Climbing Club Feb results and March goals

[Trekhawk]

I didn't set a goal but I thought I'd try to keep track of climbing to see how much I do. I do want to work on it this year. I have a 800' climb to get home after every ride so that's one way. In February, I only had 3 outdoor rides and two of them were mostly on the flats, only one was a little hilly.

So.... my total for the month was about 4000 feet. I don't have any way to calculate other than to use google earth or one of the online map things but I think it's reasonably accurate.

I so want a bike computer with that can measure climbing... How much are they? What's a good one?

Check the link above (in my previous post). That is the one I have and I love it. Plenty of options out there though.

[Trekhawk]

Oh I forgot to add VDO have great customer service. At the end of a sixty mile ride (last year) I realized my computer was missing. Apparently the mount must have broken going over a bump or something somewhere along the way.

Well I was a really upset as this was a Xmas present from my husband. My husband rang the rep in the USA for VDO and he said no worries it must have been a faulty mount and sent me a brand new computer and mount . I didnt have to send the broken mount to them to prove what had happened. The new computer arrived a few days later - cant ask for better customer service than that. No problems with my new computer or mount - I am one happy VDO customer.

[Fredwina]

Fredwina, you are really something. I finally took a look at this thread when it occurred to me that you aren't talking about hiking up mountains, you are riding bikes.
Do you all have GPS's is that how you can tell how much you are climbing?

What you get for living in the Shadow of several 10,000+ peaks.
Move down here! you can gain 1,500 feet by going from the south end of town(Rancho Cucamonga,CA) to the north, about 7 miles. I have problems find a ride without elevation, unless I want to drive to the Beach! The club's long saturday ride is 30 miles with 2,100 feet of gain.
I'm slow, but I get there
some wikipedia entries on my 'hood:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_San_Antonio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucamonga_Peak
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jacinto_Peak
and:
http://socalvelo.com/sub/onyx.htm
http://socalvelo.com/sub/mount_baldy_road.htm
http://socalvelo.com/sub/gmr.htm
http://socalvelo.com/sub/crystallake.html

[GLC1968]

OK...update for me. I was able to get out at lunch today (my first outside ride of the month!) so put me down for 450ft in Feb.

I swear that March will be better!

Kelownagirl - I have a polar HRM that is also a cyclocomputer with altitude. I love it because when I'm done with my rides, I just download the info via the IR port into my computer and it tracks everything for me. So much fun! I believe that most altimeters for cycing use barometric pressure, so it can be off if the weather is variable over the length of the ride. I've also found that (at least around me) the online climbing numbers can be significantly higher than what my computer gives me. Nothing worse than completing what should be a 6000ft ride only to find my computer (and my hubands GPS) both give us only 3500ft!

[Deanna]

I didn't do all the climbs I'd intended two, but I did one I didn't (Coleman Valley in the direction the ToC went). The Mill Creek wall was a little demoralizing. I had to stop and catch my breath at one point when this young whippersnapper breezed right past me. When I saw him on his way down as I was still heading up (it's a nasty 1/4 mile section) I thought to myself "He better not be doing hill repeats". But as fate would have it, he was--he passed me twice in the uphill direction during my one torturous journey up

[jobob]

I had that happen to me on Sierra Road. Gah, repeats on Sierra Road, that is just ... wrong ...

[jobob]

I've also found that (at least around me) the online climbing numbers can be significantly higher than what my computer gives me. Nothing worse than completing what should be a 6000ft ride only to find my computer (and my hubands GPS) both give us only 3500ft!

SadieKate & I have seen that too. Over on the bikejournal forums one of our geekier friends (who also happens to do hill repeats of Sierra Road, damn him) came up with a long explanation regarding number of points drawn and algorthims and such, but bottom line, yep, they can be off.

[kelownagirl]

Wow, I was looking at some of those nice Polar watches with the altimeters online and they are expensive! They won't work with my Mac so I won't be tempted to buy one I guess...

[Starfish]

I have a Specialized bike computer with altimeter, and so far, it seems accurate. I have a mountain in my back yard with a documented elevation gain, as it goes from the salt water to the ski area, and my computer seems to get it right on that ride, so I tend to trust it. Maybe it would be off if I went to a lot of different climates with more variable pressures, I don't know.

[Starfish]

Oh, and my goal for March is 10,000, but that is probably a little ambitious.

[Starfish]

woohoo! another 1800 feet today! maybe I will get my 10,000 for March after all!

[Fredwina]

I got about 2900 for today. I thought about going to baldy Village to get another 1,000, but we're having Santa Ana winds today, and the higher you go the worse they are.

[RoadRaven]

Well... my climbing goals have changed - almost no hill reps in February, and there will be precious few in March.

I have decided what I need to focus on is the ability to surge in a peloton. So lots of cruise intervals and sprint intervals for me. I'll be watching you all climb though, and will chime back in with my hills when I start doing reps again.

Way to go, Hill Goddesses

[kelownagirl]

I *think* I did about 1000 feet today. I have not found a reliable way of figuring it although I kinda liked routeslip that said I did 35,000 feet.

My lungs thought I had climbed that much. The air is too cold for me to work that hard I guess. Had an ok avg speed the first half, but had to go very slow all the way back...

[SadieKate]

Oh my gosh! I guess it's true when they say increasing intensity increases your speed. Since I have this climbing goal, I thought I'd wander around in the statistical stew and this is what I saw.

Jan 1 to Mar 3 of each year
2005 – 359 miles / 10,085 ft.
2006 – 654 miles / 6,412 ft.
2007 – 795 miles / 20,997 ft

Well, I put 2 and 2 together and realized how much the climbing is responsible for my avg speed for the Santa Rosa 200k. I really had no expectation of riding fast but I had to keep up with the bungee cord (maillotpois).

I know I increased the miles, but the change in miles between 2006 and 2007 is pretty negligible. However, the climbing isn't. Nothing for some of you folks, but HUGE for me. Okey-dokey. Bring on them thar mountains.