Glendora to Manker Flats

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:33 pm

Lately I've been starting to cycle, with the full intention of riding through some of the roads in the San Gabriels. This was my first real attempt to cycle up.

I started in Glendora and headed up the immediately steep GMR (6-7% grade is steep for me on bike!). After about 2500 ft on non stop climbing, I reached the junction with glendora ridge road, and took this toward Baldy Village.

I had really nice views of the area from Twin Peaks to Baldy. Good for some scouting detail. I reached Baldy Village in about 2 hrs and stopped for a bit.

My quads were getting a good beating, but I really wanted to try to make it to Manker Flats, so off I went. I was immediately slower than before, and I knew it was just going to get worse with those damned switchbacks after Icehouse canyon.

By this time it was getting warm, and I was getting up 2 switchbacks then stopping and stretching. I felt like I could get up faster by foot than bike, but kept cycling up slowly. On the last switchback I starting getting more cramps, and I was so happy to finally reach the slight downhill.

As I reached Manker Flats it started getting steep again, and I was slowly going past all these families staring at my scary outfit and deep breathing. Just a few 100 ft from the trailhead, I started getting really bad cramps in my quads and had to get off an stretch, finally finishing meagerly by the portapotties.

I walked up the road to San Antonio Falls to rest.

On the way back I decided to fly down to Claremont than over to Glendora to avoid the hills of GRR. My quads are toast.

50 miles
6500 ft gain

Map & Pictures

obie · Post by **obie** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:55 pm

What are you running? Standard 53-39?

My climbing rig on the roadie is a 50-34 with 11-28.

The MTB is better with the triple and 11-34 but I haul gear with that and the Manker - Notch ride can be a bear in the heat.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:28 pm

I'm a noob, I have no idea! I assume standard. Lower gears would have been nice in a few spots!

Of course, when flat I'd prefer to have higher gears. Guess can't have them all

obie · Post by **obie** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:24 pm

Yea, the compact 50-34 saves my knees. I'd rather spin more on the 9-12% sections than power up them.

Compact or a triple makes for a good investment if you do those long rides with lots of climbing.

I only miss the 53/12 big cruising gearing when it's a long downhill like Onyx to Redlands. I can spin the 50/11 till about 35 mph and then its all about gravity.