OT, kinda - florida is flat

[vqdriver]

Here now with the lil-uns. Got sucked into the whole Disney universe (not entirely unwillingly) and we're on the road now from Orlando to port Canaveral. Looking out the window, the biggest hills ive seen are mounds of dirt at construction sites. Y'all aren't exagerating when you say it's flat out here.

[David Kirk]

I lived in the western panhandle for years and it's downright mountainous compared to central or southern FL.....that said we still did hill repeats on a highway overpass as that was the biggest and steepest thing around.

dave

[chazmtb]

Go north west of Orlando and there are some rollers. Near Clermont, which is a little north west of Disney, there are some hills with a few short 10-14% climbs. Yeah from Orlando to the coast is 0 elevation change except for a few bridges.

[54ny77]

yep. have visited a bunch lately and the biggest climb is a bridge going over portions of a bay.

that said, having ridden with a few locals, flat means fast. as in, holy &^%!# this is fast and no i cannot hang in there. :bike:

[jr59]

But we have wind!

Fl not as flat as New Orleans, but still flat. Bring big gears.

[54ny77]

No kidding. If you have an old 42/53 and a corncob freewheel, don't toss it just yet. Move to Florida, you'll use it.

But we have wind!

Fl not as flat as New Orleans, but still flat. Bring big gears.

[MaraudingWalrus]

If you took SR528 (the "beachline") out of orlando to Canaveral (which you almost certainly did), then shortly after you crossed over the St Johns River, the road made a big turn more south for a few miles before jogging back to be due east. Just before the turn back east is the highest point in the county...the top of the landfill. Very visible now from the highway.

If you've got time to kill, the beltdrive supersix is available for test-rides. Tell the family that it's a local landmark...

:banana:

[MattTuck]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lUkFFFqxy5Y/T2rAqGCGbbI/AAAAAAAAH7Q/5T1Ulep8HaM/s1600/Sea+Level+Rise+6+meters.gif

[benb]

This winter when I was in the Fort Myers area and did a bunch of riding the GPS and/or barometric pressure drift error in my Garmin files was larger than the actual elevation changes along the route, and we're talking 50 mile files. Amazing. The largest elevation changes I remember going over were the bridges across the river between Cape Coral and Fort Myers and the teeny little overpasses over the canal so the residents could take their powerboats out. That whole thing of cutting the entire city up with canals is going to be really ugly for Cape Coral when sea level rise starts happening.

[ripvanrando]

Just go north of Orlando. I did a 200k with 4500 feet of climbing. Not flat but not hilly either. Biggest climb might have been 200 vertical.

[carpediemracing]

I've ridden around Gainesville and around New Port Ritchie. Gainesville has a set of rollers somewhere, everyone there knows where they are because if you're doing a "hilly ride" it means heading over there. I struggled on them even though they were the kinds of hills I usually manage (big gear, hard, 30-40 seconds? maybe a minute?).

New Port Ritchie I saw some scary pictures. Realized it was scaled wrong due to the "road" being a bike path and therefore the hill that looked about 400m long was only 200m long. Or something like that.

But as pointed out there's wind. There's no "punch and coast" like there is up in CT, there's always a minimum amount of power necessary simply to stay on wheels. I have a very hard time doing group rides in flatter areas for this reason.

[bikinchris]

I lived in the western panhandle for years and it's downright mountainous compared to central or southern FL.....that said we still did hill repeats on a highway overpass as that was the biggest and steepest thing around.

dave

That's what I was going to say. The panhandle is far more hilly than the lower parts of Florida. For more large expanses of flat, the entire part of south Louisiana all the way to Houston is used to calibrate carpenter's levels. When I hosted the Southern Tandem rally here, they complained the whole weekend about having to pedal every single inch of the way. No coasting here.

[bikinchris]

But we have wind!

Fl not as flat as New Orleans, but still flat. Bring big gears.

Anything less than 20mph wind is a "calm."

[Ti Designs]

Yeh, it's flat. It's also damn fast. I showed up for a group ride, it was 7:00pm and we had maybe an hour of daylight left. They were doing a 28 mile loop and nobody else seemed the least bit worried. In any area, most large, fast rides turn into what I call "shark rides". The sharks are the guys who can put the hurt on, the rest of the group are just fish. When you see a bunch of sharks move to the front, you either find a wheel or wave bye-bye. In the Boston area I'm usually a shark 'cause I can climb, I have good flat speed and I can sprint. In Florida, my flat speed only gets me as far as fish status, my sprint gets me across gaps when they open, and my climbing ability counts for squat.

I love a good challenge like this. At the end of the season I'm shipping my Tarmac (with it's 44/56 up front and 11-21 in back) to Florida and I'm planning two more trips this year. It's time to learn how to go really fast...

[ultraman6970]

The only climb in miami it is a bridge.

[bcroslin]

San Antonio/ Brooksville has some great hills and some tough rides. Claremont has Sugarloaf "mountain" - google it. Otherwise, the state is flat as a 2x4.

And yes, the local rides are fast and we always attack in the crosswinds. ;)

[reconstyle]

Funny - I just got back from a 25 miler out here in Apopka (just north west of Orlando). Lots of nice rollers out here, no long 5k climbs at 10%, but enough rollers and wind to give you a workout.

[Keith A]

The only climb in miami it is a bridge.Same for the countdown county too.

[bloody sunday]

freeway overpass KOM's

[Ronsonic]

Flat? I'm embarrassed to call my fat-tired bike with a suspension fork a mountain bike. I regularly ride it on trails in a place called "Flatwood Park." I never need the small ring. Our hills are dictated by the poise angle of sand.

As for the wind, if you ever find yourself riding along thinking that there isn't any, it's a tailwind.

On a local rail-trail path there's an overpass crossing a major street, biggest climb I regularly make.

There are some hills about 30 miles out, San Antonio area, perfect for a ride out and through them.

[justindcady]

I live just north of Orlando in Winter Springs. Most of my 30-50 mile rides will get me between 600-700ft of elevation gain. Hah...

[MaraudingWalrus]

I live just north of Orlando in Winter Springs. Most of my 30-50 mile rides will get me between 600-700ft of elevation gain. Hah...


You maniac! The last hundred miler I did had 220 and I was surprised it was that much!

[reconstyle]

This is the highest point in the peninsula of Florida:

https://centurytrek.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/2_-10-14-07_-looking-up-sugarloaf-_300-foot-elevation-change-within-_25-miles__-mountain_-south-of-mount-dora_-fl.jpg

It's about 200ft of climbing over about half a mile. Average grade is about 7% but it gets to be about 11% at the top.

[Keith A]

This is the highest point in the peninsula of Florida:

It's about 200ft of climbing over about half a mile. Average grade is about 7% but it gets to be about 11% at the top.Yes, this is "Sugarloaf" in Clermont. Lots of hills to ride in this area and it is very popular place to ride. The Horrible Hundred Century takes place out here, as do the some road races and triathlons.

Here's the Strava segment for this hill...
https://www.strava.com/segments/637075

[MaraudingWalrus]

Yes, this is "Sugarloaf" in Clermont. Lots of hills to ride in this area and it is very popular place to ride. The Horrible Hundred Century takes place out here, as do the some road races and triathlons.



Here's the Strava segment for this hill...

https://www.strava.com/segments/637075



I hadn't ridden it until a few months ago. It's a serious hill. It's obviously not a super long sustained climb, but was enough to make you work. Lots of people walking it. Riders in my local club fit compacts and 11-32 cassettes for when we do out of town rides over there. And then they were amazed when my fat ass with an 52/36 and an 11-25 get up it respectably quick.

The road that goes north and south from our shop is "hilly" on the north side. And by that I mean it's got a few sections of literally tens of feet of elevation change. I know people around here who refuse to ride that side because it's too hilly. Here (https://www.strava.com/segments/9326668)'s a segment for that whole ride, so you can see how hilly the north side is...

[Ralph]

As some of you have noted.....just because it's mostly flat around here (except for some hilly areas), doesn't mean group riding is easy. You never stop pedaling on a ride. Aero becomes a factor.

[Ti Designs]

As some of you have noted.....just because it's mostly flat around here (except for some hilly areas), doesn't mean group riding is easy. You never stop pedaling on a ride. Aero becomes a factor.


Half of this thread is about finding hills in Florida - I'll never understand that. Why not embrace what they have to offer instead of looking for something they have somewhere else. What they have is fast, and a lot of it. Fast is fun. Go to Florida, have some fun, don't waste your time looking for hills...

Are the people looking for hills in Florida the same ones looking for indoor trainers that "feel like riding on the road"? That would explain a lot.

[Keith A]

Half of this thread is about finding hills in Florida - I'll never understand that. Why not embrace what they have to offer instead of looking for something they have somewhere else. What they have is fast, and a lot of it. Fast is fun. Go to Florida, have some fun, don't waste your time looking for hills...

Are the people looking for hills in Florida the same ones looking for indoor trainers that "feel like riding on the road"? That would explain a lot.Having lived here all my life, sometimes it is nice to have a change in elevation. I personally like riding hills, but that might be because I don't get to do this very often. Fast is fun, but it's also hard, and sometimes I need a break from fast all the time. Just as I would imagine that people who live in hilly areas might think, not that hill again :eek:

[benb]

Well if you embrace what Florida has to offer you probably put your bike away and go surfing/boating/fishing/scuba diving or enter a Tri. All things that are way better down there then up here in the hills. ;)

The biggest thing for me about really hilly areas is they give you good views. I actually found Florida all right. Because it's so flat you actually do get pretty decent views when you do go over a bridge, highway overpass, etc.. those features here do not give you a view at all. If we take another winter vacation there I'll definitely rent a bike again. Some of the super fast stuff is really fun. The bridge/causeway from Fort Myers to Sanibel Island was quite a rush even if it's not that high. You go over it at an absolutely crazy speed since it hits it's high point early and then it's downhill the whole way and you have ocean winds that can push you along. (They did give me a tailwind the day I did it.) I think averaged 27 mph on the out and something like 14 on the way back from the wind.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Half of this thread is about finding hills in Florida - I'll never understand that. Why not embrace what they have to offer instead of looking for something they have somewhere else. What they have is fast, and a lot of it. Fast is fun. Go to Florida, have some fun, don't waste your time looking for hills...



Are the people looking for hills in Florida the same ones looking for indoor trainers that "feel like riding on the road"? That would explain a lot.



God forbid somebody occasionally want to ride something besides their regular loop.

[Ralph]

Half of this thread is about finding hills in Florida - I'll never understand that. Why not embrace what they have to offer instead of looking for something they have somewhere else. What they have is fast, and a lot of it. Fast is fun. Go to Florida, have some fun, don't waste your time looking for hills...

Are the people looking for hills in Florida the same ones looking for indoor trainers that "feel like riding on the road"? That would explain a lot.

Thanks for the compliment. I'm retired (and have been since 97), can live anywhere in US I want....and I choose to live here year around....and just make road trips from here. Been all over US with my bike. There is a huge cycling community around here, hundreds of miles of paved trails to get you "out" in country....or just a slow ride with wife. I can ride almost any day I want. Every single day if I want....except I won't ride in rain on purpose....no need to. Heat not so bad in summer in early AM. I've ridden all around Frisco, etc.....in early fall. Still wouldn't trade here for any place in US. The only weather problem I have is keeping my pool temps below 90 this time of year....have to keep solar heater auto thermostat from kicking it on.

[bcroslin]

There it is. Ugh, first time I ever rode that dumb thing was during a race. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and was promptly spit out the back half way up.

This is the highest point in the peninsula of Florida:

https://centurytrek.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/2_-10-14-07_-looking-up-sugarloaf-_300-foot-elevation-change-within-_25-miles__-mountain_-south-of-mount-dora_-fl.jpg

It's about 200ft of climbing over about half a mile. Average grade is about 7% but it gets to be about 11% at the top.

[Ralph]

I think it's about 15% as you near top.

[chuckroast]

I've recently relocated to Florida from the Midwest and what I have mainly noticed is what others have noted, you just pedal all the dang time.

I'm used to rolling hills, a little bit of effort to get up, then a tuck and a coast to the bottom, trying to carry a little momentum into the next rise.

None of that applies here. You just pedal and pedal and pedal.....

[FL_MarkD]

And chuckroast, I am sure you have ridden the Suncoast Trail. Flat and there is always a headwind no matter which way you go. Plenty of fast riders out there putting in the miles. Find a paceline, sit in as long as you can.

Florida, no coasters here.......

[GregL]

As some of you have noted.....just because it's mostly flat around here (except for some hilly areas), doesn't mean group riding is easy. You never stop pedaling on a ride. Aero becomes a factor.
This mirrors my experiences. Did some early season fast group training rides in the Jupiter area a few years back. 50 miles covered in well under two hours with riders being shelled off the back the entire way. One of the only times I ever wanted for an 11-tooth cog!

Greg

[Ronsonic]

And chuckroast, I am sure you have ridden the Suncoast Trail. Flat and there is always a headwind no matter which way you go. Plenty of fast riders out there putting in the miles. Find a paceline, sit in as long as you can.

Florida, no coasters here.......

I've ridden Suncoast. Kinda boring and runs along a highway. It does give you the opportunity to do an out and back into the wind each way. I'm not sure how that happens, but isn't uncommon down here. Agreed the Suncoast can be a heck of a workout, see a lot of Tri riders out there. If you're going to ride it, try to catch it when the sun isn't too bad.

[CAAD]

Been in Florida since 89. Standard crank w/11-23. Rides are faaaast and there is no where to recover if the guys keep drilling it up front. Constant work no matter where you position yourself. Windermere/Clermont area have some tough rides with the addition of rollers.

Up in the Carolinas at the moment and doing the local A rides are a totally different game. The hills almost make it easy because of the recovery on the flip side. Still not easy but you can tuck in and coast. I run a standard crank and swap the cassette with a 32. Now big long sustained climbs I lack experience. Takes a bit for me to settle in a cadence and find a gear that works for me. But can work through it.