# English Mountain Challenge?



## TACSTS (Feb 4, 2004)

Is anyone going to the English Mountain Challenge this Saturday in Sevierville, TN? Or has anyone done it in the past? A few of us that ride together in KY are thinking about heading down early that morning and doing the metric century. I wouldn't mind trying the full century but the other guys haven't done a metric before so we'll just do that one together and maybe a full century later this summer. 

To anyone that's done it, should I get out my 12x27 cassette of just leave on the 12x25? How bad is the climbing? Thanks!


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## Uphiller (Jan 9, 2002)

*English Mountain Challenge*

This is a late reply (just now saw the posting), but may be good info for next year:
I would definitely suggest 12-27. The average grade on English Mountain is 15% with a long stretch at 22% and one STEEP area on a switch-back at 25%. You might even think about a triple up-front. After EM, there are one or two tough climbs, but they're short (they just seem long because your legs are trashed!).
The down-hill side of EM is fun and scary. You definitely need good brakes as you can hit 60 mph coming down and then you've got to slow quickly to make some tight turns.
The rest of the metric is filled with lots of rolling hills. The word 'Challenge" is appropriate.
It did get HOT this year, and I was feeling that on the way back in.
I'd never ridden EM before, but now I have a new favorite UPHILL to workout on. It's about a 45 min. drive from me.


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## TACSTS (Feb 4, 2004)

Yeah, I put the 27 on back and was glad to have it! I had a BLAST! The route was very scenic and the roads little traveled and in pretty good shape for the most part. Also I thought the ride was very well organized and SAG stops well stocked and appropriately spaced. I knocked my rear wheel out of true and it would get very shaky above 30mph or so, I struggled to keep my speeds down coming down the back of EM. Made me wish for a roadbike with discs or something. Even after driving 3 hours down to do the ride I felt it was worth it. I'll be back next year without a doubt.


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