Mt Washington

[rapistwit]

I'm registered for the hill climb and am curious if anyone here has first hand experience with that hill?
I climb a lot out west but nothing as steep as the 7.6 mile road on Mt Washington. Any gearing suggestions? Should I be thinking about a triple?


Thanks in advance

 

[benpounder]

Any gearing suggestions? Should I be thinking about a triple?

If you are in shape, no. If you have concerns, put a 12x28 on your rear hub. I've done nasty climbs on an 11x24 (Passo Manghen amongst others), and it is just a matter of pacing yourself

[edit: image added]

 

[Snake8]

I've done that race a couple times. Your gearing should reflect your riding style. I like to spin up hills, so I threw mountain middle ring on the front and I think a 28 on the back and took everything else off to shave weight. I would say you want to get as close to 1:1 as you can. Washington is steep and relentless there are literally no flats, so don't expect to recover. The steepest part is the last 100 meters which i think is 22, the rest if I recall correctly is avg 12 with several 18 stretches. If you come off the bike you may have a hard time getting going again.

Check out this site and the tin mountain site. The people on the tin mountain site can give you better info on gearing, and there are a couple of shops in N Conway that may mod your bike for the race.

http://www.northeastcycling.com/NE_Climbs_main.html

I don't think 'being in shape' is really a factor. You are not going to make it if you are not in shape, and you definitely won't make it if you are not in shape and you try it with your standard road gearing.

I love that race, just not a huge fan of the 400+ entry fee.

Weather can be a huge issue so make sure you pack a lot of layers and bring stuff you can get on and off w/o stopping, b/c as i said you are likely to have to go downhill to get going again.

Last thought, if you have the time Mt Ascutney in VT is about half the length of Washington but similar pitch and you can ride it anytime. Take your time double it and add ten minutes and that is likely to be pretty close to your Washington time.

Come back here and post your experience after the race. One of these days I'll pony up and do it again.

 

[BikeCentric]

I'm registered for the hill climb and am curious if anyone here has first hand experience with that hill?
I climb a lot out west but nothing as steep as the 7.6 mile road on Mt Washington. Any gearing suggestions? Should I be thinking about a triple?


Thanks in advance

If you can't spin a 39x25 up that mountain you're going to get your *** kicked. Have fun.

 

[Snake8]

I would go here for gearing advice. I rode pretty close to 1:1, can't recall exact gears, but after the first 100 meters you probably will not change gears.

http://www.mtwashingtonbicyclehillclimb.org/mwarbh/forumarchive/read.cfm?forum=15&id=14393&thread=2278

There is a big difference between the climb posted above which looks like an average 9/10 percent with a max pitch of 15 and this:

not only that but there is a one mile section that is dirt, that yellow section about 2/3 of the way up. If it is wet that section can be ugly. If you are a pro serious mountain goat, stick with your regular gears, if you are anything less, listen to those who have done it and gear down as close as you can to 1:1 unless you want to walk that last 24%!

 

[slcbiker]

The Washington profile is much steeper and shorter than that Italian pass profiled. I'd say spinning up that Italian one in 39x25 would be very doable. But I'd imagine only very strong climbers (Cat1,2,Pro) would be able to "spin" a 39x25 up Mt. Washington.
I'm a fairly good climber and spend a lot of time going up fairly big hills outside of Salt Lake...if I was riding Washington, I'd probably have a 34x28 as a bottom.

 

[rapistwit]

If you can't spin a 39x25 up that mountain you're going to get your *** kicked. Have fun.

You're kidding, right?
Turning a 39x25 @90 would be 11mph (if I did the math right). A fast time up that 7.6 mile mountain road is 1 hour 10 minutes. I don't think Tyler Hamilton juiced can spin a 39 x 25 up that. And I'm not pretending to be a pro rider.

 

[benpounder]

The Washington profile is much steeper and shorter than that Italian pass profiled. I'd say spinning up that Italian one in 39x25 would be very doable...

If you want donuts to donuts comparison, then look to Monte Zoncolan,

or Alto de L'Angliru

I used Manghen only to point out that riding strategies have much to do with what gearing one can use. I did not spin up Manghen using a 38x24 setup - I struggled for the final 5km (10%). Similarly, Col de la Madeleine, from the south, remains the toughest climb I've ever done (with 42x28) not because it is particularly steep, but consistent at 7.9% for 20km. Both Ventoux and Monte Grappe would be right there except for the occasional and much relished recovery zones/false flats.

All that said, Mount Washington is a bear of a climb - it is long enough, and nasty steep - if you accept that it will be a real grind (and if you are in good shape), then a 38x28 setup is doable.

But... however embarrassing a triple chain ring setup might be, the ability to drop into a lower gear when the suffering really begins, makes sense. I’ve never lamented riding really small gears when I’ve summited nasty climbs clean.

 

[Snake8]

however embarrassing a triple chain ring setup might be

Its not embarrassing when you are passing people weaving side to side who started five minutes ahead of you! Thats one thing I noticed about a lot of racers is the need to conform - not saying you BenP - but I've seen some strong riders riding stupid gears and losing big time because of it, riders that could normally kick my ****.

Again it comes down to riding style. 39x28 is likely doable, but getting that closer to 1:1 will help most riders. The other thing that is really key on these climbs is to shave as much weight as you can. Take off your big ring/front derailleur, you wont need them as well as anything else you can shed...

 

[BikeCentric]

You're kidding, right?
Turning a 39x25 @90 would be 11mph (if I did the math right). A fast time up that 7.6 mile mountain road is 1 hour 10 minutes. I don't think Tyler Hamilton juiced can spin a 39 x 25 up that. And I'm not pretending to be a pro rider.

Yes I kid you. You may want to throw a compact double on the front with a 36 tooth little ring for a 36x25. If you are overgeared on something that steep, especially on dirt/wet pavement, you're often SOL as the rear wheel can slip when you get out of the saddle because you're putting so much torque on it.

 

[benpounder]

Its not embarrassing when you are passing people weaving side to side who started five minutes ahead of you! Thats one thing I noticed about a lot of racers is the need to conform...

I've seen this in many sports - fortunately I'm old enough to have learned the lesson. Last time I went to Europe, I left my Ksyrium SL's (with 11-24) at home taking instead the heavier Cosmic wheel-set with 12-28. Were I riding Mt Washington (or Zoncolan or L'Angliru), I'd get rid of the 42 inner ring for a 38 or less, or rent or borrow a bike with a triple...

As you imply, all the mocking looks at the start are forgotten when waiting for those same riders at the finish.

 

[BroDeal]

As you imply, all the mocking looks at the start are forgotten when waiting for those same riders at the finish.

To complete the effect you should put a pair a empty panniers on your bike and grow a beard. That will really rub it in.

Never done Washington. It looks brutal. I know they measured the highest wind speed on earth on top. What is a typical temperature near the top for the race?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Good post Snake8. I haven't ridden Mt. W, but up similar climbs that are smaller.

If I recall correctly, TH rode up it in a compact. Probably something like 34x25 or 27.

In my prime, I probably would have gone for a 34x29 (now I'm too old and slow) but a triple may be smart, just so you have bailout gears. It would really suck to find out it's windy, nasty, you don't feel great, and you're pegged in your 34x27 with no other gears left, and only half-way up the mountain...

According to John Summerson's book, he calls Mt. Washington the toughest climb in America, not counting for altitude. However, his allowances and ratings system isn't that consistent. For example, he allows the gravel on Mt. Washington, but stops the Mauna Kea climb (hardest in the world, IMO) at it's section of gravel. None the less, this is definitely a very, very challenging climb.

 

[rhubroma]

To complete the effect you should put a pair a empty panniers on your bike and grow a beard. That will really rub it in.

Never done Washington. It looks brutal. I know they measured the highest wind speed on earth on top. What is a typical temperature near the top for the race?

That's true at 220 mph. Funny, I went to collage at Plymouth State, N.H. for two years in 88-89 but never road Mt. Washington. But I know guys that have and they all say it's brutal.

For the record, Tyler Hamilton was this high school kid at the Holderness Prep School at Plymouth the time I was there. He's a couple of years younger than me and people were allready talking about this wicked strong kid on the bike at the time. But we never actually met on the road. Strange.

 

[Snake8]

To complete the effect you should put a pair a empty panniers on your bike and grow a beard. That will really rub it in.

Never done Washington. It looks brutal. I know they measured the highest wind speed on earth on top. What is a typical temperature near the top for the race?

I was at my limit tailing some guy on a single speed schwin. he finally dropped me just after the gravel, old school helmet and beard too. Found out later he was some old timer super strong guy, that had been doing these climbs since they started. I ended up yo-yo-ing and only lost a few seconds to him in the end mostly because I was gritting my teeth saying no f'in bike from the 70's is going to kick my a$$.

Another time at another hillclimb this kid maybe 16/17yrs old) in a full postal kit on an old steel bike was doing the side to side weave out of the saddle the entire time. He must have covered twice the distance I did. He blew up hard about 2/3 of the way up and finished well back, but I am convinced if he had a better gear he would have done top 20.

 

[benpounder]

To complete the effect you should put a pair a empty panniers on your bike and grow a beard. That will really rub it in.

When living in Durango there was a legend of a couple of brothers, drunks who had lost their driving privileges’ for years, who lived atop Hesperus Hill. Hesperus is not a small climb, but would rate 2 to 4 on a GT. Legend had it that these bros could drop most everyone - on an old Schwinn... in jeans... with an ankle clip...

I was told you could tell the brothers apart by the hat - Mac Tools ball cap or Stetson.

 

[krebs303]

As you imply, all the mocking looks at the start are forgotten when waiting for those same riders at the finish.

When snobs used to comment on my triple chainring, I just would calmly look them in the eyes and ask "Oh don't they make your bike in a men's model"
Worked every time.

 

[benpounder]

I went to collage at Plymouth State, N.H. ...
Holderness Prep School...the time I was there.

I'm guessing that Dartmouth had filled their scholarship quota with Norwegian ski racers that year.

Said in loving jest from a lad who spent his summers with his grandparents in Center Harbor...