This Is the Ideal Grade for Climbing

From Bicycling

Is there a sweet spot for climbing? A gradient that feels satisfying, but not so steep that you’re suffering? It depends on how fit you are, but calculations suggest that for a moderately trained rider, the magic number is 4 to 5 percent, and not more than 8 percent for even very fit cyclists. Here’s what’s happening as the road tips up.*

*Based on calculators by CyclingPowerLab and Gribble, for a 170-pound rider on a 17-pound bike, putting out 3.1 watts per kilogram-what a moderately fit rider could hold for an hour, according to data from power expert Andrew Coggan, PhD. “Aero,” “gravity,” and “friction" watts denote the power you need to overcome wind drag, gravity, and rolling resistance, respectively. “Speed” is shown at 3.1 w/kg. “Watts @ 12 mph” is the power it’d take to go 12 mph on each gradient.

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