I do the same thing with goals. If I'm climbing some insane gradient (for me) I've noticed that my goals get smaller and smaller. But, it certainly works. Well done Andrew. Very well done, indeed.
@@andrewon2wheels I tend to find marks in the road when I'm at that point. Even if they aren't a pattern, I tell myself that they are and keep on going from spot to spot.
Fair play. It works a treat. I remember on a sportive, I was riding with someone struggling on Fleet Moss and I used that technique out loud to help them along the way. They said I would have put my foot down without that technique to help them out.
Great video! I As a heavy cyclist it is great to see a cycling video that isnt just some 20 year old flying up no bother! Have you done the ride from the other side yet?
I wouldn't worry too much about walking up some of this climb. I treat walking as true bottom gear, you're going the same speed anyway but without the risk of cramp. Looks like a good climb. In the south I just about get up the Devil's Staircase and the slightly easier but very rewarding Devil's Elbow, plus the beautiful climb up the Black Mountain made famous by Top Gear is a regular.
@@jonatkinson4544 I agree. Unless you’re racing the main aim for me is to go out and push your limits and enjoy the scenery. If in the process you push your limits to the point you have to walk then so be it. I haven’t tried any of the 3 climbs you e mentioned below. Devils staircase is on my list to tick off in 2025. Looks like an awesome climb. Of the 3 you mentioned, which is your favourite?
Greta video thanks. It is so hard to get going again if you get off on the Bwlch. Great ratios make it easier now but we used to do this one on 42x21 lol. It isalctually pronounced Bulk-ee-gross. The road you are on is the Old Bwlch. Its rite-of-passage to the North West cycling clubs.
I would definitely recommend that you enter the Wild Wales Challenge ride- usually somewhere near 100 miles over roads you wouldn't believe existed- as if someone painted a road on the side of an all lol. A bit of a challenging day out, but a great way to find some EPIC Welsh climbs!
This route was brutal but great fun. Started on the coast by fairbourne and Barmouth. Finished in Machenthllyn This climb, Bwlch Y Groes was climb 5 of 6 that.
@andrewon2wheels It's funny, different climbs can be different on different days. Trapping Hill in Nidderdale always kicks my arse. There's one in Gloucestershire that Simon Warren only gives 7/10 that just hurts me as well called Birdlip Hill... He definitely got that one wrong. Whereas I find ones like Honnister Pass from either side fairly ok. I find the climbs in the UK tougher than most Alpine Climbs simply due to the steepness. I'm thinking about changing from 34/28 gearing. As I age I need more bail out gears.
Hate to tell you but this is what we know as the easy way up. the climb out of Ffordlas is the one that is known as the hardest climb in Wales. By comparison, this is easy. Come back and have another bash soon, and well done on this one
You’ve got my attention! I’ve found it now on climb finder app. I’ll have to try that out again at some point in 2025. Have you tried Arthog? Hardest climb I’ve done. Harder than Bwlch Y Groes.
The one out of Fforddlas is hard for sure, but Bwlch-y-Groes is definitely harder IMO (and experience). And the Cowlyd climb out of Trefriw is harder still, and an amazing hill, but it was the one up to the Rowan hostel that defeated me. I have only been down the Arthog one 🤣
@ I’ve done that one in Rowen too. I had to stop too but it was my 6th climb of the day in Conwy Valley. I want to go back and do it again with fresh legs. I’m convinced the steepest part there must be close to 40%. It’s insane! You’ve got to do Arthog! Incredible tough!
@ Yes, similar here, except after that we did another steep monster on the other side of the valley and over to Pentrefoelas where we'd parked the car. Have you tried the short but infamous Afon Ddu?
@ well i was on holiday in wales ticking off climbs. i parked in bala and went up hirnant nearer the lake, then continued up the third side of bywlch y groes, descended, then back up n over and back to the lake before doing melin y wig👍. lovely loop.
@@andrewon2wheels from the 1st two books, weather and traction aside, id stick with hardknott. done it twice: once on lakeland loop and once on fred. both times no dab but both times exhausted arms at the end from yanking on bars. i use 36 (front)-32 back. other 4 would be gdf, wrynose, asterton, trooper lane (yorkshire book). then the rest are just "very hard" like caper, chimney, dunkery, mytholm, bushcomb, talland.
Hardknott pass is mega! Personally I think Bwlch y Groes harder but it’s a close call. Interesting you say Asterton bank. That’s a solid climb. Haven’t heard many put it in their top 5 but it’s right up there for hardest I’ve done. Haven’t done trooper lane. How’s that?
Get over yourself love. It's not that bad, all over and done with in half an hour even if you take it easy. We've got way tougher routes than that in mid-Wales. Come and try Abergwesyn to Tregaron. And maybe at least make some attempt to find out how to pronounce these names, not hard to type them into Google translate and listen to how they should sound (it's not perfect but comes close).
I’m having an educated guess you’re on about the devil’s staircase here? Not one I’ve done yet but it’s one on my list to do in 2025. Also the Gamallt near by. Both this climb and the devils staircase are in Simon Warren’s ‘100 greatest climbs’ book and he rated them but high on the difficulty rating but he gave devils staircase 9/10 and the Bwlch y Groes 10/10. Having not cycled the devils staircase I can’t comment on the differences too much but looking purely at the last they’re pretty much the same other than Bwlch Y Groes is more than double the distance. Have you cycled Bwlch Y Groes as well?
Thanks will I can barely speak English. Welsh I’ve got no chance! Haha I asked the couple at the bottom of the climb how to say it. They are English so I’m using that as my excuse! Haha Have you climbed up Bwlch Y Groes?
I do the same thing with goals. If I'm climbing some insane gradient (for me) I've noticed that my goals get smaller and smaller. But, it certainly works. Well done Andrew. Very well done, indeed.
It really does work well.
Do you normally use physical landmarks on the road or something else as your smaller goals?
@@andrewon2wheels I tend to find marks in the road when I'm at that point. Even if they aren't a pattern, I tell myself that they are and keep on going from spot to spot.
Fair play.
It works a treat. I remember on a sportive, I was riding with someone struggling on Fleet Moss and I used that technique out loud to help them along the way. They said I would have put my foot down without that technique to help them out.
Great video! I As a heavy cyclist it is great to see a cycling video that isnt just some 20 year old flying up no bother! Have you done the ride from the other side yet?
@@RickFishUK thank you Rick.
I have no. Any good the other side?
I wouldn't worry too much about walking up some of this climb. I treat walking as true bottom gear, you're going the same speed anyway but without the risk of cramp. Looks like a good climb. In the south I just about get up the Devil's Staircase and the slightly easier but very rewarding Devil's Elbow, plus the beautiful climb up the Black Mountain made famous by Top Gear is a regular.
@@jonatkinson4544 I agree. Unless you’re racing the main aim for me is to go out and push your limits and enjoy the scenery. If in the process you push your limits to the point you have to walk then so be it.
I haven’t tried any of the 3 climbs you e mentioned below. Devils staircase is on my list to tick off in 2025. Looks like an awesome climb.
Of the 3 you mentioned, which is your favourite?
Well done bud, from a Welshy 🙂
@@pauloshea5483 thanks Paul!
Have you ridden this one?
@@andrewon2wheels Done quite a few but not this one yet
Hi Andrew, how do you get the overlay of the ride data?
@@johnsteele5070 hey John.
I use Garmin virb on the computer
@ thanks
No worries 👍
Greta video thanks. It is so hard to get going again if you get off on the Bwlch. Great ratios make it easier now but we used to do this one on 42x21 lol. It isalctually pronounced Bulk-ee-gross. The road you are on is the Old Bwlch. Its rite-of-passage to the North West cycling clubs.
That’s a serious right of passage! Another could be Cowlyd?
Is it a regular climb your club do?
I would definitely recommend that you enter the Wild Wales Challenge ride- usually somewhere near 100 miles over roads you wouldn't believe existed- as if someone painted a road on the side of an all lol. A bit of a challenging day out, but a great way to find some EPIC Welsh climbs!
I will have to make a note of this route looks like fun.
This route was brutal but great fun. Started on the coast by fairbourne and Barmouth. Finished in Machenthllyn
This climb, Bwlch Y Groes was climb 5 of 6 that.
Doesn't look the toughest... But definitely gorgeous.
@@FoobsTon what’s the toughest climb you’ve cycled up?
The whole of snowdonia is gorgeous! Stunning national park to ride in!
@andrewon2wheels
It's funny, different climbs can be different on different days. Trapping Hill in Nidderdale always kicks my arse.
There's one in Gloucestershire that Simon Warren only gives 7/10 that just hurts me as well called Birdlip Hill... He definitely got that one wrong. Whereas I find ones like Honnister Pass from either side fairly ok.
I find the climbs in the UK tougher than most Alpine Climbs simply due to the steepness.
I'm thinking about changing from 34/28 gearing. As I age I need more bail out gears.
Rather than bicycles, now ride an ICE VTX recumbent trike. Pretty easy climbing hills as can go as slow as you want with no risk of falling over.
Can’t imagine ever climbing and my feet being above my head!
That must be a strange sensation!
The route up from Ffordlas is significantly harder than the traditional route up from Hay to Gospel Pass
What are the climbing stats of that side? How steep?
@@andrewon2wheels There ia a 1 in 4 hairpin the destroys you
Hate to tell you but this is what we know as the easy way up. the climb out of Ffordlas is the one that is known as the hardest climb in Wales. By comparison, this is easy. Come back and have another bash soon, and well done on this one
You’ve got my attention!
I’ve found it now on climb finder app. I’ll have to try that out again at some point in 2025.
Have you tried Arthog? Hardest climb I’ve done. Harder than Bwlch Y Groes.
The one out of Fforddlas is hard for sure, but Bwlch-y-Groes is definitely harder IMO (and experience). And the Cowlyd climb out of Trefriw is harder still, and an amazing hill, but it was the one up to the Rowan hostel that defeated me. I have only been down the Arthog one 🤣
@ I’ve done that one in Rowen too. I had to stop too but it was my 6th climb of the day in Conwy Valley. I want to go back and do it again with fresh legs. I’m convinced the steepest part there must be close to 40%. It’s insane!
You’ve got to do Arthog! Incredible tough!
@ Yes, similar here, except after that we did another steep monster on the other side of the valley and over to Pentrefoelas where we'd parked the car. Have you tried the short but infamous Afon Ddu?
@ I did try it, 5 times. But wheel span 5 times and could get no traction at all.
Aiming to try again in the summer
Done it a few times when fitter and younger. The armco section is the tricky part.
@@davidjones3955 any plans to do it again at any point?
@andrewon2wheels not at the moment, not fitter enough unfortunately. Working on it
brings back amazing memories from when i did this one. i'd say its in my top 5 hardest amongst hardknott, wrynose, gdf etc
@@htukmumfie what ride did you do this brute in?
What is the climb at the top of your top 5 climbs?
@ well i was on holiday in wales ticking off climbs. i parked in bala and went up hirnant nearer the lake, then continued up the third side of bywlch y groes, descended, then back up n over and back to the lake before doing melin y wig👍. lovely loop.
@@andrewon2wheels from the 1st two books, weather and traction aside, id stick with hardknott. done it twice: once on lakeland loop and once on fred. both times no dab but both times exhausted arms at the end from yanking on bars. i use 36 (front)-32 back. other 4 would be gdf, wrynose, asterton, trooper lane (yorkshire book). then the rest are just "very hard" like caper, chimney, dunkery, mytholm, bushcomb, talland.
Hardknott pass is mega! Personally I think Bwlch y Groes harder but it’s a close call.
Interesting you say Asterton bank. That’s a solid climb. Haven’t heard many put it in their top 5 but it’s right up there for hardest I’ve done.
Haven’t done trooper lane. How’s that?
Sounds an awesome ride. I’m yet to do hirnant pass. Which is more scenic? Hirnant or Bwlch y Groes?
Dyfi is pronounced 'Duvvy'
Didn’t know that.
I’ve got no chance with this! Haha
nah, thats virtually flat for wales! much steaper climbs around gwent, like Blyth Street, 75% gradient ;)
@@marksmatchboxmemories-xd6qp 75%?! 😂
Even the terminator on a bike would struggle there!
@@andrewon2wheels funny you should say that, seen one lubing up his knees last week and chomping on a power up, nuclear energy bar :) lol
Get over yourself love. It's not that bad, all over and done with in half an hour even if you take it easy. We've got way tougher routes than that in mid-Wales. Come and try Abergwesyn to Tregaron. And maybe at least make some attempt to find out how to pronounce these names, not hard to type them into Google translate and listen to how they should sound (it's not perfect but comes close).
I’m having an educated guess you’re on about the devil’s staircase here?
Not one I’ve done yet but it’s one on my list to do in 2025. Also the Gamallt near by.
Both this climb and the devils staircase are in Simon Warren’s ‘100 greatest climbs’ book and he rated them but high on the difficulty rating but he gave devils staircase 9/10 and the Bwlch y Groes 10/10.
Having not cycled the devils staircase I can’t comment on the differences too much but looking purely at the last they’re pretty much the same other than Bwlch Y Groes is more than double the distance.
Have you cycled Bwlch Y Groes as well?
great effort laddie but your pronunciations of Welsh names are brutal !! 😅
Thanks will
I can barely speak English. Welsh I’ve got no chance! Haha
I asked the couple at the bottom of the climb how to say it. They are English so I’m using that as my excuse! Haha
Have you climbed up Bwlch Y Groes?