How to hillstart on a steep lane

[Vorpal]

If you have lots of hills like that, maybe you need lower gears

[Xilter]

Most rides I do are about 100ft per mile of ascent. Last ride, was 38miles and 3,900ft of climbing and I never even noticed until I uploaded my stats.

At that rate I’m surprised a space shuttle isn’t required to get to Cornwall. And being there all you would need to get to the moon is a short rope bridge

[Mick F]

It's the perils of living here.

We have two main valleys hereabouts. Tamar Valley and Lynher Valley. Both run north/south just like all the other rivers in Cornwall. In order to go east or west, you have to up and down, and then coming home, you do it again. Going north/south isn't any easier, because the rivers meander this way and that, so there's no escape.

Nearest town of any size is in Tavistock, Devon. It too is in a valley, and between the Tamar Valley and the River Tavy Valley, you have the Lumburn Valley too. Just going from Gunnislake village centre to Tavistock town centre, a distance of only 4.75 miles, but you have over 600ft of ascent. It's up and down twice to get there.

We all know that fuel economy suffers as well as braking systems in our cars even just driving to the shops in Tavistock.

We have too many contour lines and we could export them if anyone wanted some.

[pwa]

:lol:
It's the perils of living here.

We have two main valleys hereabouts. Tamar Valley and Lynher Valley. Both run north/south just like all the other rivers in Cornwall. In order to go east or west, you have to up and down, and then coming home, you do it again. Going north/south isn't any easier, because the rivers meander this way and that, so there's no escape.

Nearest town of any size is in Tavistock, Devon. It too is in a valley, and between the Tamar Valley and the River Tavy Valley, you have the Lumburn Valley too. Just going from Gunnislake village centre to Tavistock town centre, a distance of only 4.75 miles, but you have over 600ft of ascent. It's up and down twice to get there.

We all know that fuel economy suffers as well as braking systems in our cars even just driving to the shops in Tavistock.

We have too many contour lines and we could export them if anyone wanted some.

Sell some to the Fens.

[foxyrider]

Most rides I do are about 100ft per mile of ascent. Last ride, was 38miles and 3,900ft of climbing and I never even noticed until I uploaded my stats.

At that rate I’m surprised a space shuttle isn’t required to get to Cornwall. And being there all you would need to get to the moon is a short rope bridge

As Mick will probably agree, its not gaining a lot of altitude but a lot of smaller (depends on your poin of view ) ascents. (yes I know there are longer climbs up onto the moors but they are the exception) Hereabouts I can do the same or even more climbing but it's often in a single ascent.

Some are quite gentle for longer distances (the east side of the Snake Pass can be argued to be @ 15km, one route onto the Woodhead Pass climbs from Sheffield for some 25km!), others are much steeper (Mam Nick rises 220m in 2km with grades of up to 30% in fact one short bit is actually well over 40%).

The big difference hereabouts is that even the steeper lanes are generally wider or at least have some verge. In the event of an uphill stop there is almost always enough road to do a 90 degree start. It's similar across the Pennine region.

[Vorpal]

Or you could try Norway. If I set off to the north from my house, say to the cafe at the top of the hill, it's 1089 ft in under 3 miles. I don't know the exact gradients, but I've walked it, more or less straight up the hill, which is just under 2 miles. I've also cycled it. I have a choice of two routes, one that is 2.3 miles, and one that is 2.7 miles.

[thirdcrank]

I should have thought that if a road was wide enough for a rider to be able to start by riding at an angle to the kerb sufficient to lessen the effective gradient, then they would be unlikely to have to stop in the first place to allow a vehicle to overtake.

[Xilter]

I was BTW only jesting. My wife always bangs on about this “massive” hill she had to walk up every day to college. It’s a half mile out off my commute but I had to investigate. Running 3*8 on my second hand MTB in my 2nd bottom gear willing myself to try harder and not to engadge the lowest. Had I needed to stop I’d have been turning around going back down.

[NetworkMan]

Or you could try Norway. If I set off to the north from my house, say to the cafe at the top of the hill, it's 1089 ft in under 3 miles. I don't know the exact gradients, but I've walked it, more or less straight up the hill, which is just under 2 miles. I've also cycled it. I have a choice of two routes, one that is 2.3 miles, and one that is 2.7 miles.

I'm envious. Not cycling but walking - 2 weeks in the Jotunheimen in the 1970's staying at DNT huts carrying all our stuff. Marvellous, one day walked 18 miles and only met two or three other people all the way.

[Vorpal]

Or you could try Norway.

I'm envious. Not cycling but walking - 2 weeks in the Jotunheimen in the 1970's staying at DNT huts carrying all our stuff. Marvellous, one day walked 18 miles and only met two or three other people all the way.

I like it, hills and all. But Jotunheimen is little more remote than where I live!

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Give me hills and remote any day rather that Xmas dinner................with the inlaws

18 miles pfhhh........two days & 70 miles on the pennine way and one poor soul going other way with box of sandwiches twenty miles from road.....not a word was spoke

[RickH]

It always amuses me the differences between home, up the side of, the now famous, Winter Hill & Chester, where I do quite a lot of cycling these days (piloting tandem for a sight impaired friend).

Thursday last week I was just getting about - car to garage & ride home (3.6 miles), ride to eldest daughter's house to mind grandchildren (2.7 miles each way), finally ride back to garage to collect car (another 3.6 miles). Just 12.6 miles total but 1099ft ascent logged.

Today led a ride for Chester CTC - 61.7 miles & 1378ft of ascent.

Chester is somewhat flatter methinks!

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Don't ever go cycling in Newmarket, I nearly cried.
Its probably ok if you are with someone on flatland, but hills give you something to get to grip with and are satisfying, bit like driving on motorways.

[foxyrider]

Hi,
Don't ever go cycling in Newmarket, I nearly cried.
Its probably ok if you are with someone on flatland, but hills give you something to get to grip with and are satisfying, bit like driving on motorways.

Newmarket isn't bad, it isn't completely flat like a bit further north and west. Mind numbing is when you do 200km with 250m of ascent! And that's all in bridges / dykes! Even up here in GOC i've done 150km rides with under 300m of up mostly at one end of the ride.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
The slowest speed up hill in Newmarket for me was 18 mph on the fat tourer
If you are in a group you might maintain sanity, but on your own..............especially if there are no bends in road.
Even my car drives there meant that a bridge was a novelty