# Pikes Peak or Bust



## cartmaniac (Jun 6, 2007)

I rode Pikes Peak on Saturday. Awesome. Highly recommended (if you don't mind suffering). Incredibly beautiful and the pavement is a dream compared to Mt. Evans. On the other hand, it is definitely steeper and more challenging. It's a relentless 10+% grade!

Go get some before the weather closes in!
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Pikes Peak - America’s Mountain, in cooperation with the United States Forest Service, announces a pilot program to allow bicycles on the Pikes Peak Highway from September 4 - 30.
City of Colorado Springs - September Bicycle Pilot Program


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

We rode it yesterday (Sunday). It was freakin awesome. We had a group of 4 and even our own SAG. Worked out great. I was really glad to see so many cyclists taking advantage of the hard work put in getting it opened. Hopefully, next season, it will be open on a permanent basis to cycling.

cartmaniac, we agree. The lowest grade we saw on the Garmin 800 was 8.8%. Definitely a relentless with 10+% grade. For whatever reason, the Garmin didn't register the grade for the last 3 miles to the top.

If you love great scenery (the leaves are changing) and doing climbs on your bike then this is the ride for you. Give it a try and help keep this a permanent route. Like cartmaniac stated, WAY better road than Evans, at least in my humble opinion.


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

Is it paved all the way to the top now? I seem to recall long sections of dirt road, but could be mis-remembering.


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## cartmaniac (Jun 6, 2007)

Completely paved, top to bottom, as of last summer. It's immaculate!

My buddy's Garmin reported between 10 and 12% on that big ramp in the last 2 miles.


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## sinister_designs (Aug 26, 2011)

And even if you don't think you will make the top, try anyway as it shows the powers to be that cyclists want it open.


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## sinister_designs (Aug 26, 2011)

Rode it on the weekend, only got to about 12,200 feet as the constant grade just kicked my butt! Had nothing left.


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## Samadhi (Nov 1, 2011)

sinister_designs said:


> Rode it on the weekend, only got to about 12,200 feet as the constant grade just kicked my butt! Had nothing left.


If you gave it your best, you diud your best.

Next time, crush it.


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

dude ... you made it to 12,200. That in itself is something. That is a tough climb. Congratulations for going that far. 

cartmaniac, we did it again this past Sunday. This is exactly why I haven't bothered with a bike GPS. We have used 3 different models of a particular brand. Mileage differed by 1.5 miles for the total ride. Grade? One wouldn't even register the grade on parts of the last section and had showed 14+%. One showed 8.8% or higher climbing to Crystal. 

I can tell you this. The last 1.75 miles is 1,000' of climb.

This past Sunday there was the wind ... what fun ... and snow flakes on top.


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## cartmaniac (Jun 6, 2007)

Funny about the GPS flakyness. My friend's Garmin 500 only reported something like 13,600 at the summit. I guess those things use barometric pressure for elevation, not GPS. Seems lame to me, but I guess these things are nowhere near survey accuracy. Anyway, 1000' in 1.75 miles is 10.8%, which is plenty steep.

I'll tell you this: I want to go back some day, but not without some more gears!


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## cgraham (Sep 18, 2012)

congrats...was just out there recently and drove to the top...kept thinking the whole time wish i had my bike


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

Looks like 1,040 riders made the trip up Pikes Peak. Not bad. The city will discuss what to do in 2013 sometime in November.

I would like to thank Al Brody and eveyone involved in making this happen.


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## sinister_designs (Aug 26, 2011)

Lets hope we get some sort of annual access, I don't think year round access is a good thing as it is a very busy road in summer with cars but maybe spring/fall would be good in my opinion.


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