7 peaks!
- Thread starter bonss
- Start date
mtb101
Likes Bikes and Dirt
the difficulty of these climbs will depend a lot on what you've done on ride coming up to them, I've only done Mt Hotham in 3 peaks with tawonga gap climb on legs, where Mt Buffalo I've done with having already climbed tawonga gap twice and falls creek (in alpine classic).
1. however there's no doubt that Mt Hotham is toughest, Hors catégorie 30ks with very steep ramps near end to really finish you off.
2. Mt Buffallo next, you are exposed to sun/heat for first sections, tough in final parts.
3. Mt Baw Baw, short mountain bike steep, depends on where you start, you'll be basically off seat for most of climb.
4. Falls Creek, nice early on, some steep ramps near end.
5. Mt Buller, consistently steep, climbs near end
6. Lake Mountain - tough at start then nice all the way up
7. Dinner Plain, from Omeo its more a long stretch through high plains
the toughest, hardest, nastiest by far is back of falls a beast with 4k of 10% plus, very hard climb.
tips: compact crank set, 34 with a 27 or 28 options for really steep sections. focus on spinning rather than grinding cranks.
heat rate monitor as key to success is maintaining a sustainable pace.
body weight, watts/kg you simply can't be too heavy as there's only so much power you can generate on steep grades before you run out of gas.
mental attitude/belief, on the day this is what matters most, keep going with a relentless belief.
training, ive done most of my training on mtb, more enjoyable just find climbs and ride them. otherwise you'd want to go kinglake, dandenongs and #1 training location on road bike is Mt Donna Buang. Try 1 ascent rest, then go again. you're ready for 7 peaks when you can do 2 mt donnas in a row with similar times.
read about each climb as preparation.
http://theclimbingcyclist.com/
1. however there's no doubt that Mt Hotham is toughest, Hors catégorie 30ks with very steep ramps near end to really finish you off.
2. Mt Buffallo next, you are exposed to sun/heat for first sections, tough in final parts.
3. Mt Baw Baw, short mountain bike steep, depends on where you start, you'll be basically off seat for most of climb.
4. Falls Creek, nice early on, some steep ramps near end.
5. Mt Buller, consistently steep, climbs near end
6. Lake Mountain - tough at start then nice all the way up
7. Dinner Plain, from Omeo its more a long stretch through high plains
the toughest, hardest, nastiest by far is back of falls a beast with 4k of 10% plus, very hard climb.
tips: compact crank set, 34 with a 27 or 28 options for really steep sections. focus on spinning rather than grinding cranks.
heat rate monitor as key to success is maintaining a sustainable pace.
body weight, watts/kg you simply can't be too heavy as there's only so much power you can generate on steep grades before you run out of gas.
mental attitude/belief, on the day this is what matters most, keep going with a relentless belief.
training, ive done most of my training on mtb, more enjoyable just find climbs and ride them. otherwise you'd want to go kinglake, dandenongs and #1 training location on road bike is Mt Donna Buang. Try 1 ascent rest, then go again. you're ready for 7 peaks when you can do 2 mt donnas in a row with similar times.
read about each climb as preparation.
http://theclimbingcyclist.com/
Last edited:
Mywifesirrational
I however am very normal. Trust me.
Am i making a mockery of the challenge by using some MTB drive train?
I have an XT long cage, chain and 11-36 cassette ready to go, I bet i can stay seated the entire way up Baw Baw, although its going to be the slowest time with zero stops on record. Just happy to knock a few of these climbs off then next session maybe all of them as long as I can avoid the constantly being injured train.
I have an XT long cage, chain and 11-36 cassette ready to go, I bet i can stay seated the entire way up Baw Baw, although its going to be the slowest time with zero stops on record. Just happy to knock a few of these climbs off then next session maybe all of them as long as I can avoid the constantly being injured train.
akashra
Eats Squid
Hey, rant time 
I did Baw Baw the other week on my Anthem, not because of the gears going up but because of the brakes coming down. That was on that 41C TFB day in late December and yeah, it was still 38C at Baw Baw. Everything else I did on a 39/53 12-25, which I've ridden up Baw Baw on previously.
I've already completed the 7 peaks for this year - I also did them all in '11/'12. I think just about all of them I went slower this year, however I also pretty much never went over 70% MHR this time. Broke a spoke in my rear wheel only 1km from the top of Falls Creek after doing 4 peaks in 3 days and couldn't ride it back down to Mt Beauty. None of them at all this year felt like a challenge, but that's probably because I simply didn't push hard (see: Heart Rate).
Eastest to Hardest? I'd say:
1. Lake Mountain. It's simple, straightforward.
2. Mt Buffalo. I also find this one to be one of the two most boring.
3. Dinner Plain. The only thing that makes this one difficult is those pinches at the start and that it's lonnnng.
4. Falls Creek. Nothing too absurd here. Unicyclists, share the road.
5. Mt Buller. This one I do almost every time I'm up there - was up there last weekend and did both the road climb then rode out to Howqua Gap. I'd put Buller above Falls only because it pinches up a bit right near the end.
6. Mt Hotham. Mostly it's long, and can get really windy at the top. All the tough stuff is done in the first
7. Baw Baw. There's simply no sane reason to ride up roads that steep for such little achievement.
I'll likely ride Mt Hotham and back a couple of nights at National Champs if anyone wants to tag along. I'm also going to go back and do Lake Mountain in a couple of weeks time just to compare, as I've been doing ~250km/week for the last 8 weeks - last time up (October) my chain munched itself a few km from the top, got that sorted now so want to do it properly and compare. In the meantime I want to go back and ride Towonga Gap, and am looking for someone to tag along riding from The Basin to Mt Donna Buang this weekend.
All of this this year for me is to get some fitness back so that in May I can go over to Hawaii and ride Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa, probably about four or five days apart. Before then I want to lose another 4-5kg - have already lost 6kg in 8 weeks.
I did Baw Baw the other week on my Anthem, not because of the gears going up but because of the brakes coming down. That was on that 41C TFB day in late December and yeah, it was still 38C at Baw Baw. Everything else I did on a 39/53 12-25, which I've ridden up Baw Baw on previously.
I've already completed the 7 peaks for this year - I also did them all in '11/'12. I think just about all of them I went slower this year, however I also pretty much never went over 70% MHR this time. Broke a spoke in my rear wheel only 1km from the top of Falls Creek after doing 4 peaks in 3 days and couldn't ride it back down to Mt Beauty. None of them at all this year felt like a challenge, but that's probably because I simply didn't push hard (see: Heart Rate).
Eastest to Hardest? I'd say:
1. Lake Mountain. It's simple, straightforward.
2. Mt Buffalo. I also find this one to be one of the two most boring.
3. Dinner Plain. The only thing that makes this one difficult is those pinches at the start and that it's lonnnng.
4. Falls Creek. Nothing too absurd here. Unicyclists, share the road.
5. Mt Buller. This one I do almost every time I'm up there - was up there last weekend and did both the road climb then rode out to Howqua Gap. I'd put Buller above Falls only because it pinches up a bit right near the end.
6. Mt Hotham. Mostly it's long, and can get really windy at the top. All the tough stuff is done in the first
7. Baw Baw. There's simply no sane reason to ride up roads that steep for such little achievement.
I'll likely ride Mt Hotham and back a couple of nights at National Champs if anyone wants to tag along. I'm also going to go back and do Lake Mountain in a couple of weeks time just to compare, as I've been doing ~250km/week for the last 8 weeks - last time up (October) my chain munched itself a few km from the top, got that sorted now so want to do it properly and compare. In the meantime I want to go back and ride Towonga Gap, and am looking for someone to tag along riding from The Basin to Mt Donna Buang this weekend.
All of this this year for me is to get some fitness back so that in May I can go over to Hawaii and ride Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa, probably about four or five days apart. Before then I want to lose another 4-5kg - have already lost 6kg in 8 weeks.
bonss
Likes Bikes
Interesting to see the differing opinions.
I've done lake mountain, Buller and Baw Baw so far and heading to bright next week.
I want to try knock 3 off my list while I'm there.
I have to admit I was expecting worse from Baw Baw, I didn't stop at all and remained seated pretty much the whole ride, think I only stood once, maybe twice, resigned myself to the fact that I would stop a couple of times so was pretty proud of myself
was pretty f@#ked that night though!
I've done lake mountain, Buller and Baw Baw so far and heading to bright next week.
I want to try knock 3 off my list while I'm there.
I have to admit I was expecting worse from Baw Baw, I didn't stop at all and remained seated pretty much the whole ride, think I only stood once, maybe twice, resigned myself to the fact that I would stop a couple of times so was pretty proud of myself
was pretty f@#ked that night though!
Mywifesirrational
I however am very normal. Trust me.
What was the gearing on the bike? 34? x 25 - 28?
The Duckmeister
Has a juicy midrange
Your XT derailleur MUST be a 9-sp. model to work with the road shifters. MTB 10-sp uses a different leverage ratio and won't work.
Mywifesirrational
I however am very normal. Trust me.
Ah, thanks for the heads up, I do also have an older 9spd XT.
bonss
Likes Bikes
RB 24
Likes Dirt
Hey, rant time
I did Baw Baw the other week on my Anthem, not because of the gears going up but because of the brakes coming down. That was on that 41C TFB day in late December and yeah, it was still 38C at Baw Baw. Everything else I did on a 39/53 12-25, which I've ridden up Baw Baw on previously.
I've already completed the 7 peaks for this year - I also did them all in '11/'12. I think just about all of them I went slower this year, however I also pretty much never went over 70% MHR this time. Broke a spoke in my rear wheel only 1km from the top of Falls Creek after doing 4 peaks in 3 days and couldn't ride it back down to Mt Beauty. None of them at all this year felt like a challenge, but that's probably because I simply didn't push hard (see: Heart Rate).
Eastest to Hardest? I'd say:
1. Lake Mountain. It's simple, straightforward.
2. Mt Buffalo. I also find this one to be one of the two most boring.
3. Dinner Plain. The only thing that makes this one difficult is those pinches at the start and that it's lonnnng.
4. Falls Creek. Nothing too absurd here. Unicyclists, share the road.
5. Mt Buller. This one I do almost every time I'm up there - was up there last weekend and did both the road climb then rode out to Howqua Gap. I'd put Buller above Falls only because it pinches up a bit right near the end.
6. Mt Hotham. Mostly it's long, and can get really windy at the top. All the tough stuff is done in the first
7. Baw Baw. There's simply no sane reason to ride up roads that steep for such little achievement.
I'll likely ride Mt Hotham and back a couple of nights at National Champs if anyone wants to tag along. I'm also going to go back and do Lake Mountain in a couple of weeks time just to compare, as I've been doing ~250km/week for the last 8 weeks - last time up (October) my chain munched itself a few km from the top, got that sorted now so want to do it properly and compare. In the meantime I want to go back and ride Towonga Gap, and am looking for someone to tag along riding from The Basin to Mt Donna Buang this weekend.
All of this this year for me is to get some fitness back so that in May I can go over to Hawaii and ride Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa, probably about four or five days apart. Before then I want to lose another 4-5kg - have already lost 6kg in 8 weeks.
Couldn't agree more Tim.
Catergory of climbs listed.
Baw Baw is just an ass reamer. No easy way up it. At all.
Art Vanderlay
Hourly daily
steve jobs' pancreas
Eats Squid
20% max gradient, yeehaa!!!
This sounds like hell.
I watched some guys riding up Buller last weekend while I was at the bottom hanging out for the shuttle.
It occured to me, that the range on the roadbikes seems way to small, (11-25 anyone?) Ive got 11-28 on my cyclo and am going to throw a MTB cassette on there when it needs upgrading for climbs. I already find 36 / 28 not low enough.
Turns out i'm not the only one who has thought of this problem. BAM! 105 running gear with 11- 40 tooth. Sweet..
http://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/roadlink <- Problem solved for me.
I watched some guys riding up Buller last weekend while I was at the bottom hanging out for the shuttle.
It occured to me, that the range on the roadbikes seems way to small, (11-25 anyone?) Ive got 11-28 on my cyclo and am going to throw a MTB cassette on there when it needs upgrading for climbs. I already find 36 / 28 not low enough.
Turns out i'm not the only one who has thought of this problem. BAM! 105 running gear with 11- 40 tooth. Sweet..
http://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/roadlink <- Problem solved for me.
Trickymac
Likes Dirt
god gerrans just smashed it didnt he, seems so easy for him...bastard
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
Australia's only beyond category climb...didn't know that!
And his time (according to a Strava search) is bloody quick...25m33s, fastest Strava time is 24m51s:
https://www.strava.com/segments/609778
And his time (according to a Strava search) is bloody quick...25m33s, fastest Strava time is 24m51s:
https://www.strava.com/segments/609778
pistonbroke
Eats Squid
Anyone catch Tobias Lestrell's everesting run up baw baw? At just over 9 hours he's claiming the fastest Everest ride ever ridden in Australia and one of the fastest in the world. Tough bastard.
Berserker26
Squid
Bit of a small hijack but have you lot rode up Glenmore on the way to Ballarat (from Melb) - short as anything however it's bl00dy steep) I was on a HT mountain bike in the granny gear and just popping the front wheel up.