What are the most challenging climbs in Socal?
10-08-08, 11:36 AM
#26
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The Ski Lifts, on the other hand, I usually hit with 22 miles and 3,500 feet of climbing on my legs, so that's maybe why I think the Ski Lifts are easier than Decker.
The Knoxville Grade on the Knoxville Double is pretty brutal too . . . but that's not in SoCal
Rick / OCRR
10-08-08, 03:42 PM
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The graph JP posted started at the bottom of Baldy Rd. That's one climb. I can see how 152 miles and ten climbs before hand would make Decker more challenging. Although Decker by itself is not that bad, tough, but by no means "the most challenging."
It's just plain to short and with almost perfect weather year around the elements hardly weigh in.
Maybe it's because I'm a heavier rider/climber and long sustained climbs take a toll.
It's just plain to short and with almost perfect weather year around the elements hardly weigh in.
Maybe it's because I'm a heavier rider/climber and long sustained climbs take a toll.
10-08-08, 09:09 PM
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Sulphur Mountain Road and Koenigstein Road off of Highway 150 between Santa Paula and Ojai made a newsboy out of me. Balcom Canyon Road between Santa Paula and wherever is steep but not too long.
10-09-08, 06:11 PM
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10-09-08, 08:49 PM
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Laurel Canyon and Coldwater Canyon are playing Russian Roulette with bikes and cars. It's not a matter of if you'll get killed, it's a matter of when. A few days ago I climbed Sepulveda (quite safe), turned onto Skirball, climbed up to Mulholland, and rode over to Coldwater. Now it's been about 9 months since the last time I rode Coldwater, and I guess I had forgotten how stupid a move it is to ride it, so I took a left and headed down to the Valley again. It didn't take long for me to remember why never to ride there. And that was a descent; ascents are even worse because you have no hope of keeping up with traffic.
10-09-08, 11:24 PM
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I've been in better climbing form in the past but Before I did Breathless Agony in 2007, I did Baldy Rd to the village about a week before BA.
BA was doable on my double 39/25. But on Baldy Rd, I almost puked 4 times between the tunnels and the village!
...That section kills me!
BA was doable on my double 39/25. But on Baldy Rd, I almost puked 4 times between the tunnels and the village!
...That section kills me!
10-12-08, 12:29 AM
#37
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The Mulholland Challenge Century does Decker and a lot of those other SM Mountains roads. I think the total ascent is 12000 feet. Here's a link for the route on Google Maps:
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...1,0.55069&z=11
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...1,0.55069&z=11
10-12-08, 07:34 AM
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10-13-08, 12:05 PM
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Toughest climbs
The book The Complete Guide to Climbing By Bike has the best list of the most difficult CA climbs I have seen. Amazon and others carry it.
10-14-08, 06:18 PM
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10-14-08, 11:02 PM
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Edit: my backyard climb (a mile from my house) is listed as the #7 most difficult 5 miles
10-15-08, 04:04 PM
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These may not be the most challenging climbs around, but they sure beat the lycra off my butt.
I have yet to do all three together (I've done the first two together two or three times) but once my sprained ankle is better, I'm going to try it.
And the 30% grade on the last climb is going to make it a lot of fun to do at the end.
I have yet to do all three together (I've done the first two together two or three times) but once my sprained ankle is better, I'm going to try it.
And the 30% grade on the last climb is going to make it a lot of fun to do at the end.
