# cat.1 climbs



## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Anything like that around NY/Rockland? Bear is category 2. Need to prepare for a Mallorca trip and I think there will be a category 1 climb mixed in. Also unrelated I'll be on a 53-39 11-28 cog bike. It was recommended that i swap to a compact for the trip, any thoughts? I do bear from 9w in 21 size cog as is.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

I am surprised Bear is Cat 2. Seemed like the second climb in the NY Fondo was harder. Not as long or scenic but felt harder. Saw a lot of people getting off their bikes.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

NJBiker72 said:


> I am surprised Bear is Cat 2. Seemed like the second climb in the NY Fondo was harder. Not as long or scenic but felt harder. Saw a lot of people getting off their bikes.


It's category 2 if you start from 9w. it's not just about incline but duration, and this is 4 miles. And i've done both climbs, and on that day i felt the climb up tomkins cove was harder, but i attribute that to being spent. i've done that climb minus bear and it's much easier then. i can say the same thing about climbing up buckberg, before bear mtn, it's easy, after, a little harder.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Trek_5200 said:


> It's category 2 if you start from 9w. it's not just about incline but duration, and this is 4 miles. And i've done both climbs, and on that day i felt the climb up tomkins cove was harder, but i attribute that to being spent. i've done that climb minus bear and it's much easier then. i can say the same thing about climbing up buckberg, before bear mtn, it's easy, after, a little harder.


That's fair. I know disrance factors in. And Bear is a long climb. I wish we had somethibg similar around here. We have plenty of short (2 mile or less) climbs but I can't think of any 4+.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

Breakneck Rd in Vernon Township, by the old Hidden Valley ski resort. It's a steep climb.

the 6W hill in between I-87 and PIP is a long, steep climb


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

Why do you need to ask ?. Factor in that you will be on vacation, so not on home turf, possibly tired from the travel, won't know the roads and hills and it pretty much all argues for as low a gear as you can get. 

It reminds me of a Bicycling Mag. article many years back about a Cat 3 level rider from the US sponsored to do the 2003 Le Etape de Tour stage 16 (the one where Tyler Hamilton won with a broken collarbone). The author casually glanced down at the assorted bikes assembled at the start and noticed nearly all had triples. The author did not. The next paragraph was titled "The kilometers passed like kidney stones".


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

The closest Cat 1 is Mount Greylock. Otherwise you gotta go to NH. Is whiteface cat 1?


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

I don't know how climbs are rated, but here's a steep climb (not as long as Bear Mtn, but considerably steeper in spots):

From Piermont Ave./River Road in Piermont take Ash St. up the hill (away from the River).
Take the hairpin left at the stop sign to continue on Ash.
At the 'T' (it's actually a jug handle off of 9W), take a right up to 9W (I think this is a one way, so you have no choice).
At 9W go left (South) a few dozen yards, take right on Tweed (this is very steep).
Continue up Tweed. Tweed climbs up to the old Nike installation, then descends to Clausland Mt. Road. Continue on Tweed and you'll get another kicker, and then descend to Bradley Pkwy.
Take a right on Bradley, then left on Highland through Nyack College.
Left at stop sign (will still be named Highland), at light at bottom of hill is 9W again (left for North, right for South).




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## Hunyak (Apr 1, 2007)

I spent a week in Mallorca last May. I wouldn't bring a bike there, you can rent a great bike for the cost of shipping your bike there & back. There are tons of bike rental companies that rent some high end bikes. You can rent a Pinarello, or a Colnago, etc. I rented a Cannondale Super Six with compact & Di2 for $220.00 for the week. I couldn't ship it that cheap. The rental company, Bikehead Mallorca, dropped the bikes off and picked them up. They also included a floor pump for the week. You just need to bring your own pedals & I recommend bring your saddle too.

The steepest climb we hit (north east end of the island) was @ 8%, but that 8% didn't let up for something like 6 miles - Port De Sa Colobra. Bear Mtn is a good training climb for a Mallorca trip.

Mallorca is road cycling heaven, enjoy!


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## stoked (Aug 6, 2004)

Bear Mtn is not a tough climb on a compact if you are in decent cycling shape. It all depends on how fast you want to go up  You can do hill repeats at Bear for training. If you get bored of it drive and park in Nyack or Haverstraw and take Filors Lane (rt 98) up Harriman Park, Gate hill to Seven Lakes down by Lake Welch and then up Tiorati make your way to Bear Mtn and then back. That's what I did last year to train for a 7 day sportive in the Alps.

To add some Pyrenees type of steepness then go do the NJ hillier than thou route. 

If you are training for a multi consecutive day ride then you should be training similarly and switch to compact. Do you have a minimum ave. speed requirement to meet on the ride?

PM me info you need more info.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

D&MsDad said:


> I don't know how climbs are rated, but here's a steep climb (not as long as Bear Mtn, but considerably steeper in spots):
> 
> From Piermont Ave./River Road in Piermont take Ash St. up the hill (away from the River).
> Take the hairpin left at the stop sign to continue on Ash.
> ...


i actually had gone up to Nike park a few times before you wrote this, but as NY had amazing weather today , but wanted to do a ride of only 50 miles I essentially did this route. It added some nice climbs and provided a nice change of scenery. I plan to add Bucksberg road to this route if I have extra time and the weather cooperates, unless I can find some additional rolling hills closer to Bradley/Tweed. I understand some people like riding near Tor park.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

High Tor is steep, but it is a pretty short climb. If I'm looking to do a lot of climbing, I generally do a loop through Harriman.

Beginning where I live (Pearl River), I take Sickletown/Strawtown/Ridge roads north (don't miss the right where they break off from Brewery) to where they end in T at S. Mountain rd
West (left) on S. Mountain rd to Little Tor.
Right on Little Tor (goes up and over High Tor).
Right on 202, left on Central Highway.
Left on Filors lane, keep on (changes to Willow Grove, then Gate Hill) to Harriman.
Just after the road goes over Lake Welch but before the Lake Welch entrance, left on St John's
Right on Lake Welch Pkwy
Hairpin Left, then bear right onto Cedar Pond Rd/Tiorati road at bottom of hill
At Tiorati circle, take right up Arden Valley road.
Go down to Rt 17, then left on Rt 17.
Go to exit ramp to Rt 17A/Rt 106
Left up Rt 106
Keep on Rt 106 after Kanawake circle
Joins back up with Old Gatehill rd, then just retrace steps back home.

Other than the 1/4 mile or so on Rt 202, and the 10 minutes on Rt 17, this ride is generally on quiet roads, with lots of up and down and some nice scenery. The park roads that are closed for the season (Lake Welch Pkwy, Cedar Pond/Tiorati, Arden Valley) should be clear of snow after this warm (HOT) spell. You'll probably have to get off briefly to get around the barriers, but it is well worth it.






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