Bicycling
Related: About this forumFor the spring classics... A cobbled climb
"Monkey Hill" in Wilmington, DE
![](/du4img/smicon-reply-new.gif)
VideoGameVet
(15 posts)Is it about 6%? Cobbles are a pain. Particularly when wet.
Local hill here in Encinitas:
20% Max
happyslug
(14,779 posts)Last edited Fri May 8, 2015, 10:00 AM - Edit history (6)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/CantonAve_Top.jpg/220px-CantonAve_Top.jpg)
Overall Canton is 34% grade.
![](http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/11/dirty-dozen-01.jpg)
http://www.wired.com/2010/12/the-steepest-road-on-earth-takes-no-prisoners/
It is one of the "Dirty Dozen" in Pittsburgh's Annual "Dirty Dozen" Race held the Saturday after Thanksgiving:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Dozen_%28bicycle_competition%29
http://bicycletimesmag.com/riding-pittsburghs-dirty-dozen/
![](http://bicycletimesmag.com/userfiles/dirtydozenfall.jpg)
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/08_pgh_canton2.jpg)
The following photo is of Rialto Road, on the Northside of Pittsburgh, another of the Dirty Dozen, goes along an abandoned Incline Plane line that the City later turned into a Street:
![](http://bicycletimesmag.com/userfiles/JP-20111126-dirtydozen-7615-X2.jpg)
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/05_pgh_rialto1.jpg)
Map of the Dirty Dozen:
![](http://www.dannychew.com/PG%20DD%20Map.gif)
More Photos of the Dirty Dozen:
http://www.dannychew.com/dd-photo-1.html
The route also include Boustead Street, like Canton it is in the Beechview section of Pittsburgh. Boustead has a 29% max grade but averages out at 10.3%. The reason for this is simple, Boustead is flat on the top and bottom so averages at below the average of 34% for Canton Street which has no flat sections.
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/1-Boustead4.jpg)
Video of bikes going up East Sycamore Street (People in the Mt Washington Section of Pittsburgh refer to it as the "Burma Road"
![](/emoticons/wink.gif)
Holt street is on the list of the dirty dozen, but it is included with Eola and Barry Streets:
Here is Hold Street:
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/08_pgh_st_sterling4a.jpg)
This is part of Eola Street NOT ridden on the Dirty Dozen:
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/09_pgh_eola.jpg)
Sterling Street looking down from Holt Street:
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/08_pgh_st_sterling4.jpg)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/sterling.htm
Please note these are NOT the steepest streets in Pittsburgh, but the steepest you can drive a car on. The steeper streets have only stairs you have to drag your bike up or down (and I have done both).
http://www.southsideslopes.org/steptrek/steptrek-2014-event-description/
![](http://southsideanglican.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/IMG_0020.jpg)
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMD9K5_Oakley_Way_South_Side_Slopes_Pittsburgh_Pennsylania
![](https://www.edgarsnyder.com/images/large-550/slip-and-fall/city-steps.jpg)
https://www.edgarsnyder.com/blog/2013/11/07-south-side-steps-rennovation.html
http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=6227b35a-4673-4fad-af5f-25c4dacab291
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/09_pgh_oportost.jpg)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/oporto.htm
More Photo's on Southside's Steps:
Here is Rays Avenue Steps, it is on the list of the top 18 public stairs in the world:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/pgh_steps.htm#ss_slo
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/ray1.jpg)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/ray.htm
http://publicstairs.com/index_000002.htm
More Photo's on Southside's Steps:
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/09_pgh_romeo-frazier.jpg)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/romeo.htm
The West End of Pittsburgh has its own sets of steps:
![](http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks5/pittsburgh/09_pgh_planet1.jpg)
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rochballparks2/towns/planet.htm
Pittsburgh is NOT Unique when it comes to Steps being Streets:
http://publicstairs.com/
http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=a2670401-1015-44c2-8bd9-08b333ef90a3&st=2
VideoGameVet
(15 posts)My bike would flip over backwards on that. I've seen these pics before.
I did the 20% grade on this bike:
(my other bike is a Brompton)
happyslug
(14,779 posts)Recumbents are known to be faster on flataways and on small grades but are inferior to conventional bikes when it comes to hill climbing. That you did a 20% grade is very good. I have NOT done the Dirty Dozen by bicycle (I have walked up Boustead and Brosville road on the Dirty Dozen but I refuse to bike up them). Given the hills in this area, I stay with a Conventional bike. Inferior to recumbents on the flats, they exceed going up hills (downhill, anything does well).
VideoGameVet
(15 posts)Yeah, 700 ft climb in less than a mile. Easy to go past 50mph going down it.
So I'm used to climbs.
Did "Kitchen Creek" 2x on a 'bent.
And I'm over 225lbs.