Hey, anybody ever measured Linda Rosa Ave at Forward and Loring St at Foothill Blvd (both at the base of Mt Soledad) by any chance?

Ha! Didn't know I could look up max grades on Strava segments. Way cool. Thanks a bunch, John! :oD

We have several, I think. :) And just about all the roads up the south side of Dictionary Hill have a block or two in the mid 20s. I think the steepest blocks there are the block north of Chestnut on Maria Ave (32% and ends in a steep set of staircase) and Ramona Ave (28%).

In the city, you have Illion St in Bay Park (concrete part is around 24%, then you still have 1/2 block of steep tarmac to the top... maybe starting around 14 and slowly leveling out to the church), the 1st block of Bandini St from San Diego Ave (25%), Torrance between Keatings and Pringle (26%), Lucinda St btw Harbor View & Garden State is 23%. Laurel St steep block at State is 22.5% (same as the steep block on B St at 20th). Though these are all just a single steep block. Dictionary Hill stuff are as steep or steeper for longer. When I really feel like punishing myself I'd go up Apple St from the west, then continue to the top of San Bernardino Ave. That just about cures me of steepie-fetism every time.

And if those aren't bad enough, you can always have a go at Alpine Trail Rd from Harbison Canyon Rd (via Galloway Valley Rd), or the Crow's Nest Ln from Harbison Cyn Rd (via Silverbrook). Average gradients on those aren't so bad, but max grades are pretty outrageous. :o) There are a few steeper roads in the county... tho they're the heavily gated variety...

My favorite, Pine Creek shows at least 24.1% https://www.strava.com/segments/3301948?filter=overall

Paul:My favorite, Pine Creek shows at least 24.1% https://www.strava.com/segments/3301948?filter=overall

Yes, Pine Creek is one of the few paved roads where the granny gear of a modern MTB triple (22/36) isn't total overkill.

Sigurd:

Shady John:

Paul:My favorite, Pine Creek shows at least 24.1% https://www.strava.com/segments/3301948?filter=overall

Yes, Pine Creek is one of the few paved roads where the granny gear of a modern MTB triple (22/36) isn't total overkill.

I can't remember for certain if I was able to do that short but really steep section with standard 42/28 gears, but pretty sure I did.

Standing out of the saddle in a taller gear is the other option, but it gets old on a full suspension bike (even with everything locked out). As an aside, there's one crazy feature on that road: at one point the climb is broken by a steep descent, with a V bottom to another steep, climbing turn. You descend at full speed and let your momentum carry you up the next section, but you have to make the sharp left turn while you still have quite a bit of speed during the ascent--it's a strange weightless sensation, and you have to worry a little bit about traction.

Finally got to pay the Crow's Nest Lane in Harbison Canyon a proper visit a couple of weeks ago. It's a relatively short dead-end climb (there's a dirt road extension down the other side to Wilson Rd off Dehesa, but it is gated off with 'No Trespassing' sign) at .4 mile, but it is quite very spicy (18% average grade, max grade around 28%... 32% at the two icky little speed bumps). If you've ridden through Crest and down Mountain View/Frances Dr into Harbison Canyon Rd before, you have probably glimpsed at the Crow... It's this thin tarmac lane going up to the spire on the east side of the canyon.



I confess to breaking into rigorous zigzag at the first right turn, and still having to stop twice to reassemble lungs and legs before topping out. :oP The lane isn't often swept, so there are debris on it, washed down from the roadside. The two small speed bumps along the way really don't help either going up or down. I did spontaneous (and quite very unintentional) wheelies a couple of times hitting the bumps... the 2nd wheelie came accompanied by rear wheel skid thanks to dusting of loose sand on the pavement, which was quite unnerving, to say the least.





The view is nice on top, tho... Only two of the four or so houses on that road are occupied, so there's a lot of open view... especially of Dehesa Rd climbing east toward Tavern/Japatul junction... And out SE toward Sycuan Ridge.



I'm afraid descending the Crow's Nest isn't quite as pleasurable as I had hoped... The dusting of sand and gravel on the surface made the road quite slippery, which isn't nice when the average gradient is 18%. Just couldn't let the bike run at all. By the time I got back down to Silverbrook my hands were all sore and I was very grateful that the weather was as cool as it was. My aluminum rims were just shy of smoking from all the braking. :oP

OK, so im signed up for a race (by foot) - pikes peak ascent. 13.3 miles with 7000+' of climbing. So I need to train for this, other than soledad what are the longest road climbs with in a biking distance from downtown (12miles - i want to keep some in the tank for the run) ? The road in your opinion safe to run on the shoulder?

synthetic:...other than soledad what are the longest road climbs with in a biking distance from downtown (12miles

The longest road climb in the City is Soledad Mtn Rd - about one mile. Adding in Ridgegate, you get two miles. However, if you are literal about your 12 mile limit from Downtown, you will only get halfway up Soledad. Helix is out, too. Torrey Pines Grade - way out of your reach.

I should say spirited hillreps up Pringle St - same elevation gain as Washington St, but steeper and with much less traffic. Throw in a sprinkle of other Mission Hills climbs and Bachman for variation.

Realistically--and I can't believe I'm recommending this--you might want to train on a treadmill. You can set your own distance and % gradient, and you don't have to run any downhills.

Soledad Mountain Rd. is a stair stepper climb. It's flatish in places and steep in others. Via Capri is probably better training for Pikes Peak.