Image Credit to Matthew Robey https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalc...
The climb of
Cheddar Gorge has reached near-mythic status among road bike riders in the UK,
and justifiably so. It has featured often in the Tour of Britain since the race
was relaunched in 2004 and it also made it into Simon Warren’s cult climber’s
bible, ‘100 Greatest Cycling Climbs’. The two-and-half mile stretch of road
provides both a stern test for those who choose to take it on and an amazing
reward, in the form of its spectacular setting and scenery.
For riders based in and around the West Country it’s nothing short of a must-do. Something to tick off your ‘bike-it list’. It’s reachable in a single loop from our either of our stores in Bridgwater (60-mile loop) or Weston-super-Mare (50-mile loop) – and virtually any route you plot to and from the Gorge will take in some of the famously scenic Mendip Hills. It’s also rideable from Taunton, but it’s upwards of 65 miles to go there and back, so if you’re not yet confident at that distance, or simply want to keep your powder dry for the climb itself, you can also consider taking a train part of the way there.
You may not succeed in making it all the way up Cheddar Groge on the first go, but once you do you’ll join a select club who have conquered the Gorge. Whether you’re in that club already and are looking to shave seconds from your best time, or if you simply want bit of help getting up it – here’s a selection of our top climber’s bikes to help you achieve your goal.
Men
Trek Domane 6.2 C
Sitting near the top of the tree for men’s climbing bikes is the Trek Domane – which is available at a range of prices, dependent on your component needs. The 6.2 C features a full carbon frame and fork for reduced weight and a top-of-the-line finishing kit. Attention to detail is vital when you’re trying to shed those extra grams, so while touches like the titanium rails on the saddle may seem small they could end up making all the difference.
Specialized Tarmac Comp
Another ever-popular name in the world of road bikes, the Specialized Tarmac Comp is a fast, full-carbon, hill-slaying machine. Built with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain it’ll switch smoothly between gears, so you’re not distracted mid-way through the climb. The 36-tooth small chainring will also give you plenty of escape gears when the road ramps up to between eight and ten percent gradient, as it does on some parts of the Cheddar Gorge climb.
Women
Specialized Amira SL4
The Amira SL4 is a climber’s bike designed specifically for women. It’s a fantastic option for tackling Cheddar Gorge, with the aggressive frame geometry making it easy to get out of the saddle and kick on when you need some extra lift. Carbon frame and fork, plus lightweight racing wheels from Fulcrum keep the overall weight of this bike low for an excellent power-to-weight ratio – the ‘golden’ metric in hill-climbing.
Liv Avail Advanced
The Liv Avail Advanced is a light and nimble bike that’ll excel on tough rides with plenty of climbing and it’s not afraid of the odd high-speed descent either. You can trust the Ultegra groupset to deliver optimal performance from start to finish, with an OverDrive steering tube providing pinpoint control. This is a beautiful bike to have fun with, tackle some new objectives and generally go faster.
Trek Lexa SL
The Trek Lexa SL has some great features that belie its lower price point – enabling you to get better at climbing hills more quickly and in greater comfort. The aluminium frame is complimented by an extremely light carbon fibre fork, so you won’t be weighed down on ascents.
