London's Toughest Hills

Arkwright Rd from Finchley Rd up to Fitzjohns is much worse than Fitzjohns itself. Not as long but a fair bit steeper, and with a "false flat" at the top to prolong the agony. Part of my commute for a year and a half, both of them.

Pentonville road, so hard my ears started bleeding with all the effort

so hard? that's barely a hill, it's more of a sloped road frankly.

Road from Wimbledon Station to Wimbledon Village - fucking steep if admittedly short.

so hard? that's barely a hill, it's more of a sloped road frankly.

Road from Wimbledon Station to Wimbledon Village - fucking steep if admittedly short.

+1

I was dragging people out to (and up) those hills when a bijou residence in London's famous West London was still a fantasy in your pre-pubescent grey matter.

I don't live in a swamp and I certainly didn't fantasise about the shit hole I'm in now.

The main problem for me is I'm going to have to carry a frickin' A-Z just to escape the cursed Norf. :)

After this discution I decided to tackle some of these hills to see what was worse. Last week I went up Musswell Hill and its ok. It is long and steep but the serface is good and you are in a bus lane all the way so you can get a rythem going. It is now officialy easier than Highgate hill. Next up Swains Lane.

Swaines is great fun. Probably a lot nicer on a high sixties GI than the mid seventies that I always seem to end up riding when I do it.

The first time I rode up it I was on my old BMX. That I cannot recommend.

I went up Dartmouth Park hill on my BMX last night. It was easier than it is fixed. Weird.

Swains should be ok as my GI is in the 60s anyway. Maybe on the way to North Drinks tonight. You heading up this way?

swains lane hits you when you don't expect it and there is no-where to go ;)

Swains lane does have the pub at the top acting like a tracktor beam.

It totally depends what time I get out of work tonight.
I'd love to come for a few but fear I'll be stabbing myself in the back for later in the week.

Head up for a couple. Having said that, I always come for just a couple and it always ends up being more.

Being a yorkshire lad (SHAME) I'd be inclined to agree. A hill isn't a real hill unless you die half way up it.

Nine months later and nobody's got that one?

the Bristol one I imagine nigh impossible fixed would be the small lane that goes from the coach station up to Kingsdown parade? I remember arriving back to Uni after summer with a fully laden car and nearly breaking the engine on that mother.

I held my girlfriend's car on the clutch at the top of that hill once when the lights were red. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life - especially when the lights changed and I realised I was already revving the life out of it just to keep it from rolling back down the hill.

I take it you went to Bristol Uni then? I used to live in Cotham/Redland and had to cycle up Cotham Brow every bloody day. It was only in my last week at uni that I got over myself and accepted that cycling a little further and going down Whiteladies Road, thus avoiding the hill altogether, wasn't altogether that shameful...

Nine months later and nobody's got that one?
I almost deserve a slap for that one.

Road from Wimbledon Station to Wimbledon Village - fucking steep if admittedly short.

wimbledon hill

still nothing compared to what you get on a ride out of london

although all hills become much bigger when they appear at the end of a 70 mile ride

yes, wimbledon hill, I used to cycle up there on 52-16, a fucking pain in the arse as I have to legged it as much as I can to gain enough speed to push myself up that hill before it get too hard.

I hasn't cycle much hill in London since I live in the SW, which would be harder? a sloped road that go on forever or a steep hill that's very short?

long drags are harder, in general

Every rider is different though. I prefer long drags to short sharp hills.

Short Sharp hills are out of the way quicker but you tend to feel them for about half a mile after making even the flat feel like a bit of a drag. I hate riding up hills. They are not fun at all but I still have this strainge compulsion to go out of my way to find them just to see if I can ride up them.

25% for 40k. Anything less and you may as well bring a TT bike.

i can only do short snaps, long steep drags kill me.

when i rode to portsmouth, there was a road going up over the south downs that no mortal man could cycle up.

BMMF rode over that backwards, on his stayers bike 65x13..

well, perhaps he could, but i would like to see it. for my part, i had trouble walking up it with my bike, it was that steep and that long..

Where is this hill? You know I have to ride it now..

BMMF rode over that backwards, on his stayers bike 65x13..

I was in my 12 for the first half.

south downs, on the way to portsmouth, i'll try and look it up