# Asheville/Hendersonville NC Riders



## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

I was recently staying near Asheville and rode part of the "number 1 route" in Henderson County. There was a climb in there, somewhere near Bearwallow Mountain Road I think, and I'm trying to get info on the length of the climb, the grade, etc. I'm guessing is was maybe 3/4 mile of tougher climbing that chased me out of the big ring. 

Anyone know this ride and climb?

I've searched for it on MapMyRide, but haven't been able to locate it. I was riding that day without a bike computer and was just following the #1 cycling route signs.


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

Bearwallow road has an approx. 1K' climb on it to reach the gap, then it descends on down to Hwy 64 (Chimney Rock Rd) through a couple other roads. It is one of the climbs featured on the Hilly Hellacious event. You can see it on my Garmin file from last years event. Its the climb that starts right at the 14 mile point.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

I'm pretty sure that is the climb, and 1km would be consistent with my guess on distance of maybe 3/4 mile. 

Do you know what the grade of the climb is in that 1 km? I see there is a 3 mile climb in there and have found that on a MapMyRide file which shows a 5.4% grade for 3 miles. But what I remember is riding comfortably in the big ring and then realized the road was getting too steep and not long after that I was barely turning the cranks in my easiest gear (a 39/25). 

I get to ride up there 3-4 times a year and have mostly ridden the mountain bike. I've been doing a lot more road riding in the last year and this was the first time I had done more road riding than mountain. I've got to figure out whether I need to change the gearing on my road bike when I come up there. I've got a new bike with a standard 53-39 chain ring now. I used to ride with a compact double chain ring, a 50-34, and had no problems doing the climb up 276 from Pisgah Forest to the Parkway. But if that 1km climb you have pointed out is similar in grade to the last 6 miles of the climb up to the parkway, I need to get a bigger back cog when I come up there. I'm not going to ride the last 6 miles or so of the climb up 276 if the grade is similar to 1km climb we are discussing.


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

The climb is about 3 miles, but the gain is about 1000'. It was the elevation gain that I was referring to when I mentioned 1K'.

I use a compact on my bike (both of them). Its not so much the grade in WNC as it is the distance.....and I'm 60 so I like the easier climbing gear especially late in a ride. I just don't see a downside to the compact set up in the mountains. If you stayed on 276 and crossed under the Parkway you could go down to Lake Logan, turn on 215 and ride it back up to the Parkway. The final half mile on 215 before hitting the Parkway is 10-11% (215 is about a 2600' climb back up to the Parkway). Unless you have a good cardiovascular system you will appreciate the compact.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

I live and ride in Florida most of the time, in rolling hill country, and never need the small ring in a standard chainring (53/39) down here. The standard does help on group rides where we've get a dozen or so good riders sharing work and we are moving along in the high 20s on the flats and mid-30s on downhills. The compact is almost certainly a better fit up in the mountains. 

I'm going to be looking at what gearing I can put on the back for trips to North Carolina. I'm hoping a 27 in back would be enough for me. I handled the climbs up there really well with a compact that was a 34/25 for the easiest gear. A 29/27 is still a taller gear, but I never needed the easiest gear with the compact double.


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## The Tedinator (Mar 12, 2004)

IIRC, Bearwallow gap has a section that tops 15%. I also seem to remember that section lasts for about 3/10 of a mile.

http://www.mountainmapper.com/Bearwallow.htm

Pertinent stats: 876' of climbing in 2.7 miles. 6.1% avg. with a max of 15%. I guess my memory ain't totally gone yet! :thumbsup:


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

3/10 of a mile at 15% would sure make me feel a lot better. I am built like a climber and am in good shape, but was quite humbled that day. For a few minutes there I had to get in a "I am not going to stop to rest" frame of mind.


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## The Tedinator (Mar 12, 2004)

Gatorback said:


> 3/10 of a mile at 15% would sure make me feel a lot better. I am built like a climber and am in good shape, but was quite humbled that day. For a few minutes there I had to get in a "I am not going to stop to rest" frame of mind.


I am too old and fat for climbing. The first time I tried Bearwallow was in the 2004 Hilly Hellacious metric century. I was doing fine, but ended up dismounting because a couple of folk were starting to "paper boy" all over the road. I have since climbed Bearwallow in training, using a triple. This year, I climbed it from the backside on a compact, which I will be using in this year's Hilly Hellacious.

There are a couple of walls in nearby Madison and Yancey county that make Bearwallow seem much more tame. One hits 19%!


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## mrbull (Jun 14, 2005)

I have ridden the Henderson #1 route many times, nice way to tour the county(approx. 75m). Bearwallow is the only real climb on that loop that I can remember.


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