Uphill race records (in honor of new MW record)

I am pretty sure Mark was faster than me, I did not really race up it. I used a 36er 170’s & I am pretty sure I was first to enter event and ride Evans. First time ride up was 02’ event 06’.
To many others to report on, and I just dont have time to do it now, and it is not that important to me anyway.

Wheel and crank size are good additions. What I would also like to see is vertical and horizontal distance, preferably in meters :slight_smile: I hope that info is known. And, are all these races on pavement/tarmac or whatever you call a smooth hard surface? Otherwise surface info would be nice too. (I hope I don’t ask too much, but if you start documenting…)

You, mark, and me (and others) should have our own race up Evans. I don’t really want to ride the 28 miles back down to Idaho Springs though.

I would probably use a 29er with 150s, and I am guessing I would be the last one up since you two are mountain goats.

The last 5 miles closes labor day, so maybe we can slot it for next year. It would be quite an interesting and epic unicycle race up!

Aspen Mike was also the first unicycle entry and finisher in the Durango to Silverton Iron Horse Classic…50 miles, 8000 vertical feet, and 2 Rocky Mountain passes. Another unicyclist also completed the race the next year or the year after but I do not know his name.

Carey

That isn’t a hill climb event though, just a cycling event with a lot of climbing (most colorado rides).

According to their elevation profile pdf, they have it at 6800ft climbing and 3800 descending (or something close to that). When I plotted it, I ended up getting lower numbers though (~5500 ft climbing).

Looks like a fun event, I couldn’t do it this year but hopefully I will be able to make it out next year.

Update Mt. Equinox records…

Mount Washington Bicycle Hillclimb
First unicyclist ever to enter: ??
Name Time Year Place/600 Wheel/cranks
Eric Scheer 1:40:42 2010 346 26/170
Mike Tierney 1:45:27 2005 399 29/???
Ben Plotkin-Swing 2:00:11 2005 495 ??/???

Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race
First unicyclist ever to enter: Steve Relles
Name Time Year
Roland Kays 1:10:25 2009 36/165
Eric Scheer 1:10:39 2010 29/175
Roland Kays 1:14:59 2007 24/150
Steve Relles 1:15:23 2007 29/165

Mount Equinox Uphill Bike Climb
First unicyclist ever to enter: Steve Relles
Name Time Year
Jonathan Sauerbrey 1:01:30 2011 20/?? (clipless)
Roland Kays 1:02:29 2007 24/150
Eric Scheer 1:05:01 2011 25/165

Mount Evans Bicycle Hillclimb
First unicyclist ever to enter: ???
Name Time Year Place/600 Wheel/cranks
Mike Teirney ?:??:?? 20?? 29/175 ??
Osmundo (real name?)

Mauna Kea (not a race)
First unicyclist ascent: Mike Teirney
Mike Teirney 11 hours Sep-2011 29/145 & 175 (switched cranks halfway up)

Eric Scheer 1:05:01 2011 25/165

24 or 26?

That’s what he typed in his email. I think he rode a 24".

Mount Ascutney Hillclimb (2011): 20" wheel, 49:58

Mauna Kea (not a race)
First unicyclist ascent: Mike Teirney
Mike Teirney 11 hours Sep-2011 29/145 & 175 (switched cranks halfway up)

Mount Ascutney Hillclimb (2011):
NAME?? 49:58 2011 20" wheel, (First uni ascent?)

Mount Equinox Uphill Bike Climb
First unicyclist ever to enter: Steve Relles
Name Time Year
Jonathan Sauerbrey 1:01:30 2011 20/?? (clipless)
Roland Kays 1:02:29 2007 24/150
Eric Scheer 1:05:01 2011 25/165

Mount Evans Bicycle Hillclimb
First unicyclist ever to enter: ???
Name Time Year Place/600 Wheel/cranks
Mike Teirney ?:??:?? 20?? 29/175 ??
Osmundo (real name?)

Mount Washington Bicycle Hillclimb
First unicyclist ever to enter: ??
Name Time Year Place/600 Wheel/cranks
Eric Scheer 1:40:42 2010 346 26/170
Mike Tierney 1:45:27 2005 399 29/???
Ben Plotkin-Swing 2:00:11 2005 495 ??/???

Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race
First unicyclist ever to enter: Steve Relles
Name Time Year
Roland Kays 1:10:25 2009 36/165
Eric Scheer 1:10:39 2010 29/175
Roland Kays 1:14:59 2007 24/150

I rode Ascutney in 05’, on my 29er, as part of my vermont gaps and notches tour after the mt. washington event.That tour was an amazing time, Vermont is a Beautiful State. I am replying only because you have it up on the list, there are many others that can be added, maybe at some point I will compile the list. Thanks Steveyo.

mike mt. ascutney2005-08-21.jpg

A new unicycle record was established on Mount Washington earlier today (July 7, 2012): 1:39:33.

The weather forecast from http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/summit_forecast.php
was:

Saturday, July 7, 2012
4:51 AM

Forecast
Today:

In the clouds w/ drizzle and rain showers and a chance of thunderstorms.
Highs: mid 50s °F
Wind: NW 35-50 mph w/ higher gusts

Fantastic! Are you the guy, Jonathon, from RI? If so, congratu-freaking-lations! That’s a crazy time. I bet you raised a few eyebrows amongst your fellow racers!

Hey lions den- what were you riding?

Thanks, Steve, and yes, I am Jonathan.

Gacracker, I was riding a 20" wheel with 150 cranks and clipless pedals.

Given the high winds and the high bar that was previously set, I’m fairly certain that this was seemingly the most physically challenging and mentally challenging race that I have ever experienced (and the prior experience includes running races from 5K’s to marathons, mountain bike races, cyclocross races, and road bike races). One of the most difficult parts of the course was trying to negotiate the upper portion of the dirt road in the presence of what I suspect were gusts at or in excess of 50 mph (I later took printscreens of the “24 hour wind speed history” from the Mount Washington Observatory website).

After the race, I was informed by a family member that they weren’t even letting motorcyclists ride up the auto road for a while after the road had opened back up to traffic.

My muscles were so exhausted from the battle with the wind that I almost didn’t make it up the steepest gradient at the end without falling.

For me, one of last year’s lessons had to do with hypothermia, and one of this year’s lesson had to do with hyponatremia.

Suffice it to say that this was an experience that I will not soon forget.

Regards,

Jon

Whiteface Mountain - 6/15/13

Whiteface Mountain was beautiful today.

What I love about Whiteface is that it offered several things that Mount Washington did not offer: low wind, high visibility, 100% pavement, and safety barriers along the route.

When I was interviewed at the top, I made certain to mention my admiration/respect for the tremendous riders that have unicycled up this mountain in the past - particularly Roland Kays, Eric Scheer, and Steve Relles.

You guys rock!!!

Jon Sauerbrey

SO? What’s the new record? Or at least link to the results! Don’t leave us hanging!

Steve,
In response, the new record is 1:06:49.11 (http://auyertiming.com/results.php#).
The unofficial statistics are logged on strava.com.
Regards,
Jon Sauerbrey

Congrats, Jon. Blistering time!

Thanks, Steve.
Jon