# Upcoming Event: Los Angeles Fargo Street Hill Climb



## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

The date for this year's Fargo Street Hill Climb was announced and it's on Sunday March 20 at 9:00am at the base of Fargo St.

This is the hill climb challenge on the steepest street in Los Angeles, so they claim.

It's a very informal event and details are to follow. I'll post more as details become available.

Meanwhile, here are some pics from last two years...


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

You gonna try that on your Pista?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I'm afraid to drive up that thing. BTW, there's a good restaurant about a block from the bottom - Restaurant Spain.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

I'm tempted to try riding it, though I'm afraid of dropping below 1 mph and not getting my foot unlocked in time. Toppling over is one thing; toppling over with a lot of people watching ...


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## Arby (Apr 29, 2004)

I want to try it. I'd almost fly out there just to do it on the Pista!..... almost. 

I dunno, I took the pista out on the last road ride and did 45 miles, no sweat. Okay, a lot of sweat but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I wish I were as comfy on my road bike as I am on my pista. 

R to the B.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

What gearing are your running on the Pista?


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## Arby (Apr 29, 2004)

*1:3.0*



DrRoebuck said:


> What gearing are your running on the Pista?


I'm running a 1:3.0 ratio. Stock 48T up front with a 16T in the back. I'm one to mash big gears over spinning anyway, but I think I could do that hill with some decent speed. It'd be fun to try. "Hurts so good!" ... lol

RB


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Power to you RB. I don't have a fixie; my lowest gear is a 39-25, and I'm not sure I would make it to the top. A running start would be helpful, but it looks like they start from a dead stop at the bottom.


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## HAL9000 (May 1, 2002)

*Huell Howser?*

Is that Huell Howser taping a California's Gold segment?


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## Arby (Apr 29, 2004)

Hey, I'm not saying I wouldn't cry! I'd just like to try it! 

Maybe I'm being a little unrealistic though; it does look mega-ultra-super-"I want my mommy"-steep!


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## haiku d'etat (Apr 28, 2001)

that last guy's thinking "what are all these people doing on my commute home?"


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

DrRoebuck said:


> You gonna try that on your Pista?


 Maybe .

I would have to put the largest track cog made in the rear, which is like a 20t I think. Also would change out my front ring to a 32t or something.

I have my duct tape bike that has gears and a full suspension moutain bike with the lowrest gear combo is 22/34t. Should make it up on the mtn bike. I guess I just have to decide how much of a challenge/pain I want to put myself through .


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

HAL9000 said:


> Is that Huell Howser taping a California's Gold segment?


 Yeah that is Huell. I met him once at Dodger Stadium back in '88. Super nice guy. Has the jolliness of Santa Claus and the curiosity of a kid. I think he was taping that year for his "Visiting" show, the one that's local to LA not the entire state.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

DrRoebuck said:


> You gonna try that on your Pista?


 The downtown messengers held their own competition one year at Fargo and some of them rode fixies and some of the *pushed *the their fixies too .

Here are some of their pics...

https://www.pbase.com/davewyman/fargo_street


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## moving up (Feb 18, 2003)

*Grade?*

What % is the grade?


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

moving up said:


> What % is the grade?


The site that Meat posted said 33%. I wonder how it compares to something like the little hill in Manhattan Beach coming up from the pier/strand. That's obviously much shorter but the grade might be comparable.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Supposedly, or at least according to an LA Times article I read a couple years ago, Fargo Street is officially the steepest paved street in California. It is not very long, about an eighth of a mile, but it is relentless, and if memory serves it gets steeper at the top. Supposedly, it is steeper than any street in San Francisco, if only by a percentage point or two. It is steep enough to make part of the battle of climbing the thing that of trying not to tip over backwards. That is why one of the climbers in Mr. Toothpaste's pictures has a Frankenbike with an artificially extended wheelbase. To climb it, it takes not only brute force, but considerable balancing skills.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

> ...It is steep enough to make part of the battle of climbing the thing that of trying not to tip over backwards. That is why one of the climbers in Mr. Toothpaste's pictures has a Frankenbike with an artificially extended wheelbase...


 Interesting. There were some solo riders climbing on tandem bikes. Must've been for the reason you stated about the extended wheelbase.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

Here's a pic of Fargo St taken during the 1940's sometime.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

I was doing some reading on the web and Fargo St apparently is the steepest street in CA at 33%. 

The steepest street in San Francisco is 31.5%, which is a one way (down) only street. The steepest street that you can drive up in SF is Jones, which is 29% between Union and Filbert.

I am thinking about riding over to Fargo to check it out this weekend.


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## meat tooth paste (Oct 6, 2004)

Official Details Here...

The organizers of this event, the LA Wheelmen, has posted the details for this year's Fargo Hill Climb. See pasted text below:

*Sunday, March 20 - 9:00 a.m. THE FARGO STREET HILLCLIMB. *
For as long as anyone can remember, club members have annually met at Fargo Street Hill to test their legs against reputably the steepest hill in Los Angeles. It's only a couple of blocks long, but at over 30% grade, it's quite a feat if you can climb it. This event has grown in popularity over the years and was even covered by Huell Howser two years ago on his TV show. Today is the vernal equinox and there is a theory that on this date, gravitational pull is perfectly aligned to make climbing easier. Well, anyway, it might help if you believe that. Even if you don't feel up to climbing, you will want to come out and watch those who make the attempt. 

The club offers a few options to those who wish to ride to the event to either give the hill a try or simply watch others. Two options (24 & 19 mi.) leave from the "Corner". Both go directly to Fargo, but the longer returns through downtown to join the traditional post-hillclimb celebration at Philippe's downtown near Olvera St. The shorter route goes straight back. *START: 9:00 a.m. at THE "CORNER", Olympic Blvd, 1 block west of La Cienega in Beverly Hills. *From the Santa Monica Frwy (10), off & north La Cienega 12 miles, L - Olympic 1 block to R- Le Doux.


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