Atkinson Road
- Wheelygood Rating: Medium
- Length: 0.68 miles
- Avg. gradient: 8%
- Strava Segment: https://www.strava.com/segments/2673801
A friend of mine told me about this one and, boy was he right about it. I rather like it, in part because it’s just so unexpected and in part because it’s steep and a bit nasty at the bottom. My kind of climb. Apart from the traffic lights, but we’ll get to that.
A couple of bends at the very beginning hide the terror that is to come. Once around the second, left hand, bend, I’d keep your eyes peeled for traffic coming from your right at the mini-roundabout, but I’d also try not to look too far ahead as it’s just a bit scary.
You see, once past the roundabout you’ll have a single, straight, steep ramp. It sits in the mid-teens in terms of gradient and it doesn’t give you anything. Threshold/VO2Max effort is it, then!
I can’t decide whether you’re lucky, or unlucky, to get to the traffic lights when they’re on red and have to stop. Please, please, don’t even begin to think about the very idea of running these ones – it’s still uphill and the traffic comes from the side at pace. In general, you will be stopped by the lights, although I was fortunate (possibly) to get through on green when I was recording the video.
The slope relents a bit on the other side of the lights, but it’s not really recovery as you’re still climbing. And then, after 100m, or so, it picks up again and you head around the curve to the second set of lights where, once again, it’s a question of roulette as to whether you’ll have to stop, or not.
You’re still not done, though. The good news is that the slope does relent quite significantly now where you can catch your breath. Technically speaking, you’re done with Atkinson Road as it’s now something different, but I always class the climb as all the way to the top. I’m strange like that.
Keep turning the pedals, though – you’re nearly there. One small ramp and one slightly bigger one and the third, and final, set of traffic lights will be in view. You might encounter a bit more traffic (mainly taxis, by the looks of it) on this upper section as you’re heading towards Westgate Road, which is quite a busy thoroughfare, but it’s been OK when I’ve ridden it.
Aaaaaaand …. relax. Stop at the lights and you’re all done. Great effort!
If there are any other road climbs you’d like me to take on, the more ridiculous the better, then please pop them in the comments, or send me a message on my FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/wheelygoodcycling/ or email me on wheelygoodmail@gmail.com and let me know…
