That one hill...

[jonbott]

we live near the top of a long hill and I do try and make my ride circle around it so my last mile or so is down hill instead of the long slog up,I think it helps

[Audax67]

Not thinking of any particular hill, but I've noticed that when a given hill gave me trouble back when I began serious cycling I still tend to avoid it now, even though it's easy in comparison to other things I've done since.

[rbreid]

One hill!!!!!!!!!! Used to live in Ballater. Glen shee, The Lecht, Glen Gairn and over to Upper Donside, O'er the top tae the Mearns. Overinflated ego was the only thing that kept me in the saddle back then. At the age I am now I'm quite comfortable walking the bike up the wee rise before the Chapel O' Gearie coffee shop

[Slowroad]

Of course; there's one near my house that isn't really steep, and isn't really long at all. However it's always the first bit of incline I hit about 1/4 mile into my ride, so I'm not warmed up at all, so it's always a struggle, the steeper stuff after that; all fine.

Yep, I can vouch for that!

We live in the centre of this lot. A390 Gunnislake.

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Aargh! Gunnislake! I was visiting friends in the South-west this year, partly cycling, partly catching trains. I'd booked a train from Gunnislake to Bodmin, had the morning to cycle from a super little campsite at Winkleigh. Thought I'd got there when I crossed over the Tamar - couldn't believe how high up the rail line was! Did catch the train though. And I'd had a super ride, until then it'd been less hilly than expected.

[Bogalvator]

Spratton Road in to Brixworth, Northants. Especially in winter! As others have mentioned, starting from Spratton you come down a couple of big hills as soon as you leave home, so you don't get a chance to warm up. I swear I got the "ice cream head" feeling a couple of time by the time I got to the bottom during that winter season 2010 / 2011! Then it's straight in to an 8% hill (that's sheer for Northants btw) with stiff legs and ice blocks for your feet, grim!

Moved away from there now so do have to do it too often now except by choice. Miss the area, but not that hill on a daily commute!

[Vorpal]

My commute includes almost 1000 ft of climbing. I usually take the 'easy' route, which is a bit longer, but does the 1000 ft in about 7 miles.

My alternate route is a little more than 1000 ft climbing, but does the big hill in under 5 miles. It's not actaully the big hill that gets me. I'm used to it. It's just that on the alternate route, after I've done the big hill, there's a sort of short cut through a residential area. It's about 1/2 mile shorter than on the main road, and almost traffic-free. But it has a very steep 50ish ft climb on it. Two days out 3 that I go that way, I end up walking on that hill. When I do make it up without walking, it's on the power of sheer stubbornness.

[PaulCumbria]

I've got one. Near my home, like so many of these seem to be. It's called Beast Banks - nuff said! (It's the one the Kendal stage of the Tour of Britain finished on this year).

[chris3vic]

I've got one. Near my home, like so many of these seem to be. It's called Beast Banks - nuff said! (It's the one the Kendal stage of the Tour of Britain finished on this year).

Good god Paul, to be fair that really is a hill!

[brat]

I've got one. Near my home, like so many of these seem to be. It's called Beast Banks - nuff said! (It's the one the Kendal stage of the Tour of Britain finished on this year).

My home commute takes me up Beast Banks every day. To be fair, my commute is only 2 miles, but sticking that short sharp shock in the middle gives the commute some value.

The tester for me, probably because it's my regular end of ride climb is the climb to the top of the scar from Underbarrow. I'm drained at the top of that!

[Mick F]

Aargh! Gunnislake!

I often think that!

Back in the days when I was commuting, we lived at the top of the hill thank goodness!

[PaulCumbria]

The tester for me, probably because it's my regular end of ride climb is the climb to the top of the scar from Underbarrow. I'm drained at the top of that!

I do Kendal to Waterhead as a commute, and by the time I get to Kendal on the way back, even Queens Road is a challenge!

[RickH]

Hills! - Bring em on I say!

I really can't be doing with flat roads - I find them hard work unless there's at least a bit of undulation.

Maybe that's just practice, having lived for the last 30 years on the side of a dirty great hill.

It definitely isn't Flatlandia round here! We live at about 750ft & the direction I most often want to go involves climbing to around 900 ft in the first 1/3 mile. Admittedly that then means a longish, generally downhill ride to where I want to go - unless I'm off out for a ride in the hills, in which case there is generally a lot more ups, as well as the downs. Coming home involves regaining the 900ft before a last, fast descent to home.

I can go the other way, down to the village, dropping to around 500ft in 1/2 mile but unless I'm going somewhere & that is the shortest way to go it generally isn't worth it.
Coming back that way involves re-climbing the 250ft in the last 1/2 mile or going the longer way round to the top of the hill which is about 1.9 miles to get from 500ft up to the 900ft first mentioned for a final drop to home. I'll usually do the shorter, steeper route unless I want to get that extra mile or so in. If I'm feeling fit, I sometimes take the trailer down to the village & ride back up with it full of shopping.

Rick

[brat]

The tester for me, probably because it's my regular end of ride climb is the climb to the top of the scar from Underbarrow. I'm drained at the top of that!

I do Kendal to Waterhead as a commute, and by the time I get to Kendal on the way back, even Queens Road is a challenge!

Not so bad if you're coming down off W'mere Rd, but to do that, you have to climb to Ratherheath.

Got Red Bank on my radar today! Now that's a bump!

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I had the choice on cycling on hills or never having to go up one I would have to pick hills, otherwise I might never get on my bike.
I went to work in Newmarket for two weeks and took my bike, bored me to tears there were sloppes but the min speed for me was 18MPH up them.
In the car it was worse, a hump back bridge was the highlight of a long drive to nowhere.
Comes from living in devon, going down adds a two fold stroke which gets you up the next hill

[meic]

Yesterday I further convinced myself that it is the location of the hill as much as its incline.

I started a ride just before a hill that was one of my "one hill"s that I used to twiddle up in granny gear and I easily took it while seated using the middle ring. So its position as a hill towards the end of long rides and after a period of flat riding is what made it a dreaded hill.

On the other side of the psychological hardship, I have a small bump at the start of my rides at the end of a 1/2 mile very slightly downhill. You start off full of life and the pedals spin easily up to 20mph then this little bump drags you down to the inner ring, 6mph and a heavy pair of legs, knocking the smile off your face.