For the spring classics... A cobbled climb

[jberryhill]

"Monkey Hill" in Wilmington, DE

[VideoGameVet]

1. Where's the hill?

Is it about 6%? Cobbles are a pain. Particularly when wet.

Local hill here in Encinitas:



20% Max

[happyslug]

2. 20%? That All?? Canton Street in Pittsburgh is 37% grade AND Cobblestone

Last edited Fri May 8, 2015, 10:00 AM - Edit history (6)

Overall Canton is 34% grade.



http://www.wired.com/2010/12/the-steepest-road-on-earth-takes-no-prisoners/

It is one of the "Dirty Dozen" in Pittsburgh's Annual "Dirty Dozen" Race held the Saturday after Thanksgiving:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Dozen_%28bicycle_competition%29

http://bicycletimesmag.com/riding-pittsburghs-dirty-dozen/





The following photo is of Rialto Road, on the Northside of Pittsburgh, another of the Dirty Dozen, goes along an abandoned Incline Plane line that the City later turned into a Street:





Map of the Dirty Dozen:



More Photos of the Dirty Dozen:

http://www.dannychew.com/dd-photo-1.html

The route also include Boustead Street, like Canton it is in the Beechview section of Pittsburgh. Boustead has a 29% max grade but averages out at 10.3%. The reason for this is simple, Boustead is flat on the top and bottom so averages at below the average of 34% for Canton Street which has no flat sections.



Video of bikes going up East Sycamore Street (People in the Mt Washington Section of Pittsburgh refer to it as the "Burma Road&quot .

Holt street is on the list of the dirty dozen, but it is included with Eola and Barry Streets:

Here is Hold Street:



This is part of Eola Street NOT ridden on the Dirty Dozen:



Sterling Street looking down from Holt Street:



http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/sterling.htm

Please note these are NOT the steepest streets in Pittsburgh, but the steepest you can drive a car on. The steeper streets have only stairs you have to drag your bike up or down (and I have done both).

http://www.southsideslopes.org/steptrek/steptrek-2014-event-description/

?itok=st8HSEdX



http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMD9K5_Oakley_Way_South_Side_Slopes_Pittsburgh_Pennsylania



https://www.edgarsnyder.com/blog/2013/11/07-south-side-steps-rennovation.html



http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=6227b35a-4673-4fad-af5f-25c4dacab291



http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/oporto.htm

More Photo's on Southside's Steps:

Here is Rays Avenue Steps, it is on the list of the top 18 public stairs in the world:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/pgh_steps.htm#ss_slo



http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/ray.htm

http://publicstairs.com/index_000002.htm

More Photo's on Southside's Steps:



http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/romeo.htm

The West End of Pittsburgh has its own sets of steps:



http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/planet.htm
Pittsburgh is NOT Unique when it comes to Steps being Streets:

http://publicstairs.com/

http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=a2670401-1015-44c2-8bd9-08b333ef90a3&st=2

[VideoGameVet]

3. So awesome.

My bike would flip over backwards on that. I've seen these pics before.

I did the 20% grade on this bike:



(my other bike is a Brompton)

[happyslug]

4. You did a 20% climb on a Recumbent, that is doing good

Recumbents are known to be faster on flataways and on small grades but are inferior to conventional bikes when it comes to hill climbing. That you did a 20% grade is very good. I have NOT done the Dirty Dozen by bicycle (I have walked up Boustead and Brosville road on the Dirty Dozen but I refuse to bike up them). Given the hills in this area, I stay with a Conventional bike. Inferior to recumbents on the flats, they exceed going up hills (downhill, anything does well).

[VideoGameVet]

5. I live on a decent size hill

Yeah, 700 ft climb in less than a mile. Easy to go past 50mph going down it.

So I'm used to climbs.

Did "Kitchen Creek" 2x on a 'bent.

And I'm over 225lbs.