My Morning Commute

[huskerdont]

@bentbike33 135979 wrote:

Have you actually ridden a long 10% grade? Try this segment if you ever get to that part of the world: https://www.strava.com/activities/504517466/segments/12175737638. Strava rates the whole segment at 9%, but most of the climb is right around 10%.

Generally speaking, I’ll take the wind.

If I ever get to McLean/Falls Church? Maybe a wrong link in there unless I’m misunderstanding something.

I may have been exaggerating my preference for steep hills somewhat, but I like hills and mountains. I actually enjoy going up 41st Street in Arlington, which I think is about 10% but with a higher grade at the top. On longer grades in the mountains, I like that point you get to where you’re at near capacity and just settle into it and grind it out. (Roanoke Mountain comes to mind.) Wind is more inconsistent and devilish to me and makes me want to quit. YMMV.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@bentbike33 135979 wrote:

Have you actually ridden a long 10% grade? Try this segment if you ever get to that part of the world: https://www.strava.com/activities/504517466/segments/12175737638. Strava rates the whole segment at 9%, but most of the climb is right around 10%.

Generally speaking, I’ll take the wind.

I’ve ridden Alpe d’Huez, which is 9% for 7.4 MILES. I’ll take that over riding 7.4 miles on the W&OD into a 25mph headwind every day of the week and twice on Sunday. At least there’s a sense of accomplishment when you reach the top of a hill!

@huskerdont 135980 wrote:

I actually enjoy going up 41st Street in Arlington, which I think is about 10% but with a higher grade at the top.

41st St. averages 15.4%, but gets close to 30% for short bits (the switchbacks at the top)

[bentbike33]

@huskerdont 135980 wrote:

If I ever get to McLean/Falls Church? Maybe a wrong link in there unless I’m misunderstanding something.

No, that’s right, McLean/Falls Church. I am no mountaineer, but occasionally do these little hills because they are supposed to be good for me. If you like hills, but can’t get out to the real ones, you should do the Kill Bill route, or the actual event.

[huskerdont]

@TwoWheelsDC 135989 wrote:

41st St. averages 15.4%, but gets close to 30% for short bits (the switchbacks at the top)

Good to know. I don’t have Strava, and Map My Ride is pretty useless for this sort of thing. I thought I remembered a reference somewhere to it being around 10%. Finally found it and it turns out it was an old thread on this forum.

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/archive/index.php/t-1094.html?

Whatever it is, it’s good and steep and about the best I’ve found in my general area, though a bit short unless you do laps (which I have).

[hozn]

@huskerdont 135968 wrote:

I don’t much like wind. I’d trade the wind for a 10% climb for the entire ride if I could.

So the first 2.5 miles I got to pull the double Chariot trailer [empty]. I remember looking down and seeing 300watts, 9.4mph.

The next 12.5 miles I was on my own. Out in one of the wind tunnels west of Hunter Mill, I remember looking down and seeing 400 watts, 14 mph (not on a hill).

Neither of those numbers actually sound harder than riding a 10% grade for 15 miles, so I’ll take the wind. Also the wind is great practice for sustaining a more aerodynamic/aggressive riding position, so I’m grateful for that.

(That all said, I’m looking forward to the reverse commute.)

[americancyclo]

@hozn 136000 wrote:

(That all said, I’m looking forward to the reverse commute.)

Westbound evening commuters: Beware hand shattering low-fives.

[Steve O]

@hozn 136000 wrote:

(That all said, I’m looking forward to the reverse commute.)

Yes, I clipped along at about 25 mph this morning on my ride to HDCC without breaking a sweat.

[kcb203]

@huskerdont 135968 wrote:

I don’t much like wind. I’d trade the wind for a 10% climb for the entire ride if I could.

That is all.

Try Mt. Washington in New Hampshire sometime. You get 7.6 miles at 12%, and plenty of wind as well! Best of both worlds. The day I did it it was an average wind speed of 27 gusting to 49.

[Tim Kelley]

@kcb203 136010 wrote:

Try Mt. Washington in New Hampshire sometime. You get 7.6 miles at 12%, and plenty of wind as well! Best of both worlds. The day I did it it was an average wind speed of 27 gusting to 49.

But was it -19 degrees F??

[huskerdont]

@Tim Kelley 136045 wrote:

But was it -19 degrees F??

It was certainly not negative 19 this morning, and there was precious little snow about. I took the new Masi CX to try it in the snow and I had to divert through parks to find it. Seemed to work out alright. Will need better tires for next winter.

By the way, at one point in that video I swore I saw something about a 42% grade. Is that even possible to ride? I wonder what the steepest grade ever ridden is. Sounds like a job for Google.

[AFHokie]

@huskerdont 136135 wrote:

By the way, at one point in that video I swore I saw something about a 42% grade. Is that even possible to ride? I wonder what the steepest grade ever ridden is. Sounds like a job for Google.

One of the hills in the Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen ride has a 37% grade.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dirty-dozen-bike-race-helps-pittsburgh-live-up-to-its-quirky-reputation/2015/11/28/3bd6b272-961e-11e5-a2d6-f57908580b1f_story.html

[huskerdont]

@AFHokie 136139 wrote:

One of the hills in the Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen ride has a 37% grade.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dirty-dozen-bike-race-helps-pittsburgh-live-up-to-its-quirky-reputation/2015/11/28/3bd6b272-961e-11e5-a2d6-f57908580b1f_story.html

Amazing. Riders sometimes fall over sideways on the Westernport Wall as well, which I think peaks in the low 30s. (Great youtube videos out there of that if interested.)

[Boo Boo]

@AFHokie 136139 wrote:

One of the hills in the Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen ride has a 37% grade.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dirty-dozen-bike-race-helps-pittsburgh-live-up-to-its-quirky-reputation/2015/11/28/3bd6b272-961e-11e5-a2d6-f57908580b1f_story.html

I’ve ridden it….well, attempted it. Made it ~2/3rds of the way up on my best effort. The grade was actually somewhat manageable, at least from a leg/lung standpoint (and I’m far from in amazing shape), but the cobblestones, and the grass growing in between them, just make it brutal – back wheel spun out several times on each attempt. I just couldn’t find a sweetspot, body-position wise, to have enough traction on the back wheel but also stay forward enough to keep myself balanced .

That said, I look forward to trying it again sometime! It was a hoot to spend an hour or so there with some buddies.

[img]https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/v/t1.0-9/10501863_10204465593781314_1077417369538738881_n.jpg?oh=0c4bab883ebd4e9a0c68cd79879d12e7&oe=576AC409[/img]

[Terpfan]

Attracted the fun friend on Washington St in OT whom proceeded to honk several times. My favorite part was that I was booking it in the right lane at an average of about 20mph there, the middle lane had plenty of openings, and there was a bus a few blocks ahead. After the fifth horn tap, I almost came to a complete stop in the road to turn around and say wtf, but decided to imagine my inner-Pete and how miserable this person must be to be riding in on a beautiful early spring morning. The rest of the ride was quite pleasant. Looking forward to 60 degrees en route home.

[huskerdont]

This morning I ran into Fast Friendly Guy and we dodged potholes down M Street and Pennsylvania. There is truth in advertising in his name.

[Author]

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