From: BRANDT_JOBST/HP1900_01@HPLOMG.HPL.HP.COM
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: TDF climbs... Part II
Date: 25 Jul 92 23:57:55 GMT

Bruce Hildenbrand writes:

> Jobst, get a clue.  The top of the Galibier is 36km from Briancon and is
> a pretty constant grade until the final kilometer which is, by the sign
> at the top, 12% not 13%.  So 35 of the 36km are a pretty constant grade
> which describes about 97% of the climb.  Sure, there are minor variations
> of several percent, but having ridden the climb, I would not say that
> there aren't any sections that stand out as any tougher than the other
> (except the final 1km of a 36km climb).

From the tone you'd think I wrote some personal insults.  Holy spoke wrench!
All I said was that giving average gradients for roads was as inaccurate as the
author suggested and listed a few items to back that up.  Rather than imply
that I had ridden every pass in the Alps I said I had not but I have ridden
most of the ones mentioned, if that is what you want to hear.  I don't think
it makes any difference.

The Galibier Pass starts at the summit of the Lauteret 2058m coming from
Briancon and the approach can easily be ridden in a 90 inch gear in a pack or
if there is a bit of favorable air.  The Galibier rises from there with 6 to
8 % grades as well as a flat 200 meters at the old summit 2505m where the
road went through a one-lane tunnel.  From there it goes up at a 10% grade
and finishes with 13% at 2545m.  This is not consistent with the average.
The other side goes to Valloire at 1430m with some long nearly flat stretches
and then climbs to the Telegraph 1574m in about 5 km at gradually diminishing
grade.  From there it goes down to St Michel at 710m with an 8% grade.  The
Telegraph is a part of the Galibier as is the Lauteret for those who choose
to ride the Galibier since there is no other way of getting up there and the
three are contiguous climbs.

There are those who would let you believe that they climbed three separate
passes, the Lauteret, Galibier, and Telegraph when in fact they started in
the valley and climbed over the Galibier.  I don't have this information
from a book but rather from having ridden there often since the late 50's
when these roads were smaller and ones like the Stelvio, Fluela, Albula, St.
Bernard, Simplon and many others were dirt roads where you seldom if ever met
another bicyclist.  The tunnel on the Galibier was open and the road over
the top was a grassy trace of the ancient road that is still visible coming
up the meadows from the southeast.

I don't know why you attack with such invective Bruce.  Is it because you
didn't get a chance to ride in the Alps again or what.  I was dismayed how
you hacked at me about our bike tour over Ebbetts, Monitor, and Sonora
passes last year.  I thought we had a good time and afterward I get a lot
of snipes on rec.bike, what gives?  Having ridden over Sonora Pass where we
took a picture of the 26% road sign, you know that neither this sign nor
the average gradient from Sonora represents the climb that is arduous no
matter how you cut it but is a mere 4% grade or so on the average.

Ride bike and don't be so picky.

jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com