Your steepest hill ?

Hi folks,

Just thought I'd let you know about this little ride I did. It's not in the smoke, so appols for that. However, I thought it may interest you nonetheless.
Been to Yorkshire, up on the moors, on hols this week.
Fantastic weather generally, and some great riding to be had there.
A friend of mine let me know about a climb I had to try out, Rosedale Chimney. Anyone heard of it?
At it's steepest, it's 1 in 3 ! H O L Y S H - T !
So, having swapped the 12- 23 casette for a 13 - 26 from one of my mtb's , paired with a 39 at the front.

the bike was ready, even if I wasn't !

Left the cottage we were staying in, the villages around here really are lovely,

And headed towards the climb. Around an hour and 20 - and a lot of it uphill - later I was approaching it, the BIG ONE!

Can you see it yet? Above the handlebars .

Starts off steep, so first gear straight away, trying to save something. Around the tight r/h hairpin, then the sharp l/h corner, then onto the steepest part. Started off ok, but rapidly ran out of puff and cadence at the same time! BUGGER! As I took a foot out, I fell over, 1 in 3 tarmac and Look shoe plates are not a match made in heaven! Here's where I got to.

Took a shot of the lovely view

before carrying on to the top. Made the rest of the climb ok. I had stalled at around 30 metres before it flattened off, to a 1 in 6 ! Kicked myself that I hadn't tried to get out of the saddle.

Pride dented - well I was twice a club hill-climb champ - I had another go at it the following day, successfully. Honking and zig-zagging up it this time!

Anyone else have similar tales to tell about their gravity-defying exploits? Triumphant or otherwise !

BT

I've done that. Well I haven't, I didn't have the gearing for it! I was heading to a stag do in the middle of no-where up there and thought I ride across the moors. I got off the train, and with no reception on my phone I had to ask some old boot which way to the moors? He asked if I was doing the chimney, then explained it. Shit is insane.

Amazing when you get to the top though, riding along the ridge. I also hit 50mph on the long downhill. Love to do it again. I've also sat on that bench.

Interesting riding along the top afterwards. In 53 x 14, with sheep wandering around. And on a wet road !

Fford Pen Llech in Harlech. Not as long but hits 40% so a tad steeper than Rosedale. Moderately brutal.

Church street in Hebden Bridge was used a few times during the Kellogs road races. Then there's the climb out of Thursden Valley. Mind you I live in Rossendale so I'm spoilt for choices for punishing hills. There's the infamous hill climb near me called Rake Hill and the short very steep Pike Turn at Waterfoot.

I may look those up, what area are we talking about?

40% ! Bloody hell ! I had trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground on the one I grovelled up. Obviously, when I was in the saddle! Lol

Had a crack at Constitution Hill in Swansea when visiting friends in April. Only 300m but at 18% all the way and cobbles it's pretty brutal.

There's Downe Road in Kent too, 25 or 30% at it's steepest.

Bury Hill just outside Arundel is 20% at a point, it's on a really shit A road too. Would not ride again.

Not done the one in Kent, but I found Constitution Hill to be not too difficult really. Think I may have been on a 21 going up there.
Be a bugger in the wet though !
Try the Paterberg or Koppenberg in Flanders for a proper cobbled climb! A lot more bumpy a road than the one in Swansea

BT

Muro di Sormano is an interesting experience

Almost forgot! I did the Mur de Huy the day after le Tour went up it. It's not too bad really, bit like Ditchling Beacon.

That's near Bignor roman villa, used to live nearby. Cycled loads around there. I never thought it seemed anywhere near as steep as 20% though.

I've done Constitution Hill too, the cobbles make it way worse than it would otherwise be, especially as it's constantly raining there and cars can't drive on the top section meaning there's lots of moss.

Downs Road used to be on my route from Herne Hill to Sevenoaks. Used to dread it until I (sometimes) made it up, and then love having done it after.

It's the last corner that kicks up that makes it a PITA.

I got one wrong....its church lane, Hebden Bridge not street

This fella has a few of my local hills on his list...

http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/508/cycling/hill-climbs/

Sorry the area is several local to me..

East lancs, Calderdale and greater Manchester which always strikes me as weird.

The Pendle 600km audax is based round here and Andy Corlass only lives down t'road.

I'm surprised that's 20% on any part of it. Seems less than that when riding up it

Not been up any Ardennes climbs, I confess. Love the cobbled ones further north though! The Beacon is not bad really, either. And faster to ride up than the 8mins roughly of the one in Yorkshire. By a good couple of minutes.

BT

Really hate riding that. Look out for Bignor Hill round there. Has a couple of switch backs that I would advise you don't ride on the inside.

Also Steyning Bostal but from Newham Lane. No false flat to recover.

I attempted Winnats Pass last weekend.

I say attempted, because it was the steepest hill I'd ever come across (28% in places), I'd foolishly decided to ride in the Peak District fixed at 72gi, and as a result I walked pretty much the whole way.

The scenery is hellishly dramatic and beautiful though, so I wasn't too bothered about taking it in at walking pace.

I'll go back and try it again at some point, with many more gears.

http://veloviewer.com/segment/901876 this is steepest so far this year.

Bwlch y Groes was one of the hardest I have done that hasn't already been mentioned,
Bushcombe lane in the Cotswolds is also pretty tough, and comes early in the Cotswolds Corker

I've forgotten the name of this, it's 25% and it was in the Autumn epic when I rode it a few years ago

@BelgianToothpaste - Beautiful bike and photos!

Maybe not comparing like for like (or perhaps completely missing the point of the topic) but Monte Zoncolan is rather brutal, averaging at 15% for the middle 6 (six!) kilometers. Max gradient over 20% as well.

I just about managed the Bealach na Ba in Scotland a couple of weeks back. It is meant to be Britains longest steep hill with over 2000ft of climbing over 5.5miles. Gradients up to 20%. I admit I had to stop frequently near the top but I made it on the bike all the way up, from both directions may I add! I was running a 42x26 which wasn't ideal, on the steeper sections it was a fight to just keep the pedals moving! Heres a pic from near the top:

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