Hills. I hate them. What Would Dirt Do?

[DaveK]

@dcv 14280 wrote:

I want to try too, is 41st similar to this hill? (photo by VVill, potomac st in georgetown)
Also, if you cross over from DC, do you ride C&O canal or Canal rd to get to chain bridge?

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/cc399/vng2327/bike%20posts/attachment-2.jpg

That hill is like 41st St’s baby brother. Bit of advice – do not do 41st St on a track bike. Especially without brakes. Although if you do, let me know so I can come videotape it.

[dcv]

@DaveK 14296 wrote:

That hill is like 41st St’s baby brother. Bit of advice – do not do 41st St on a track bike. Especially without brakes. Although if you do, let me know so I can come videotape it.

I have to try it fixed, I don’t have any bikes with gears. The lowest gearing I have is 48×19 (66 gear inches), I think I have a chance of going up. I wouldn’t try going down without brakes.

Sounds like dirt and jabberwocky have tried it on a fixed gear and came close, their gearing was higher than mine. Has anyone made here made it up that hill fixed?

[creadinger]

Another warm-up hill people may want to try is Forsythe Ave between Bethesda and Silver Spring. If you’re riding up Jones Mill Road, it’s the last right turn before you go under the beltway. It’s not long, but it’s steep and the worst part is near the top.

Since moving to Arlington less than a year ago so far I’ve made it up 41st St each of the 5-6 times I’ve tried it on my steel touring bike, but that does NOT include the vertical little connector path. I don’t even ride down that! One thing I find is that I have to lean really far forward so I don’t ride up it doing a wheelie by accident.

[OneEighth]

I’ve done it and the nasty little path linking to the neighborhood on Thing 1 (my Surly Steamroller fixed at 46×17).
It’s the path at the end with that little turn that makes it so special. Otherwise, I don’t remember it being worse than Walter Reed up from 4 Mile Run.
Maybe I’m just suppressing it…

[DaveK]

It’s not so much pushing the right gear that I would worry about as trying to get out of your pedal retention if you’re doing it brakeless and have to stop. If you stop on that hill you’re going straight backwards.

[jabberwocky]

@dcv 14297 wrote:

Sounds like dirt and jabberwocky have tried it on a fixed gear and came close, their gearing was higher than mine. Has anyone made here made it up that hill fixed?

Both Dirt and I run front brakes on our fixies though. Because we aren’t suicidal. :p

That hill is totally doable fixed. I’ve come close. I know if I was there on a day I was riding well I’d make it up.

[Tim Kelley]

@americancyclo 13961 wrote:

oh shoot. good bye KOMs. it was nice while it lasted.

http://app.strava.com/segments/764318

http://app.strava.com/segments/726473

[eminva]

My only experience using Strava was logging my miles (or kilometers) for the Festive 500. I had no idea it had all those intermediate sprints until I finished my commute in on the first day. I was puttering along at my usual commuter pace. I was mortified when I downloaded the data and saw how many lanterne rouges I had just racked up.

I note your second segment (above) doesn’t have any female finishers, so I guess I could go knock that one off this week and have a QOM.

Liz

[KLizotte]

@Tim Kelley 14279 wrote:

Yes! The legend of 41st Street claims another victim.

Now you’ve got a challenge and goal to work towards! You’re really going to enjoy it the first time you make it over now.

But he made it up the street itself – doesn’t that count?! Wow, you guys are tough!

[OneEighth]

@DaveK 14302 wrote:

It’s not so much pushing the right gear that I would worry about as trying to get out of your pedal retention if you’re doing it brakeless and have to stop. If you stop on that hill you’re going straight backwards.

Incentive, no?

[americancyclo]

@Tim Kelley 14325 wrote:

http://app.strava.com/segments/764318

http://app.strava.com/segments/726473

Thanks for the update. I have a feeling even with a kid and groceries, Tim would still be faster than me.

[Tim Kelley]

@americancyclo 14341 wrote:

Thanks for the update. I have a feeling even with a kid and groceries, Tim would still be faster than me.

Those efforts were on the fast bike (note: not the fastest bike). There was plenty of work being done. You’ve got some other fun KOMs in south Arlington that I want to check out sometime too!

[americancyclo]

@Tim Kelley 14345 wrote:

Those efforts were on the fast bike (note: not the fastest bike). There was plenty of work being done. You’ve got some other fun KOMs in south Arlington that I want to check out sometime too!

The south Arlington ones on and around Ridge Rd are a lot of fun, particularly June St to Oakcrest Park Summit and there’s some great hills over in Anacostia too! If you find any more fun climbs over there, mark them up so I can try them. most of those i found through Strava, or just by looking at elevation maps of the area.

[Subby]

I scooted past the Walter Reed hill on my long run yesterday. Hoe-lee SHEET. I think I had a tiny embolism just looking up that incline.

[americancyclo]

I find 41st to be far steeper than Walter Reed. I think Walter Reed is about the same elevation gain, but twice as long, so the grade isn’t as daunting.

[Author]

Posts