Next Year's (now This Year's) Classic Rides

[Old Ned]

This rough map will give you an idea of the elevation profile, etc.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/923401

Thanks for that! Looks like the profile map for a Tour de France stage with all the big 'cols' included :shock:

Good job it's only 53 miles rather then 153.

Regarding climbs local to Leeds, as I've not (yet!) been up Nick O'Pendle I can't really comment but there's lots of steep climbs on side roads around the Halifax/Hebden Bridge area.

 

[nammonk]

^^ some of those valley-side hills are much steeper than Nick o' Pendle. If you can get up them, you'll be absolutely fine. I think the Nick is only about 1 in 9, but it goes on for a bit.
Nick (o' Sheffield)

 

[daccordimark]

Those side roads out of Hebden Bridge sure are brutal. I fell foul of a 1-in-5 one last week and found myself barely maintaining forward motion and stuck in a sprocket about halfway up the block. Just before I ground to a halt I spied a side road at a lesser gradient and nipped in with the idea of doing a u-turn and changing onto the biggest sprocket as I descended back onto the main road. As I looked up I realised it was a teeny tiny dead end street about 20 yards long and only just managed the u-turn and gear change before being spat back out onto the main road. Still, it worked I managed to finish the climb on the bike rather than off it.

I reckon if I can survive that 40+ mile ride on my modern bike with 28mm Gatorskins, heavy wheels and mudguards on 39/26 then the Daccordi with sprints and tubs and the same size gear 42/28 should be OK for the Witches event. Mind you the total ascent is more than I've ever done before so maybe that will wear me down.

The Daccordi might have to make an appearance on some clubruns soon to see if old steel is tougher to pedal up the hills of West Yorkshire than new alu.

Mark.

 

[Old Ned]

only about 1 in 9, but it goes on for a bit.
Nick (o' Sheffield)

'Only' he says.

I'm 'only' 65 - and some people say I go on a bit :roll:

 

[daccordimark]

 

[Kerplunk]

I'm going to stop reading this thread now because in my head (where my legs and lungs work better than in real life) I'm thinking that the joys of a compact chainset giving me 34/25 would make it a breeze. This also ignores the fact that my usual ride is 15 miles (3 or 4 times a week) with the only steep bit being 11% and only a few hundred metres.

 

[daccordimark]

with the only steep bit being 11% and only a few hundred metres.

But that's as steep as Nick O' Pendle so you'll be fine.

 

[nammonk]

Fair points Ned, but I maintain that N o'P is a sight easier than the hills out of Hebden Bridge! I had the same problem as Mark on one of them, but only had 42/23 to call on (flatland bike) and consequently fell off. Had to do the walk of shame up the rest of it in cleats... Anyway, I thought that at 65 the diesel engine was only just running in...

If you really want a test, try Ramsbottom Rake... Just down the road from the Witches route.

Nick

 

[Old Ned]

Anyway, I thought that at 65 the diesel engine was only just running in...

Nick

You might like to think that..................

I compare it to the difference between a good old British 650cc single cylinder motor bike (BSA, Triumph, AJS etc.) and a 4-cylinder (or more!) water cooled Japanese 'screamer'.

I know which I prefer. A lot less revs and apparent effort but much more classy

 

[Kerplunk]

with the only steep bit being 11% and only a few hundred metres.

But that's as steep as Nick O' Pendle so you'll be fine.

Its not so much the steepness on its own as the distance to ride at that gradient, oh and then the miles and miles to cover after that.