On Sunday, the annual Fargo St. hillclimb took place just north of downtown Los Angeles. The grade is 33% and is the steepest residential street in the city, possibly the state. Walking up the hill resembles doing lunges and walking down takes full concentration to avoid cartwheeling down.
It's an informal event. Just show up, sign the waiver, get a number and climb when you're ready. Our own "Pacman" and I went to check out the scene and give it a go. He had set up his Kona Unit singlespeed with gearing of a 22 tooth chainring and a Boone titanium 32t rear cog, and rotated his riser bars 90 deg. forward to keep more weight over the front wheel.
The first 1/4 of the way up I thought "piece of cake", by the halfway point I started thinking "man this is getting tough..." and by 3/4 way all of the alarms in my body were going off. Legs! Lungs! Steeeeep!!! Don't look back! Thanks to the cheering by spectators I pushed on and made it without stopping, satisfied with a single trip. Pacman felt like showing off and went for 10 ascents! The returning record holder with 30 runs last year went for 34 this year I believe.
Riders showing up on their everyday road bikes were most likely stalling and unclipping, or stalling and crashing before the halfway point. Some went back home to return with their mountain bikes and easier gearing. One roadie showed up, said he was on his way to work (LBS) and didn't have much time. He absolutely hammered up the hill in a straight line, out of the saddle reaching the top in record time, then was gone. Who was that guy??!!!
The Street:
The Gear:
Pacman's Kona
Tandem gearing
Orbea roadie w/ mtb drivetrain
'nuff said
The Riders:
Rider with fan
Trail-a-bike!
Almost there...
Yours truly, getting started
Pacman arrives at the summit (#8?)
One of several tandem entries. Hard to loop 'em
Biker chicks
Make it to the top, get a patch.
Pie and .9 cent coffee afterwards at Philippe's downtown L.A.
Thanks to the L.A. Wheelmen for organizing a great event!
ciao
HW
It's an informal event. Just show up, sign the waiver, get a number and climb when you're ready. Our own "Pacman" and I went to check out the scene and give it a go. He had set up his Kona Unit singlespeed with gearing of a 22 tooth chainring and a Boone titanium 32t rear cog, and rotated his riser bars 90 deg. forward to keep more weight over the front wheel.
The first 1/4 of the way up I thought "piece of cake", by the halfway point I started thinking "man this is getting tough..." and by 3/4 way all of the alarms in my body were going off. Legs! Lungs! Steeeeep!!! Don't look back! Thanks to the cheering by spectators I pushed on and made it without stopping, satisfied with a single trip. Pacman felt like showing off and went for 10 ascents! The returning record holder with 30 runs last year went for 34 this year I believe.
Riders showing up on their everyday road bikes were most likely stalling and unclipping, or stalling and crashing before the halfway point. Some went back home to return with their mountain bikes and easier gearing. One roadie showed up, said he was on his way to work (LBS) and didn't have much time. He absolutely hammered up the hill in a straight line, out of the saddle reaching the top in record time, then was gone. Who was that guy??!!!
The Street:
The Gear:
Pacman's Kona
Tandem gearing
Orbea roadie w/ mtb drivetrain
'nuff said
The Riders:
Rider with fan
Trail-a-bike!
Almost there...
Yours truly, getting started
Pacman arrives at the summit (#8?)
One of several tandem entries. Hard to loop 'em
Biker chicks
Make it to the top, get a patch.
Pie and .9 cent coffee afterwards at Philippe's downtown L.A.
Thanks to the L.A. Wheelmen for organizing a great event!
ciao
HW