# Pike's Peak Climb



## bigskychuck (Jul 14, 2008)

Anyone else riding this? Any idea of what the temperatures will be like?

Charlie


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

It's going to be an awesome ride. I am not doing it but I am probably volunteering. It is going to be cold at the top (high 30's possibly) so bring at least a good jacket and knee warmers for the descent.

It's going to be a great time and a great ride.


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## BikeRider (Aug 5, 2003)

I don't live in Colorado but my cousin lives in Colorado Springs. When I plan on visiting him I'd thought of maybe trying to ride up the mtn. So what is the road like going up? I know it's unpaved but would it be doable on a road bike? Also is it okay to ride up the road any time or just on this ride?


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

BikeRider said:


> I don't live in Colorado but my cousin lives in Colorado Springs. When I plan on visiting him I'd thought of maybe trying to ride up the mtn. So what is the road like going up? I know it's unpaved but would it be doable on a road bike? Also is it okay to ride up the road any time or just on this ride?


Only about 2 miles are unpaved right now. In another year or so, it will all be paved. Road bikes are fine.


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## moonmoth (Nov 8, 2008)

BikeRider said:


> I don't live in Colorado but my cousin lives in Colorado Springs. When I plan on visiting him I'd thought of maybe trying to ride up the mtn. So what is the road like going up? I know it's unpaved but would it be doable on a road bike? Also is it okay to ride up the road any time or just on this ride?


Unless something has changed recently, bicycling is prohibited on the city-owned toll road that goes up the mountain. The event mentioned here, on August 29, is a special deal.


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## bigskychuck (Jul 14, 2008)

Thanks Sherpa. I'll be traveling from Salt Lake City to ride it, though I've never really been in the area, so 

I hope it's nice! I guess it might be 55 - 60 degrees at Manitou Springs at the start?

Charlie


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## bigskychuck (Jul 14, 2008)

BikeRider, there is a video of the course (which won't unfortunately work on my computer) at the website:

http://www.ridepikespeak.com/Pikes_Peak/Introducing.html


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## BikeRider (Aug 5, 2003)

Hey thanks for the info. I had heard before that it might be closed to bicycles other than on that supported ride but I wasn't sure. Oh well there's always Mt. Evans...


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

*Epic ride*

I did this ride and got to the top. This is the toughest, most difficult climb on a bicycle that I have ever done. About halfway up the mountain is Glen Cove and I thought the climbing would get a little more saner than the previous half was. Wrong! It's a constant, brutal, uphill slog with almost no flat place. Add to this that once I hit about 12,000 feet in altitude the rarefied air up there made breathing a chore.

The downhill ride was absolutely epic. All that new, smooth, pavement up there on the mountain made for a cruising run downhill. 

As for the dirt section: about 2.5 miles. Was scary for me to ride up on it and every scarier riding down. The surface was anywhere from hard packed dirt almost like pavement to loose gravel. 

All in all I think the organizers did a stupendous job for this inaugural event. There were 264 people at the starting line. 

I'd definitely recommend this to put on your list for next year - and to start training now!

Oh yeah, this morning's Colorado Springs paper had a caption: Assault on the Peak or Assaulted?


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

ColoradoVeloDude said:


> I did this ride and got to the top. This is the toughest, most difficult climb on a bicycle that I have ever done. About halfway up the mountain is Glen Cove and I thought the climbing would get a little more saner than the previous half was. Wrong! It's a constant, brutal, uphill slog with almost no flat place. Add to this that once I hit about 12,000 feet in altitude the rarefied air up there made breathing a chore.
> 
> The downhill ride was absolutely epic. All that new, smooth, pavement up there on the mountain made for a cruising run downhill.
> 
> ...


I had thought about doing it, though the price tage threw me off.


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## jayfree (Apr 10, 2007)

Assault on Pike's Peak - Amazing

Awesome ride! Clearly the toughest hill climb in CO; heard many say one of toughest in US. Avg. grade 6.7 and many sections >10%! Much, much harder than Evans. First ride I've been at where they have an Oxygen Tank/rebreather masks at summit for people to use - and many were! Perfect weather, clear/sunny sky with winds "only" in 30-40mph gusts; the dirt section better shape than much of the Boulder Roubaix type dirt, and only 2miles of it; they "controlled" the descent so that there were not mass numbers of people on ride down (which was very nice, allowing one to enjoy scenery which is breathtaking (or was I short of breath for other reasons...). Roadway closed - so no traffic to deal with at all! Only negative was that the food at aid stations was extremely limited (nutrition bars and bananas) and gatorade/water

Night before dinner/pasta feed was also veerrry tasty, with lots of wine and beer available.

For those who made it to top - congrats; for those who missed it - make noise to have this be an annual event!


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## bigskychuck (Jul 14, 2008)

Great ride, indeed. The gravel and the headwinds on the ascent just added to the difficult grades. I posted some pics in the ride report section.


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## stelvio1925 (Oct 29, 2008)

*Assault me again!*

Epic is the word! Being a flatlander, I expected a very hard ride. And the mountain delivered. The wind above the tree-line was hard from almost any direction. the gravel section was very rideable in almost all sections. Agreed the refreshments were a little limited, but I stashed enough energy bars for the ride. I only thing I couldn't prepare for was the low oxygen available as I ascended the mountain. The 2 downhills after Devil's Cove were deceptive as the pitch steepened for the last 2 miles & the more exposed I was. So where do I sign-up again.


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## UltraRob (Jan 17, 2006)

*Photos of Assault the Peak*

I was taking photos of the ride on Sunday and rode a little over the upper half. Here are a few of my photos. I have more Assault on the Peak photos here.


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## bigskychuck (Jul 14, 2008)

Did anyone buy one of the posters for sale (by order)? How do they look?


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