Comments on: Training for RAGBRAI: Iowa isn’t really flat

By: Theinfamousped

Theinfamousped — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:01:16 +0000

I live in Medellin, Colombia where EVERYTHING is around 8% or higher. Most hills are around 8 – 21km long with some even being 52km + ! I believe its more mental than anything, with you spinning your legs and continuously pushing uphill. So just be ready for it. None of the climbs on RABGBRAI are more than 8 min. If you ride RAGBRAI you should easily be able to have a decent cadence for 8 min, whatever speed you are going. Remember, its not a race, its a ride, so treat it like one. After a few minutes of spinning uphill, the downhil will allow you to be able to get your breath back, gain momentum, and just pedal away with whatever comes next. I´ve ridden many a RAGBRAI, and I don´t ever remember a hill being more than 2 miles.

By: Mike Bess

Mike Bess — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:45:51 +0000

hills are no problem. just ride a trike. three miles an hour up hill never was so easy…keep in mind there is always a crowd so be carefull on the down hills

By: Bill Hardin

Bill Hardin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:53:22 +0000

Joeo,I have lived and ridden in Iowa for most of my life and I did my first century over 50 years ago. My job requires me to drive most of the roads I’ve not ridden and I can tell you there are no 5 mile long hills in Iowa.So if you have an elevation change of 350 feet,which is more than most hills in Iowa, figure the gradient % over 1/4 to 1/2 mile which is the average climb here. I know of several 20+% hills, at least one of which has been adjacent to the RAGBRAI route. Bill

By: joeo

joeo — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:56:40 +0000

5 miles at 5% is 792 feet. Looking at the graph above the biggest hill is about 350ft of vert. That grade is probably around 3%.

By: Ron D

Ron D — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:18:54 +0000

There are plenty of big hills this year. I am from Western Iowa and have rode from Council Bluffs to Red Oak, but have not been on the rest of the route specifically.

I can assure you that there will be grades of 6 to 8% with hills (and an occasional 10%) of 1/4 to 1/2 mile long on average. On the first day just outside Council Bluffs, Green Hill is 5% for 3 miles.

Typical Ragbrai gross elevation gain is 2,500 to 3,000 feet. The first three days this year are from 4,000 to 5,200 each.

Advice: Unless you are in great shape, ride the hills slower than average in a spinning gear. Save yourself for the long day. Drink and eat plenty.

By: cycleyogini

cycleyogini — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:23:39 +0000

I looked on Geobike and saw an average grade of not more than 2% on any of the days. Are they subtracting downhills as negative grades or something? Can someone say the max grade at all? Are we looking at 7% and 11% or 3% and 5%?. I’ve been training on 7% and 11% hills so that I could enjoy RAGBRAI. I don’t feel like training on the ride

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:30:12 +0000

“Hopefully Southern Iowa will feel flat compared to a 7 mile climb with 2000 feet of elevation!.”

Wowza, that is some serious climb. On the toughest day of Ragbrai this year (day 2), it looks like you will be getting around 500 ft of climb every 7 miles…. so yeah, I think you will be fine. .

By: Dave in Spokane

Dave in Spokane — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:46:47 +0000

Just remember that going into, and out of, every single town town there’s a hill. Plan to climb out of them all.

By: JSo

JSo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:43:58 +0000

I agree with what pteranodon said. There’s not really an advantage to pedaling downhill since gravity is already doing the work for you. Plus, overcoming wind resistance at high speed makes you exert as much energy as climbing the hill you just topped!

Another helpful hint is to climb while sitting up with your hands at least shoulder width apart and elbows outside your rib cage. I’ve found that riding with hands too close/elbows in restricts breathing substantially.

By: Tom Morgan

Tom Morgan — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:24:04 +0000

I grew up on a farm in Western Iowa 40 years ago. We rode steel bikes, single speed, kick back brakes over these steep hills on gravel roads. It gave a whole new meaning to road rash when you dumped. For fun we jumped terraces on these bikes-air borne, original extreme sports. My advice on hills-pedal till you drop, pick yourself up, pedal some more. You will always make it to the top and the going down is so much fun. I now enjoy riding in the foothills and mountains of Colorado.