Today was the Trevor Yeoman memorial Buxton CC Long Hill.
Long Hill is a steady long climb. Fairly constant, averaging only 3%. The wind direction can make a difference.
Long Hill from Whaley Bridge
- Distance – 4.44 miles
- Average gradient – 3%
- Height gain – 195m – 425m (approx 230m)
I first did Long Hill in 2010, I set a course record of 12.26, there was quite a helpful tailwind that day. Since then I’ve ridden a total of 6 times in competition. Each time, I’ve tried a different equipment combination. My first record was set on a road bike, no tri bars. This year, I went for full time trial bike with discwheel. It was an opportunity to use the Trek Speed Concept before putting it away for the year. It’s probably the heaviest bike I’ve taken to Long Hill.
The only downside to taking TT bike was no power meter, but sometimes it’s good to remember what it is like to ride on feel. If anything I rode rather conservatively, not wanting to really blow up too early like last week at Snake Pass. I took it fairly steady all the way up, just around the threshold level which is close to what is tolerable. It was only on the last horseshoe corner that I increased effort a little. For a short while there was a mild headwind, before the final last minute and half to the top.
I finished in a new course record of 12.16. 10 seconds off the 2010 mark. Though I have no idea whether it is due to better form or a TT bike being quicker than a road bike. I’d like to think it is better form. Though I know in a headwind a TT bike is definitely faster.
2nd place was Henry King of Ilkley CC with a very fast time of 12.44. 3rd was Adam Kenway (Team Zenith – www.buzzcycles.co.uk) with 12.59. 3 riders under 13 minutes is quite rare. 1st women was Helen Eborall of Born To Bike-Bridgtown Cycles, who just pipped Vanessa Whitfield (Velo Club St.Raphael) into 2nd place by a margin of 0.2 seconds. Junior race also very close, less than 3 seconds
- 1st woman – Helen Eborall Born To Bike-Bridgtown Cycles W 15:47.8
- 2nd women – Vanessa Whitfield Velo Club St.Raphael W 15:48.0
- 1st Junior – Daniel Minor Lyme Racing Club J 14:44.7
- 2nd Junior – David Murphy Liverpool Mercury Dolan CC 14:47.5
Never forget the marginal gains in hill climbs.
After race, I did some more hills – not full on efforts – more steady at perhaps a 10 mile TT pace. It was a nice chance to set off up a hill at a manageble pace and be able to keep that rhythm all the way to the top. It was a fantastic day for cycling and I took the opportunity to go up Long HIll by different, quieter routes – a bit steeper than Long Hill main road. Goyt valley is definitely worth a visit. Weekends 11am – 4pm it seems to be closed to traffic. I went up one road and found myself at the top of the Cat and Fiddle.
May update post later.
Thanks to Sam Clark, Buxton CC and Sett Valley Cycles for event and sponsoring.
- Ken Norbury Photo Album of Long Hill | Spin Loose Photos by Ben / Ken Norbury
Previous results
- 2010 – 12.26 – 1st – (strong tailwind – road bike, no tribars) Blog 2010 | Results 2010
- 2011 – 13.49 – 1st (headwind – road bike, tribars) blog 2011
- 2011 – Nat HC – 13.02 – 5th (headwind – road bike, tribars) Blog Nat Champs
- 2012 – 13.35 – 1st (TT bike) Results 2012
- 2013 – 13.13 – 1st (TT Bike) (blog cyclinginfo)
- 2014 – 12.16 – 1st (TT bike, and discwheel)
Veloviewer
Strava
Results 2014
1 Tejvan Pettinger Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team 12:16:3 21.7
2 Henry King Ilkley C.C 12:44:6 20.9
3 Adam Kenway Team Zenith-www.buzzcycles.co.uk 12:59:6 20.5
4 Ben Norbury Congleton C.C 13:41:4 19.4
5 Sam Clark Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles 13:57:3 19.1
6 Mike Birkby Rutland C.C 14:06:5 18.9
7 Bhima Bowden Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles 14:21:3 18.6
8 Chris Baines Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles 14:23:0 18.5
9 Mark Nulty Manchester Wheelers Club 14:35:2 18.3
10 Paul Armstrong Sheffrec C.C 14:44:6 18.1
11 John Sanderson Manchester Wheelers Club V 14:44:7 18.1
12 Daniel Minor Lyme Racing Club J 14:47:5 18.0
13 David Murphy Liverpool Mercury Dolan C.C J 14:47:6 18.0
14 Michael Stretch Macclesfield Wheelers V 14:48:7 18.0
15 Henry Cash Holme Valley Wheelers J 15:02:3 17.8
16 Mark Horsley Frost Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles 15:07:3 17.6
16 Mike Knudsen Macclesfield Wheelers 15:07:3 17.6
18 Theo Jeffries Westmead Team 88 J 15:07:8 17.6
19 Jamie Humphries Westmead Team 88 15:16:4 17.4
20 Sam Mansfield Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles 15:27:3 17.2
21 Paul Targett Pendle Forest C.C V 15:36:3 17.1
22 Matthew Cosgrove Sport City Velo J 15:44:7 16.9
23 Nick Decker Congleton C.C 15:46:1 16.9
24 Helen Eborall Born To Bike – Bridgtown Cycles W 15:47:8 16.9
25 Vanessa Whitfield Velo Club St.Raphael W 15:48:0 16.9
26 Stuart Baker Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles 15:53:5 16.8
27 Iona Sewell gbcycles.co.uk W 15:57:3 16.7
28 Andy R Moore Lincoln Wheelers C.C 15:59:5 16.7
29 Lee Speight Holme Valley Wheelers 16:08:8 16.4
30 Keith Minor Lyme Racing Club V 16:08:9 16.4
31 James Russell Macclesfield Wheelers V 16:16:4 16.3
32 Duncan Smith Team Hoppers Rollers 16:26:0 16.2
33 Sandra MacKay gbcycles.co.uk W 16:28:5 16.1
34 Jayne Dickens Stone Wheelers C.C W 16:57:9 15.7
35 Nick Sharpe Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles V 17:01:0 15.7
36 Sophie Yarwood Team Glow W 17:10:5 15.5
37 Nicola Soden gbcycles.co.uk W 17:22:1 15.3
38 Molly Whittall Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles W 17:22:8 15.3
39 Ken Roberts Garstang C.C V 17:41:9 15.1
40 Michael Allcroft Buxton C.C/Sett Valley Cycles V 17:53:1 14.9
41 David & Amanda Phillipson Withington Wheelers Tandem 27:16:1 9.8
Next time you’re at Long Hill, give the Jenkin Chapel and Pym’s Chair climb a go. It’s right nearby. It leads up to the top of the opposite side of the valley.
https://www.strava.com/segments/5665360
cheers, looks a good climb
Good by your criteria, yes. Some days I find it hard to really appreciate the last few metres where it really ramps up.