible to do so fixed but it'll be far more practical on a geared bike. There is some great riding in the immediate area, such as the Col de Croix de Fer, the Galibier, the dead end road to La Sarenne, that means having a geared bike gives you more scope for enjoying your rides.

Heretic!

Fuck riding down it fixed.. waste of a good climb.

Fuck riding down it fixed.. waste of a good climb.

If you'd just read what he said, newbie; FLIP FLOP.

You mistake me for one of those 60kg lightweights that don't pedal down hills.
Let me clarify.. fixed or ss.. down a fuck off hill like that.. waste of a good climb.
Speed records ahoy! :P

When I descended L'Alpe I started at the top behind hundreds of other spectators and overtook them all; it was like Clerkenwell rd in the rush hour. Courier skills FTW!

if you do that fixed you are a fucking idiot. even with a flip flop hub you will waste a good climb because no1 makes freewheels that will supply a high enough gear ratio.
I went over the great st bernard's pass last summer, the journey down was epic!

That's a bit harsh, say I went up with a 39/25 like someone suggested, got to the top, switched to a 52/12 freewheel. Sure, you've gotta change a chainring but it's hardly rocket science. What's wrong doing it fixed for the novelty of doing it fixed?

Thanks for your opinion anyway.

if you do that fixed you are a fucking idiot. even with a flip flop hub you will waste a good climb because no1 makes freewheels that will supply a high enough gear ratio.
I went over the great st bernard's pass last summer, the journey down was epic!

Give over, that's not on at all.

Give over, that's not on at all.

Nothing to get bothered about, says more about him than anyone else.

A couple of weeks ago I was discussing which stage I would like to go and watch at the Tour. Alpe d'Huez was my preferred choice. The chap I was talking to had advised me that he had been there, done that, and advised against it as its a road to nowhere with no toilets and thousands of people on a boiling hot day. Shite and piss every where.He said it fucking reeked!Kind of took the mystical shine off it for me.

That made me change my mind. Mount Ventoux it is.

That made me change my mind. Mount Ventoux it is.

Given your avatar, it might be a bit of a pilgrimage?

i plan to be on Mount Ventoux next summer :)