calamarichris

Need a break from all these "Another Cyclist Fatality" threads.

Went to Colorado the week before last and climbed Pikes Peak. 'S one tough mutha. A little over 8K of feet up from Manitou Spgs.
About 3.5 hours to the summit from Manitou, and then less than 45 minutes to get back down to Manitou.






When you get over 13,000 feet, it gets harrrd, and the incline seldom gets below 6% past that point.


Made friends with some kindly Coloradoans on the way up. They said the road was much, much smoother than Mount Evans, which they'd just climbed the week before.

bikemig 

Cool pics; nothing quite like mountains to ride in. I need to get out West and find some.

Shimagnolo

I just went up Pikes Peak on my motorbike week ago.
Bastards charge a motorcycle $12, versus Mt Evans that charges $3.
(I used the $2-off coupon from the PP website.)

Here is what the worst section of Mt Evans looks like;
It is hard to see it in the video, but watch how the bike bounces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hte-8JEsMV0

mobilemail

I'm not worthy!!!

calamarichris

Will try to capture the footage of the descent and some of the ascent on Youtube and post it. Only got up to 50.8mph on the descent, due to traffic and wind. (Was really hoping to crack 60 on this trip, but no dice.)

bobbyl1966

what is the weight of your bike and what crank and cassette do you use. that ride is so hilly is looks good i wish i can do that ride with you

bengreen79

I love the last pic...with the bikes in the lowest gear. So many bike photos show them in the highest gear in front of unnatural backgrounds (or white garage doors).

Dalai

Well done callamarichris! I rode this on my three week USA peakbagging trip back in 2013. Would rate as the toughest climb I did in the States; only climb where I found my 39 29 inadequate!



Not too many places where you have to push 10+% at 4000m!



I rode Mt Evans the day prior and had the road from Echo Lake all to myself. As it was the day after the big floods that hit CO and there were rockslides towards the summit so they closed the lower gate. Although longer, the gradient on Mt Evans is much gentler. Didn't find the road surface too bad, but I did have the whole road to use and take the best line.

Grillparzer

I was stationed at Fort Carson while in the Army and we had a company commander who decided to march us up Pikes Peek on a hiking trail. Three miles from the top he decided we need to run to the summit. That was the first, although not the last, time I actually wanted to kill someone.

Dalai

Found any change to my breathing such a mouthful of food / drink or attempt to up the pace towards the top would send me into the red and gasping for the next little while... Took just under 2:42 to get from Cascade to the summit including stopping at the toll booth to pay and fit the tag to my stem!

anotherbrian

Niiiiiiiiice.

I used to go to Colorado Springs for work a lot and would take my Ritchey Break-Away. Unfortunately bikes weren't allowed to the top of Pikes Peak then (I think there was one day a year it was open), so I spent most of my riding time in the Garden of the Gods.

The times I drove to the top, I was gasping for air just walking around. I'll need to go back with the bike.

calamarichris

When were you stationed at Carson? I was stationed there my last 3 years in the Killbot Factory, '92-'94, stationed with Division Artillery, and a little artillery/land radar unit. I used to run up that trail almost every weekend in the summer.
It's a seriously beautiful hike. I had plenty of black bear encounters, and even a few mountain lion run-ins. And those weird "Marmots" that look like some kind of badger/rodent.
Bet I've hiked Barr Trail over 100 times.

Dalai

Was only opened year round to bikes in 2013 after a successful trial in 2012. Bit pricey at $12 but worth it!

Barr trail over 100 times calamarichris? Impressive!

TGT1

Shimagnolo

Use $2-off coupon near the bottom left of this page: Local Attractions around Colorado Springs Coupons

calamarichris

Not that impressive when you live there for 3 years and don't make enough money as a lowly Army Corporal to do much else.
Everyone else in the barracks would go to the stripclub every payday, while I went to Barr Trailhead.
I got called "f@g" a lot.

TrojanHorse

fog?

That's some nice scenery - quite a moonscape near the top!

Pamestique 

It's hard to hike around at 14,000 ft... can't imagine riding a bike that hard. Awesome ride!

calamarichris

I stopped quite a few times above 13000 feet, to ah... to take these pictures for your enjoyment (yeah, that's it.)
Weird sensation riding up there. Temps are either burning hot or freezing cold, your lips & fingernails turn blue (and swell in the gloves) from lack of oxygen, and I couldn't get my heartrate past 160, no matter how hard I tried on the steepest sections.

I took it easier this time, but only stopped twice back in 2013, because I saw a couple of other skinnies pedaling up the mountain behind me. I gave them a 5-minute head start on the descent, but still caught them. (The advantage of vintage steel and Sherman-tankesque 32-spoke wheels.)






It's a pretty memorable experience if you can make it to Colorado. There are probably some bike rental places down in Colorado Springs.

Leave your corncobs and fixies at home for this one.


And yeah TJ, the barracks-gorillas called me a foggit every payday, because I didn't go to the strip club with them.

Doglover44

Loooks like a tough ride up hope to get out there someday. What kind of bike you got in the pics ?

calamarichris

My beloved '86 Schwinn Peloton with 32-two-cross wheels I built myself. You don't want to have carbon rims coming down this sucker. I only got up to 50.8mph coming down that day, but there was a fair amount of auto traffic and the afternoon wind kicked up.

Doglover44

Looking to get something better got a Huffy cruiser but not built for what I want to do.

Shimagnolo

I found this elevation profile for PP: https://www.brentacol.com/gradient_pics/pikes.png
*Definitely* tougher than Mt Evans, which is pretty much a straight line of a steady 5-6%!

Lesper4

That is awesome Chris! Very Beautiful, I imagine those 6% start to fill closer to 9% as the oxygen thins out.

calamarichris

Nice work Dalai. You must be pretty fit to ride Evans and then Pikes in rapid succession. I rode with an MTB cassette, and had a much easier gear than you did: 39-34.