Tour de France style classifications

[fredmugs]

If you're watching the TDF you're aware that all of the mountain climbs are rating from 4 (easiest) to HC (beyond classification). Has anyone ever tried to categorize the climbs on the AT?

[10-K]

Yes.. from 1 to 4:

1. Easy
2. A little harder than easy
3. Not easy at all
4. Dang

[Coffee Rules!]

I would think #4 would have an exclamation point, 10-K. :p

[hikerboy57]

Yes.. from 1 to 4:

1. Easy
2. A little harder than easy
3. Not easy at all
4. Dang

indeed, this is the universally accepted AT rating system.

[Coffee Rules!]

I'm thinking my 4th level will likely be a different four letter word. Or is that an unwritten 5th classification?

[Rain Man]

I thought Model T had established the Snicker Bar Rating for climbs. Am I wrong? :D

Rain:sunMan

.

[bigcranky]

The only HC I've done is the sobo climb of The Priest. Yow. I'm sure there are others.

[Lone Wolf]

take enhancing drugs like all the bikers do then no climb is tough

[Sailing_Faith]

take enhancing drugs like all the bikers do then no climb is tough

Starbucks Via? Will there be testing later on?

[bigcranky]

Starbucks Via? Will there be testing later on?

Oh, yeah, I would fail that test. The iced via is what gets me up the hills in warm weather.

[rocketsocks]

I thought Map Man did a graph type thing with elevations, not sure if is corralated to difficulty per se.

[rocketsocks]

take enhancing drugs like all the bikers do then no climb is toughNope, might get stripped of title as 2000 thousand miler by the ATC....or worse your peers!

[1azarus]

I am so glad somebody brought up the tour de france. it is almost exactly is the length of the appalachian trail. I think it is the perfect way to prep for a thru hike. anybody do that yet?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[rocketsocks]

I am so glad somebody brought up the tour de france. it is almost exactly is the length of the appalachian trail. I think it is the perfect way to prep for a thru hike. anybody do that yet?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2Haven't seen Spokes posts for a few days, I wonder if he went to France?...or maybe just out hikin.Ya know, i'd venture to say, if you can do a TDF, you'll have no trouble with the AT,physical part anyway.

[skinewmexico]

Track your hike and upload it to mapmyride as a bike ride. I think it will calculate the climb categories.

[fredmugs]

Track your hike and upload it to mapmyride as a bike ride. I think it will calculate the climb categories.

Great idea and I think you're right. I normally use ridewithgps for logging hikes and bike rides but I believe mapmyride does do that.

[Pedaling Fool]

Yes, it's that time of year again:banana:banana:banana


http://thecycleway.com/?p=32




There are two parts to a hill climb, the gradient and the classification. The gradient is the specific angle of the climb at any given part of the climb, which obviously will vary on any climb, The classification is the overall ratting of the climb.

Gradient

Cyclist often refer the the gradient of a climb in terms of a percentage. The gradient when measured in percentage is just the (vertical climb/horizontal distance) * 100. So you get the idea if I travel 100 m and rise 8 metres that’s 8% gradient. While that may not sound difficult over a longer distance that will really start to bit.

Here’s my spin on the gradients.

At 1-2% you’ll barely notice it, like riding into a bit of a head wind
3-4 % most people will do this quite easily. It rates as hill for a non-rider but to a rider it is a mere bump
5-7% will start to bother non-riders, riders will start to find it interesting
8-9% non-riders will start to look for other ways around
10-15% is going to hurt a non-rider and they may give in, Riders will be challenged by this
15% or greater and you’re in the “praying to your deity of choice” territory. This is going to be tough. Non riders simply will not have enough strength to push themselves up this sort of a climb, Good riders will be challenged by this
As a guide at 10% gradients roads are usually labelled with a warning of steep descent.

Climbs Classification

Climbs in cycling are rated from Category 1 (hardest) to Category 4 (easiest), based on steepness and length. A climb harder than Category 1 is designated as hors catégorie. Hors catégorie translates as “beyond categorisation”, and signifies an extremely tough climb.

The categories were originally used for mountain roads and the gear needed in a car to pass over them. So, a Cat 1 climb could be passed in a car in first gear, cat 2 in 2nd gear etc. and hors category was impassable by car.

How do the organizers of the Grand Tours evaluate the ratings for the climbs in their races? The Tour organisers use three criteria:

(1) The length and steepness of the climb
(2) The position of the climb in the stage
(3) The quality of the road surface

General guidelines for classification are as follows:

Hors Category (HC) – the hardest, climbs of 1500m+
1st Category – climbs of 1100-1500m
2nd Category – climbs of 600-1100m
3rd Category – climbs of 300-600m
4th Category – the lowest category, 100-300m

There are some exceptions; L’Alpe D’Huez climb is 1200m, but is an Hors Category climb because usually comes at the end of a very tough stage and the climb itself is steep with sections of over 10% grade.
Some of the more popular climbs used in the Tour de France are;


Col du Tourmalet 2115m
Col d’Aubisque 1709m
Col du Galibier 2645m
Alpe d’Huez 1860m
Col d’Izoard 2360m


Descending

And in case you are wondering what the deal is with the pro’s sticking newspaper up their jerseys when they start the descent from these climbs is. Well, basically it is pretty cold up there on the summits, even if it is summer in Europe. So if you combine the sweat the riders generate from the ascent, the cool temperatures and the wind chill from descending, its make for a pretty cold descend, something that may affect the rider’s health.

So why newspaper instead some fancy new high tech material. Well the tradition of using newspaper dates back to when the tour first started, before all these high tech materials were invented. It was something that easily accessible without having to carry it up the ascent and could then be discarded when they reach the bottom.

As a rule of thumb the temperature drops about 8.5C for every 1,000m ascent. So for the ascent up Col du Galibier that is a potential drop of 20C.

[Bati]

Interesting. I never consider it to be a mountain when I'm riding unless it's at least a mile long (about 1.5K). And to me, the surface (good pavement, potholes, well-banked, gravel, lava, dirt, etc), weather (wind, rain, cold, snow, heat), and how much gear you have(fully loaded touring or out for a short day ride) , and the type of tires and brakes, matters a lot .

Regardless, unless it's a really good paved road, in good weather with minimal gear, I find I'm walking up steep grades about as often I'm riding down.

I think it's the same for the AT. The hardest climbs depend on the weather you're having at the time, how soon since you last resupplied, how many miles between water sources and how many miles you done that day. I would put weather at the top, since it's the most variable; I never went more than 16 miles between water sources (PA), nor more than 7 full day without resupply (100 mile and Smokies), nor hiked too many extra miles in a day, but the weather was the one huge variable that I affected me the most.

This 20% sign was not encountered on a paved road, and I was loaded with camping gear. I'm not sure that a 4 would have accurately described it. 22289.

[rhjanes]

I thought Model T had established the Snicker Bar Rating for climbs. Am I wrong? :D

Rain:sunMan

.Sir, you are not wrong. 1 Snickers, 2 Snicker climb....

[Datto]

Dog runs out in front of the Tour de France cyclists:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22825103/vp/52356032#52356032

On my hikes of the South Pacific, in the Cook Islands I was riding a Moped (not going the wrong way on a one-way road this time) when I giant flying beetle the size of a golf ball collided with my face. That drove me down uncontrollably into the ditch next to the road at about 20mph. Miraculously, I regained control of the Moped and drove it out of the ditch only to find a mean dog with nothing better to do that to attack me when I came out of the ditch. I kicked at the dog as I careened down the road and eventually the dog thought he'd taught me enough of a lesson.

The next day I had to go to the island clinic and get repairs for my face where the golf ball bug hit me (still twitches in that same area today). The doctor at the clinic told me I would have to watch out for getting Dengue Fever with that size of an injury.

Great, what else.

A few days later, one of the people at the hostel I was staying at in the Cook Islands went airborne off his Moped when some kids ran out in front of him and he careened to the side to keep from running them over. He landed on his bare back and skidded down the pavement of the road. It must have taken eight hours or so and quite a bit of alcohol to get the pebbles out of his back. A couple of women worked on him with needle-nosed pliers while I watched.

So see, having a dog run out isn't as bad as it could be.

Moral -- if you know you've been on a motorcycle only three times in your life and you've had three motorcycle accidents, it's best not to get onto a Moped.


Datto

[Pedaling Fool]

Dog runs out in front of the Tour de France cyclists:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22825103/vp/52356032#52356032

On my hikes of the South Pacific, in the Cook Islands I was riding a Moped (not going the wrong way on a one-way road this time) when I giant flying beetle the size of a golf ball collided with my face. That drove me down uncontrollably into the ditch next to the road at about 20mph. Miraculously, I regained control of the Moped and drove it out of the ditch only to find a mean dog with nothing better to do that to attack me when I came out of the ditch. I kicked at the dog as I careened down the road and eventually the dog thought he'd taught me enough of a lesson.

The next day I had to go to the island clinic and get repairs for my face where the golf ball bug hit me (still twitches in that same area today). The doctor at the clinic told me I would have to watch out for getting Dengue Fever with that size of an injury.

Great, what else.

A few days later, one of the people at the hostel I was staying at in the Cook Islands went airborne off his Moped when some kids ran out in front of him and he careened to the side to keep from running them over. He landed on his bare back and skidded down the pavement of the road. It must have taken eight hours or so and quite a bit of alcohol to get the pebbles out of his back. A couple of women worked on him with needle-nosed pliers while I watched.

So see, having a dog run out isn't as bad as it could be.

Moral -- if you know you've been on a motorcycle only three times in your life and you've had three motorcycle accidents, it's best not to get onto a Moped.


DattoDoesn't take much to knock a person off two wheels. I think I know how I'll die, well at least a rough idea :D;)

[R1ma]

Track your hike and upload it to mapmyride as a bike ride. I think it will calculate the climb categories.

As does Strava, even if you upload it as a run and change it to a hike.
For example I took my running watch on a section hike last month: http://app.strava.com/activities/56863229
Right before Killington in VT, there is a cat 3 climb lol. But 1.1 miles at 11+% grade would be a hell of a bike ride!
The cat 2 and first cat 3 were on side trails (Shrewsbury peak)

[Dogwood]

The only climbs on the AT that I'm concerned with are the "going up to the spirit in the sky" category. Too much is made of hiking ascents particularly on the over analyzed elevation changes of the AT. If you know they are coming they often, and when are they not, they mentally condition a hiker that the upcoming mileage is difficult. Just do the ascents. It's part of hiking the AT.

[Pedaling Fool]

I agree, when you get your legs climbs are really nothing, although descents are another thing. I can't think of one ascent I would dread, actually the steeper the better, but on a bike it's another story.

[Dogwood]

PF, did you say you agree with me on something? It's a glorious day. All is not lost.:)

[Pedaling Fool]

Saturday is the big day:banana

It's the one time of the year when it's OK to like the French and cheer on the dopers:D http://www.letour.com/us/

[wnderer]

I think we should use a quark type classification system rating all trails in spins, flavors, colors and charge. Otherwise we can just stick with the hiking upward system.

http://www.hikingupward.com/maps/



Difficulty:
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star1_clear.gif - very easy hike
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star5_clear.gif - pretty tough hike
Solitude:
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star1_clear.gif - run into lots of hikers
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star5_clear.gif - have the trail almost to yourself


Streams/Falls:
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star1_clear.gif - few streams
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star5_clear.gif - lots of streams
Camping:
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star1_clear.gif - not many campsites
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star5_clear.gif - lots of campsites


Views:
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star1_clear.gif - few views
http://www.hikingupward.com/images/stars/Star5_clear.gif - lots of views

[Another Kevin]

Amount of elevation change is one thing. Difficulty of the climb is another.

A couple of guidebooks that I've encountered use the Sierra Club system:

Class 1: Walking trail, low chance of injury.
Class 2: Simple scrambling, possibly with occasional use of hands for balance. Little potential danger.
Class 3: Scrambling with exposure. Handholds necessary for ascent. Rope may be carried but is unlikely to be necessary in good weather. Falls are unlikely to be fatal.
Class 4: Simple climbing, with increased exposure. Full body weight on hands may be required. Natural protection can easily be found. Rope often used by less confident parties. Falls may well be fatal.
Class 5: Technical climbing involving rope, belaying and protection hardware. Severe risk that unroped falls will result in severe injury or death.

You can summarize the classes by what you say at the top.
1: "Yawn."
2: "Nice!"
3: "Oof!"
4: "Wow, that was stupid. I could have got killed back there!"
5: "Off belay!"

Most of the AT is Class 1 or 2, but there's a fair amount of Class 3 in New England, and a handful of isolated Class 4 moves.

Some of the non-AT trails in the Northeast are harder than the AT on this scale, which is mostly a measure of how likely gravity is to kill you. Trails like the Precipice and the Beehive in Acadia, Whitehorse Ledge in New Hampshire, the Great Range in the Adirondacks, and the Devil's Path in the Catskills are pretty infamous for scary climbs. I don't remember there being anything like this Class 4 on the New England A-T.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3767/9764802355_0bc472276d_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/fSTaxi)

The two blue-clad hikers are negotiating the trail. The easiest way up - and the way that's blazed - is on the >45 degree slab to their right. There are no obvious holds to grip. You simply have to use friction holds, and depend on your boot rubber to grip the rock (which is pretty sandpapery, at least). Slip off the slab by the dead tree at top center, and you fall all the way to the rockpile at the bottom of the frame.

When I got to this pitch I stopped to clean my boots and dribbled a little bit of stove alcohol on the soles to make the rubber sticky. The guy on the right thought it was better to climb the crack above him, but he was wearing approach shoes. And those are the only two spots that make sense. The rest of that ledge is undercut. The ledge itself is reasonably sound sandstone, but the rock underlying it is rotten shale.