At what Gradient Does it Becomes pointless Riding up a Hill?
Discussion
From purely physics, when does riding a bike up a hill starts getting ''pointless'' in the energy being used compared to just walking with the bike up a hill?
Ie. When do the amounts of energy burned becomes same , also is there a situation/ a hill steep enough where riding a bike up a hill can actually be Less efficient than just walking and pushing the bike up the hill?
Ie. When do the amounts of energy burned becomes same , also is there a situation/ a hill steep enough where riding a bike up a hill can actually be Less efficient than just walking and pushing the bike up the hill?
bagusbagus said:
From purely physics, when does riding a bike up a hill starts getting ''pointless'' in the energy being used compared to just walking with the bike up a hill?
Ie. When do the amounts of energy burned becomes same , also is there a situation/ a hill steep enough where riding a bike up a hill can actually be Less efficient than just walking and pushing the bike up the hill?
It’s not about efficiency surely?!Ie. When do the amounts of energy burned becomes same , also is there a situation/ a hill steep enough where riding a bike up a hill can actually be Less efficient than just walking and pushing the bike up the hill?
I rode up a hill that was 13.something % average, although the final part was significantly steeper than that, off road / a wet grassy muddy field.
That was pretty pointless... pushing the bike up the hill was difficult enough. Riding up was (for me) impossible. The tyres would just spin if I stood, and it was too steep to just spin it out!
ETA: Strava seems to suggest the steepest part is 26.4%
That was pretty pointless... pushing the bike up the hill was difficult enough. Riding up was (for me) impossible. The tyres would just spin if I stood, and it was too steep to just spin it out!
ETA: Strava seems to suggest the steepest part is 26.4%
Edited by jimmy156 on Sunday 22 November 17:39
There's a couple of off-road hills I know of that aren't very long, but they're pretty much "roll a dice, throw a six to get to the top" hills. More often than not traction is lost before I run out of legs, but the 'point' of having another crack isn't to get up it efficiently, but to beat the damned hill into submission. Or spin the rear wheel out trying... 
From a purely physics point of view both walking with bike and riding up a steep hill will require roughly the same energy/power at the same speed.
From practical point of view most bikes won't let you ride that slow / relaxed as you would walk, hence the latter is easier for most mortals.
From practical point of view most bikes won't let you ride that slow / relaxed as you would walk, hence the latter is easier for most mortals.
This is the profile of the first 30km of an mtb race I’ve done a few times. It’s mostly firetrail and a bit of singletrack but there’s a prize for the first rider up the first fridge door to the top without getting off the bike. The rest of us walk...
Profile of the next 60km is much the same...
Profile of the next 60km is much the same...
Interesting question. No idea, would be curious to know.
My guess is if you have sufficient gearing and posture to maintain a reasonable cadence, I'd be surprised if there is any gradient where it becomes better to walk... During my tours of the alps on granny cog I sometimes walk but suspect this more about variety.
My guess is if you have sufficient gearing and posture to maintain a reasonable cadence, I'd be surprised if there is any gradient where it becomes better to walk... During my tours of the alps on granny cog I sometimes walk but suspect this more about variety.
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