Seeking long hill climb training courses in Sydney

[marc2131]

My team and I plan to do the NSW Club Team Time Trials (Nowra) again this year.
As some of you will know, there is an 18km hill climb. Pretty grueling, but not overly steep.
While I dont have problems with this, one of my team mates only realised he had problems with this climb on the day of the event.
Am looking for potential climbs we can incorporate into a training regime. Some of us are keen to do Sydney's Royal National Park, eventhough the gradients are a bit on the extreme side and not indicative of the Nowra course.
I am looking for a course which replicates the Nowra climb; 3-5 degree climb over 18 or so kilometres.

[biker jk]

You could try Mangrove Mountain (Wiseman's Ferry Rd). Climbing for around 12km but average gradient is less than 3%. Steeper at beginning then starts to flatten out.

[rogan]

So, 3% over 18 km would get you 540 metres above sea level. For that, you need the Blue Mountains or 120+ km south of Sydney. The Great Western Highway is largely rideable these days, at least as far as Faulconbridge. And yes, there are sections above 5%.

There are some good climbs on the South Coast (such as Macquarie Pass) but they are real climbs, with sections above 5%, and no significant flat spots like you get on the GWH. If you are going that far you should consider riding the course itself.

[vander]

http://www.strava.com/segments/1794388" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its a 1% climb not 3-5%. So given that its more a drag than a climb. I wouldnt worry too much about getting climbing in and more 20-30min consistent efforts at TT pace/hr.

[Chuck]

I am looking for a course which replicates the Nowra climb; 3-5 degree climb over 18 or so kilometres.

http://app.strava.com/segments/5708138" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[trailgumby]

If you are looking to do intervals the climb from the harbour up to Mosman in front of Taronga Zoo could be useful but its only 5-7 minutes long. Best I can think of that's actually *in* Sydney. The rest are off road.

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[MREJ]

M7 bike path heading north from Prestons.

Sutherland to Sublime Pt along the old highway.

Ride the freeway from Liverpool towards Goulburn - basically a (very long) uphill drag.

The second is the best of these in my view, and most similar to the Nowra ride. Lots of TT types ride it for training.

[marc2131]

Thanks guys. Will mull these over the the team.

[Deon.taylor]

Hi , where is the 18km climb in nowra? Can u post a strava segment pls

[GAV!N]

As others have said, it's a gradual uphill/false flat, averaging about 1-2% and then back down again. It's not a hill climb. Hames hill is the steepest which is probably a bit over 1km around the 5% mark.

[Derny Driver]

I agree with vander. I took a ladies team down last year and had a good look at the course from the follow car. Its a gradual uphill drag similar to the ones MREJ mentioned. Its not an out of the seat climb. Its a long seated power climb and you can get that power from normal TT work. Use you team as a team - that is, the stronger guys pull up those long drags on the way out. Guys behind call out "steady" if they are struggling. On the way home the guys who didnt do much on the way out, can put it in the 54-11 and pull some big turns on the way back.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

http://www.strava.com/segments/1794388" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its a 1% climb not 3-5%. So given that its more a drag than a climb. I wouldnt worry too much about getting climbing in and more 20-30min consistent efforts at TT pace/hr.

This. There are a few short pinches on the way out but it's not a climb as such, just a really draggy road.

[queequeg]

Definitely not a climb at all. First time I rode it was at the State TTT Champs last July, which was also the first time I'd ever done a Time Trial (of any kind). Only thing I'd do different next time is maybe throw a set of TT rings on the bike. I was struggling to match pace with the captain who had a TT bike with a 54-11.

[mikesbytes]

One way to replicate the ride is to do the actual course. I did that many years ago. Drive down, ride, drive back

Loftus to Waterfall has some similarities. You could continue on along the Princess to Hellengsburg, Stanwell tops or Otford Pie shop to add K's to the incline.

Are you trying to address the steeper climbs or the false flat (for want of a better description)?

[thomas1987]

Do repeats of the ride between Nepean Dam and Avon Dam.

[Jawa]

Mt Keira / Wollongong - 6.5km
https://www.strava.com/segments/752121

Hawkesbury Heights - 20km
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-33. ... m2!4m1!3e1

Megalong Valley to Blackheath - 15km
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-33. ... 002,12.18z

Burragorang Lookout - 15km
https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-34. ... m2!4m1!3e1

[g-boaf]

Burragorang lookout is not very difficult, it's just rolling hills IMO. I did it a while back without drama.

Mt Keira looks like a much better option for hill efforts.

M7 bike path north from Prestons isn't too difficult either, all very short hills.

You could also try repeats of Razorback down past Camden, the old road (really rough) and the new road going the other way.

Another route is to ride Yarramundi to Springwood via Hawkesbury Heights. That's a great route that I like a lot.

More here:
viewtopic.php?t=8688

[Jawa]

There is a charity ride at Mt Kiera
http://www.keirachallenge.com.au/

Having only ridden it once last year during the event I did find it a bit of a ball tearer

[CXCommuter]

Burragorang lookout is not very difficult, it's just rolling hills IMO. I did it a while back without drama.

Mt Keira looks like a much better option for hill efforts.

M7 bike path north from Prestons isn't too difficult either, all very short hills.

You could also try repeats of Razorback down past Camden, the old road (really rough) and the new road going the other way.

Another route is to ride Yarramundi to Springwood via Hawkesbury Heights. That's a great route that I like a lot.

More here:
viewtopic.php?t=8688

Yarramundi (or Old Bathurst Road from Emu Plains) right through to Katoomba would be my choice also- that is a long grind.. Further supplemented by a ripping fast ride back
edit- this: https://www.strava.com/activities/521508814