On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 11:33:16 AM UTC-7, wrote:
I live in the flatlands and not a great climber but pretty solid rider. I have done some climbs according to various categories that are 3 and 4 rated. I got them ok on a 34-28 but not just easy. So I see the Alpe D'Huez and the rating plus going up 8 % for over 8 miles seems a bit much for me to comprehend.

Do most mortals who do the Alpe D"Huez go up without stopping during the climb? One climb I do is overall about 6% and it goes on for 1.2 miles. The very last section gets to 9% or about maybe 1/4 mile. I tell you I can get up no problem but I just cannot see keep that up for another 7 miles. I am pretty spent the last 200 feet.

So I assume those climbing these on tours and such are pretty decent cyclist but what gearing. Would a 34-32 really make it that much easier to manage than say a 34-28 that I use now. They say sitting is the best way to climb but I guess I just do not do enough of it to really tell. I do know that when I am around more hilly terrain after a few days I get better at climbing.

Does the average cyclist planning to climb something like the Alpe D Huez factor in a break of a few minutes at some point or points. Any climbing experts in this group.



mark

I'm 73 now and so far this year have 75,000 feet of climbing. It has to be more than 5% grade (6% or more) to be classified as climbing.

Yesterday I did 37 miles and 3,500 feet in a 39/23. Using a big gear, believe it or not, actually uses less energy. Using a gear below 34/28 is generally counter productive since what you gain in less force required to turn the cranks is more than made up for in the length of time you're turning those cranks.

Now if you're so heavy that you can't turn the gear over you have to use smaller and smaller gears but I assume you're just a normal slightly overweight rider.

The trick is to use a slightly smaller gear than the largest one you can turn. And don't try to go fast unless you're a racer. That climb that they did in the Tour de France today we have a copy of without the absolute altitude which has its own problems. I am not particularly strong nor light. Near the top it hits 11% and then 12% for a short distance but basically it is a 10% climb for one mile. I climbed it in a 39-25 a week ago, rode down the other side turned around and went back over from the other side which has several 12% sections but a lot of only 6% stuff as well.

Climbing takes practice. And there is this funny thing each day you're doing these climbs, a 6% climb is a killer until you have to do a 7% and the same for an 8% etc. Then the 6% feels quite mild. 2 1/2 miles from my house is a 1 1/2 mile long 6% climb. It isn't the climb that gets to you as much as the length of the climb. Tunnel Road in Berkeley, CA, is the same sort of thing. It isn't very steep but you can die of old age climbing it.

A couple of months ago I took a trip down to Phoenix. That are tons of rollers around there but very little climbing. I'm back to riding steel bikes and the guys with ultra-light carbon fiber bikes were being left in the dust crying in pain from the climbing. Just practice.