2017 On the road today

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

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Mr.Gib
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by Mr.Gib

@Kingtom re Tremola/St Gotthard Pass. Absolutely a bucket list climb.

I expected the climb to be made much harder by the cobbles (the cobbles are not smooth at all) but I was surprised that they didn't seem to require that much extra effort. And it was a pretty big day for us, started in Splugen, went over the San Bernadino pass, amazing endless descent to Arbedo-Castione and than back up to the Gotthard and on to Andermatt. In fact the 20 km climb to the base of St. Gotthard felt every bit as hard as the pass itself. Maybe it was the blazing sun - mercifully clouds came in for the pass.

Kingtom, you knowledge of things Swiss is impressive. Here are two photos of another more obscure but incredible climb. If you know it without using an app I will be blown away.
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wheelsONfire wrote: When we ride disc brakes the whole deal of braking is just like a leaving a fart. It happens and then it's over. Nothing planned and nothing to get nervous for.

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wingguy
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by wingguy

Grosse Scheidegg from Meiringen?

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havana
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by havana

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Rettenbachferner, Austria. A real beast!
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kingtom
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by kingtom

Mr.Gib wrote:@Kingtom re Tremola/St Gotthard Pass. Absolutely a bucket list climb.

I expected the climb to be made much harder by the cobbles (the cobbles are not smooth at all) but I was surprised that they didn't seem to require that much extra effort. And it was a pretty big day for us, started in Splugen, went over the San Bernadino pass, amazing endless descent to Arbedo-Castione and than back up to the Gotthard and on to Andermatt. In fact the 20 km climb to the base of St. Gotthard felt every bit as hard as the pass itself. Maybe it was the blazing sun - mercifully clouds came in for the pass.

Kingtom, you knowledge of things Swiss is impressive. Here are two photos of another more obscure but incredible climb. If you know it without using an app I will be blown away.
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Yes. Too easy... as wingguy wrote. Grosse Scheidegg.

It's easy to know when you life in Switzerland and ride the bike for >20'k over so many years. You'll know each stone on the side of the street by name. [emoji23][emoji23]

Haydn
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by Haydn

omg :beerchug:

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Mr.Gib
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by Mr.Gib

Wingguy and Kingtom, hell yeah - Grosse Sheidegg. I don't think I will be able to stump you guys.

It was every bit as difficult or perhaps more difficult than any of the major better known climbs. On maps of the area it barely shows as a faint line. A couple of nice ramps at 15 - 17%. I didn't spot in time either of the two cattle wands on the descent - looking too far ahead and then WAPP on my knuckles :D .

Here is one more and to be fair it could be anywhere - these mountain pastures all look the same, perfectly beautiful, but similar. I'll give a clue - after the descent we had to ride a boat to get to our hotel in Vitznau. A super hard climb, tiny road, severe descent.

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wheelsONfire wrote: When we ride disc brakes the whole deal of braking is just like a leaving a fart. It happens and then it's over. Nothing planned and nothing to get nervous for.

kingtom
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by kingtom

[emoji848] i guess it is the Aecherli. Another highlight. Steep and beautiful.

wingguy
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by wingguy

Mr.Gib wrote:It was every bit as difficult or perhaps more difficult than any of the major better known climbs. On maps of the area it barely shows as a faint line. A couple of nice ramps at 15 - 17%. I didn't spot in time either of the two cattle wands on the descent - looking too far ahead and then WAPP on my knuckles :D .

Grosse Scheidegg is funny like that. On paper the Grindelwald side is more difficult with the constant steep average gradient, but the Meiringen side does have a lot of steeper steep bits hidden in there!

Though weather permitting I'll be trying to find your steeper Mortirolo tomorrow so we'll see how that compares :P

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Mr.Gib
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by Mr.Gib

kingtom wrote: i guess it is the Aecherli. Another highlight. Steep and beautiful.


Yes indeed Aecherli. Very beautiful and much of the descent toward the lake is sheer lunacy. I don't think I took my fingers off the brake levers and I am a very aggressive, fearless descender.

When we climbed it, about a week ago now, two thirds of the way up it had a stretch of over a kilometer of day or two old chip seal :evil: :evil: The tar and gravel was collecting and rubbing under my fender. The surface was so nasty I didn't dare stop until I was forced to because my front wheel locked. Not even with your foot could you step off the two car tire tracks that were somewhat packed. Everywhere else was so soft it was un-walkable and unrideable - you would just sink in too deep and get covered with tar and gravel. I was able to restart the first time because I found a post at the side of the road to hold onto. The second time my front wheel locked I was going to throw away the fenders, but I looked up and only 50 meters of chip seal left. All of this nonsense at 10 or 12%. Maybe the hardest km of riding in my life, but somehow I loved every minute of it. A great adventure.

@wingguy, all you need to do to find that crazy road back up to the top of the Mortirolo, is after you descend to Monno, head to Edolo and stay to the left. I think there is a little sign to Megno. If you ride through Megno (after about a km of climbing), you are on the correct road. At the top it joins with the ridge road (turn right) that takes you back (mostly down) to to top of the Mortirolo. The ridge road has a few incredible views straight down into the valley above Tirano. Also I would definitely advise against descending to Megno. Your wheels would probably burst into flames.
wheelsONfire wrote: When we ride disc brakes the whole deal of braking is just like a leaving a fart. It happens and then it's over. Nothing planned and nothing to get nervous for.

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kytyree
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by kytyree

Col de O'er Pas Amarillo, Texas
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And outside of town on a little farm road
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TonyM
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by TonyM

Today on the MTB for a 5 hours bike ride around Pitt lake/ PoCo etc... in British Columbia/ Canada. Temperature around 30 degrees C!

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flying
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by flying

TonyM wrote:Today on the MTB for a 5 hours bike ride around Pitt lake/ PoCo etc... in British Columbia/ Canada. Temperature around 30 degrees C!
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All beautiful but man this last one is straight out of a fairy tale :thumbup:

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RimClencher
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by RimClencher

Explored some closed roads in the mountains last weekend not far from Tokyo.
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