Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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andrewwoods
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Joined: 28 Aug 2012, 12:43pm

Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by andrewwoods »

Hi

I am going to Switzerland for a 7-day YHA tour in late July. Mostly this will be fairly flat - eg round Lake Geneva.

In order to fit in with other arrangements, I need to start my ride by coming through the Christehorn mountain on the railway from Kandersteg. I will then be heading west along the River Rhone.

I'm not an experienced cycle tourist, and I'm a little worried that the first thing I'll have to do, on the first day of my tour, is to descend 400m from Hohtenn station to the cycle path by the River Rhone. See http://goo.gl/maps/REokv

An alternative would be to get the train to Brig, which would add 20 flat kilometres to my journey. I have time for this, but it's the wrong direction :(

What do people think? Am I being a wimp?

Thanks
Andrew


This is the view from the station to the valley floor
Image
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TrevA
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by TrevA »

Not been there, but looking at the map, the road doesn't go straight down to the valley floor but decends in a series of zigzags, so shouldn't be too steep.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Hohten ... d&t=m&z=15
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Peter Molog
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by Peter Molog »

Having no experience in the mountains I can imagine it looks dangerous.
But I checked the route and the max. decend is some 9%.
Just do it. Keep your speeds low. Try how fast your brakes work and increase your speed a bit.
(If you dare :mrgreen: )

Just do it. It's great fun to decend.
Peter

Please, excuse my English. I'm Dutch.
nirakaro
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by nirakaro »

That’s quite a major road, and Swiss roads tend to be very well-engineered. There may be the odd bit at 9%, but most of it will likely be more like 5-6%. I don’t think you’ll have any problem at all.
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foxyrider
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by foxyrider »

Now going up that....
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
andrewwoods
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by andrewwoods »

Thanks everybody. Looks like I'll probably be OK.
JJF
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by JJF »

Remember to use both brakes on your descent.
On a tour with a Swiss woman, going down a long descent, her rear tyre came off. I deflated it, replaced it and the same thing happened again. On questioning I found that she only used the rear brake for fear of going over the handlebars. I concluded that it was possibly overheating the wheel and the tyre because it was doing all the work.
Having said that, I think you will enjoy it.
TonyR
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by TonyR »

........and following the discussion on another thread on road disc brakes, but the same applies to rim brakes, don't drag the brakes continuously to control the speed but let the bike run and build up speed then brake hard-ish to bring the speed back down then let it run again. That way you'll control the heat build up much better and minimise the risk of blowing a tyre off.

Enjoy & have fun but if you're really worried there'll be a Swiss Postbus running from the station to the valley (joined up transport you see) and Swiss Postbuses carry bikes ( even more joined up transport).
eileithyia
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by eileithyia »

A gift descent where you do not have to work to get to the top... what are you waiting for wheeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy! :lol:
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
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foxyrider
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by foxyrider »

eileithyia wrote:A gift descent where you do not have to work to get to the top... what are you waiting for wheeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy! :lol:


+1
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
andrewwoods
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Joined: 28 Aug 2012, 12:43pm

Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by andrewwoods »

eileithyia wrote:A gift descent where you do not have to work to get to the top... what are you waiting for wheeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy! :lol:


If this was later in the tour, then I would completely agree. A free descent, and out of scope of Rule 55 is great.
But it's the first thing on the first day. Perhaps I need to do more training with heavy bags, not just getting miles in my legs.

Your comments have increased my confidence, and my wife has encouraged me to investigate the Postbus.
Andrew
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foxyrider
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Re: Swiss: Short steep descent or not

Post by foxyrider »

One bit of Alpine riding that really is fun is descending - just take it at a pace you are happy with - on my last trip i was out accelerating a Porsche down the Susten 80kph - what a buzz but scary too! On the other hand I've come down others at barely 30kph as i wasn't happy about the road / conditions. :D
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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