Torcher Ride - The one you test yourself on

[Wilkinson4]

Interested in seeing what kind of rides people have in their back pocket. You know the ride... The one you don't want to do but it gives you a good idea of your fitness level. It's probably short, maybe a TT or a hill.

My go to ride is a torcher test. I hate doing it but I can tell where I am and if I stick with it it really improves my climbing. It isn't long, and takes about 1 hr.

That's 45 min up and 15 min down! It avg's about 15% and I gain 2'400 ft in less than 3 miles. It's a dirt road about 15min from my house, 2 switch backs, then just an unrelenting grind. I hate it, and I love it.

I don't tell my bike buddies about this ride either:D It's a secret!

mIKE

[Peter P.]

My buddies and I have a 21 mile TT course we ride on the honor system and report our results to me, the bookkeeper. I keep a spreadsheet and e-mail it to the others. There have been a total of five attempts among us so far this year. This is real pain. It's a rolling to hilly route.

I have a personal TT course of unknown distance. From landmark to landmark is roughly 25 minutes. This route has short hills of constantly changing grade as well as being narrow and twisty. Lots of shifting.

[eddief]

never mix flame and cycling.

[benitosan1972]

We have a few around here, alot too choose from in fact.
My picks:
1. Steep as hell: Bohlman-On-Orbit in Saratoga, avg = 12%, max = 24%
2. Long as hell: Mt Hamilton in San Jose, distance = 25miles one-way w/ 3 climbs
3. Not long, not steep but kicks your ass: Sierra Rd in Milpitas = chosen for TOC
I ride these regularly, but I seem to hate doing them every time, it NEVER gets better!

[Wilkinson4]

never mix flame and cycling.

Oh crap, you're write:D I mean right. Must have still been light headed from the elevation gain.

mIKE

[Louis]

For me it's the beginning of a certain route, from home to a specific intersection. My benchmark is 30 minutes = decent shape. When I'm out of shape (like right now) it's about 33 min. I can't remember my PB, but I don't think it's under 28 min. It's a somewhat representative profile, mostly small rollers and one short steep hill. I've never really done an "all out" test.

[CaptStash]

A "lap" around my neighborhood (Magnolia in Seattle) is exactly six miles and about' of elevation gain. My standard "test" is three laps. Right now the best I can do is around 63 minutes, but last summer I peaked at just under 57. By mid-summer I also do more laps during my morning ride.

There's also an out and back course from my house that is damn near 12.5 miles. doing it twice as a time trial is a great test as well.

Those are my two go to training rides for riding alone in the mornings. I can't seem to get my biddies to come along though.

CaptStash....

[soulspinner]

never mix flame and cycling.

Especially a magnesium Pin:eek:

[tv_vt]

Torcher = Torture? Oh boy, you were indeed oxygen-starved:)

Anyway, I have 3, all pretty short - which makes them easier to face. You could call these Prologue TTs.

First is a straight up hill climb of only a few tenths of a mile. Just over a minute to ride it hammering like Philippe Gilbert on the Muur. I'm racing for seconds off my last time - an uphill sprint.

Next is flat to rolling terrain of just under 2 miles - 4 to 4.5 minutes. Last year, in March did a 4:37. Later in year, best time was a 3:57. Again, racing to shave seconds off time, flat out.

Then a 15 minute more steeply rolling route with 3 climbs of varying difficulty, no flat terrain - only do this one when I'm good and ready. Pacing more critical on this one. It's easy to blow on the second climb.

With all of these, I can hardly see straight at the finish.

A 20 mile TT? I can't imagine getting up for that unless you're doing it with others in a competition. The shorter efforts really push my top end, too - don't think I'd get the same thing out of a 20 mile TT.

[Jaq]

Intervals. 2 on, 2 off; 3 on, 3½ off; 4 on, 4½ off.

Repeat 3 times or until lunch covers shoes, whichever comes first.

[Wilkinson4]

We have a few around here, alot too choose from in fact.
My picks:
1. Steep as hell: Bohlman-On-Orbit in Saratoga, avg = 12%, max = 24%


Winner. I checked that out, man that looks hard. I rechecked the grade of the main guts of my ride in mapmyride and it came out to 30% when I highlight it. Not sure if it is true but my legs can believe it. I get some strange looks from a few people in their 4x4 rigs as they pass me going up.

mIKE

[xcwhite]

I ride for fun and do not think in those terms
Fitness will always improve with the more time you spend on your bike

[giverdada]

i have been forcing myself outside in the dark these days, figuring that, since all of my projects are done and i have nothing to do about bikes other than actually get my butt on them, i should put my pedals where my mouth is and really go for it.

the fitness has a long way to go.

every once in a while though, i like to hit up a ridiculously steep little hill (very short, under a kilometre) and see how i feel on it. the third repeat is usually the truest indicator. the hill is something like 13-18 percent or whatever, and pretty much just strength training unless running a compact and a mountain cassette.

i haven't done it since the snow cleared a month ago.

someone pass me a torcher...

[MattTuck]

I have one 21 mile loop, pretty straightforward. North along the river until a bridge 10 miles from the start, South on the other side of the river. it is Mostly flat, with a few hills, about 550 feet of climbing.

Doing it solo, I'm pretty happy if I break an hour. http://app.strava.com/rides/1633032 Not my ride, but that is the route.

Another test is a local hill, clear start and end points, not sure of the exact distance, but my best time was 11:20. If I ever hit that again, I'd be ecstatic.

[martinrjensen]

I was thinking of some kind of ride that included a propane torch or something, seriously....

[Bob Loblaw]

Makes me miss home. Highway 9 used to be my pet climb. My best time is still etched in my memory banks: 35:12.

Now my torture test is in the gym on the stepmill, 5 x 5 minutes, 3 minutes at 290 Watts and 2 minutes at 400, then back to 290 and so on, no rest till the end. That workout serves as a litmus test for fitness as well as a fitness builder.

BL

We have a few around here, alot too choose from in fact.
My picks:
1. Steep as hell: Bohlman-On-Orbit in Saratoga, avg = 12%, max = 24%
2. Long as hell: Mt Hamilton in San Jose, distance = 25miles one-way w/ 3 climbs
3. Not long, not steep but kicks your ass: Sierra Rd in Milpitas = chosen for TOC
I ride these regularly, but I seem to hate doing them every time, it NEVER gets better!

[gdw]

"I have one 21 mile loop, pretty straightforward. North along the river until a bridge 10 miles from the start, South on the other side of the river. it is Mostly flat, with a few hills, about 550 feet of climbing.

Doing it solo, I'm pretty happy if I break an hour. http://app.strava.com/rides/1633032 Not my ride, but that is the route."

That looks familiar. I lived in the old toll keepers house on East Thetford Road on the Lyme side of the river 20 years ago.

[benitosan1972]

Makes me miss home. Highway 9 used to be my pet climb. My best time is still etched in my memory banks: 35:12.


BL

Where are you now, BL? Hwy 9 is great. First you grind up it for 5-7 miles, then when you get to the top, you have 3 great options ahead of you: bomb down 9 into Santa Cruz, hook left on Skyline towards Castle Rock/Summit/236, or hook right to go towards Page Mill/84/La Honda/92. Hwy 9 is just the beginning for many, many epic rides around here.

PS, my PR is 33mins, my friend Brian can break 30!