# Active.com cycling dude says Bohlman is 5th best descent



## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

IN THE COUNTRY. Huh? 

#5: Bohlman Road/On Orbit Drive, California
RATING: HT
TOTAL ELEVATION LOSS: 1,569 feet
LENGTH: 2.3 miles
AVERAGE GRADE: 12.9%
MAXIMUM: 22%

Yes, it's short—not even two-and-a-half miles—and the 1,569-foot drop is barely a blip on an ECG chart compared with most mountains out west. But this ride through a Bay Area neighborhood delivers the Santa Cruz Mountains at their best, ramping up grades as steep as 22 percent—particularly up top. You'll move slowly at first down twisty On Orbit Drive. The route straightens at the Bohlman Road junction, but not for long—most of the rest of the drop twists through tight switchbacks over double-digit grades. Be alert for hidden driveways as well. The grade eases toward the end and the road straightens a bit, but you will likely be glad to see the bottom of this hill.

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Route 9 and 6th Street in Saratoga, head south on 6th and turn right on Bohlman Road (cemetery ahead and to the right).

http://www.active.com/cycling/Artic...276&memberid=31738181&lyrisid=21052682&page=3


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

The guy is a moron. That descent has no flow at all and is rough in key spots. The grade is 20% and the corners are angular and off camber in spots. Plus, there's all the driveways.

It's a decent descent if you're very, very good and enjoy bungee jumping. But it's not even Top 10 in the bay area.

He's just trying to show why he's a badass I think.

fc


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

That's insane. I rode Bohlman and its variations quite a lot a year ago. The descent was the worst part of the ride, and that is saying something. The first time that I ever descended on Bohlman I got a front tire flat at speed on the descent as you approach the first On Orbit intersection. Miraculously I was able to stop without hitting the pavement, but I still have the mental scars. IMHO Kings Mountain is the best technical descent in the area, and I also really like parts of the Page Mill descent.


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## dwgranda (Sep 8, 2009)

I like page mill because it's a big road. Less chance of a car coming up to come into your lane. It's relatively long and you can fly in many spots.

I think Kings is too dangerous to go as fast as I used to do it. Some of it is bike handling, but the temptation to go fast vs how dangerous it actually is was never fully appreciated until I crashed on it. So many riders go up it two abreast which means cars come almost fully into your lane trying to get around them.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

That's lame. He's probably the only one who has ever liked that descent. The rest of his top 5 probably includes such other unappealing descents as Tunitas and Zayante,

I once descended Bohlman on a cold, windy day in winter. Got sandblasted from all the sand they spread around to deal with ice that got picked up by the wind. Oh joy.


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## poff (Jul 21, 2007)

Strange to put Bohlman in the same category as Onion Valley, which is 10mi long at an average 8% and has large sweeping switchbacks. You are loosing 5K+ of elevation there.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

He must have different criteria for a good descent than the rest of us. The bike-swallowing potholes were enough to make me uncomfortable with the descent of Bohlman.

Now Kings Mtn - there's a great descent.


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## ziscwg (Apr 19, 2010)

poff said:


> Strange to put Bohlman in the same category as Onion Valley, which is 10mi long at an average 8% and has large sweeping switchbacks. You are loosing 5K+ of elevation there.


I have to find this and ride it.


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