[Closed] Toughest road climb inside the M25?

There's a few around Richmond Park that are fairly steep, but they don't go on for long.

Mott st is steeper than that, as as Swains lane. Highgate hill a bit longer.

Swains is similar to Hogtrough Hill- don't think I know anything steeper!

That's not a bad call OP, it certainly seems that the toughest is likely to be somewhere near there, though I found this one which seems a bit tougher:

https://www.strava.com/segments/6845724

None of the other suggestions above seems to have anywhere near as much elevation gain as that, and nor are any of them steeper.

Titsey

https://www.strava.com/segments/614781?hl=en-GB

White Lane

https://www.strava.com/segments/6691229?hl=en-GB

Theres loads along the North downs near Oxted way, Chalk pit is a good one.

I live less than half a mile away from Succombs, its to busy of a road really.

Sundridge

Bearstead

Burntwood Lane in Caterham always destroys me, but it is always on the return leg of a hard 75 miler out to Kent.

Nightingale Lane, Richmond.
Or the hill climb at Brooklands.

the hill climb at Brooklands.

Driven it but would love a go at riding it.

Westerham hill up to Biggin Hill. Or Stock Hill in Biggin Hill itself. Must rank highly. Westerham Hill is not really cycle friendly as traffic is heavy and there is a very nasty left hand bend.

Are there any in either of the two 100 climbs books? However Simon Warren would be more likely to choose an easier quiet lane than a difficult but busy main road. My geographical knowledge of the south-east is only slightly better than that of Mars 🙄 so no real idea if any of those included are within the M25.

Edit: Just checked and Swain's Lane is in the 100 Climbs book with a rating of 4/10. There's Chalkpit Lane given 7/10 at Limpsfield but I think it's just outside the M25. I think he forgot about numbers below 7 when he was around here!

Chalkpit Lane is nasty. Starts just outside the m25 but goes under it.

Chalk Pit for me
Hogtrough, Sundridge and Braestead are steep but relatively short.
Chalk Pit is super steep at the bottom but only lets up slightly as it drags to the top - I can only get up it on my summer bike (53/23) by contouring across the road!
I wouldn't call Beddlestead super steep but you frequently see people underestimate it's double/triple kick and shoot up the first part only to fall apart half way up... so it's still a pretty good test of hill climbing ability

live less than half a mile away from Succombs, its to busy of a road really.

Ditto. I let go of the brakes at the top once late at night and didn't think i was going to make the corner before the roundabout! Disappointed by my ranking on there, have to go and put a bit of an effort in- i did have the running course record for a while though.

All the woldingham ridge climbs are good suggestions, I'd also add white hill up to the harrow pub https://www.strava.com/segments/686657 [url= https://www.strava.com/segments/686657 ]white hill[/url] and st james road in purley- short, but just mean ([url=Check out this segment on Strava: https://www.strava.com/segments/3459598 — St James' road]st james[/url]

I used to live at the bottom of Succombs. Horrible hill. Burnt wood and Chalkpit are both evil as well. The horror story my motorcycle instructor tells of when his class met a milk float on the bend at the top of Succombs is hilarious.

[url= http://veloviewer.com/segment/3981571/Downe+Road+Climb ]Downe road - top end[/url]

tops out at 33% - I struggle to push a bike up it, let alone ride!
there are quite a few around Cudham/Downe/Biggin Hill

Chalkpit Lane is the hardest I can think of. Certainly worse than Downe, Beddlested, Braested, Sundridge etc. Whites Lane and Yorks Hill are both pretty famous hillclimbs, but I don't think they're as hard as Chalkpit either.

@Ming the Merciless

I used to live at the bottom of Succombs.

I used to live at the bottom of Succombs.

Segment for Chalk Pit?

York hill is hard but outside m25.

ahh Succombs hill, went up it once by accident, it was the smell of burning clutch of the car overtaking me that really put me off of it.
Is Downe road the climb the Hell of the Ashdown used to hit about a mile after starting, getting past people that slipped/broke their chains was a challenge.

[url= https://www.strava.com/segments/645908 ]Chalkpit Lane Segment[/url]

Thanks, will give it a try. How does it compare to York hill?

It's the worst hill that I've ridden locally. Short but very steep and no respite. If you've ridden Winnats Pass in the Peak District, it's like doing half of winnats.

Succombs Lane is nasty .
Not sure I have the power to get up it . The first step takes all your energy , the middle straight is ok , but the top corner is just evil. Usually broken up sections of tarmac just to add to the pain. WHite hill up to the Harrow is not as bad , but its still bad. Might be because its narrow and , for a small lane , relatively busy. The Druid church relic at the top always gave me shivers , even when [s]staggering[/s] walking back form The Harrow hammered at the weekends

Went up Chalkpit today and it is steep .

not a lot more than others in the area but a lot longer .

I find York hill harder though .

Annerley hill and the general Crystal Palace area make for a good work out 😛

My favourite hill is Broomfield in Richmond Park, its steep and short and lots of people to overtake while shouting stravaa. According to the stats it's only 11% though... https://www.strava.com/segments/5525410?filter=overall

It's not steep! It's a bit of a grind, but easily doable in the big ring. All the others mentioned are tougher.

Broomfield is my favourite, it's not tough.

However I find Annerley and Gipsy hills tough, I had also forgotten about honour oak until the below. Basically CP is a collection of hills, or maybe it feels like that as all my cycling around there has been after a full day at work... 😆

I shamelessly found this on google:

The candidates so far:

Swaine's Lane Highgate: Not marked as uphill only. A long drag but my estimate is something like 12% tops.
Brittacy Hill, Mill Hill. Similar to the above.
Star & Garter Hill Richmond. Marked as 10%.
Nightingale Lane, Richmond. Not marked as uphill only. Claimed as 1/5. Not sure but looks 1/6 to me.
Gravel Hill, Finchley. Not marked but would be 10% by my estimate.
Highgate Hill. Marked as 10%
Shooters Hill. Not marked but estimated by me at 10% or less.
Roads to Crystal Palace. Anerley Hill is 10%. Gipsy Hill perhaps the same.
Chingford Mount/Muswell Hill. Can't find anything really steep here.
Succombs Hill. Marked as 25%
Ena Road. As discussed marked as 17%
Canonbie Road, Honor Oak. Marked as 18%
Spout Hill, Addington. Marked as 17%
Downe Road. Marked as 25%

Another one for the mix is St James Road, Purley and that has a sharp bend at the bottom where it's steepest. However I note GSV marks it as 14% only. Have my doubts about that, but still; can't argue. However, it's certainly a pain because of the bend and you can't get a run at it.

Following Google cycling directions I was sent up Pitchfont Lane on a wet day on a road bike. So that gets my vote.

Yep,

Succumbs

Doh double post.

Thanks, will give it a try. How does it compare to York hill?

York's is only really hard at the end ([b][i]really[/i][/b] effing hard if you're racing the hill climb 😉 ). Chalkpit is harder for longer.

Mott St is probably the best one out Northwards. However the gradient goes in steps, so unless you're really trying to hammer it, you can recover.

https://www.strava.com/segments/6691219

And while I might agree that the Urban Hill Climb segment of Swain's is not really a hard hill per-se, like any hill, if you race up it at full tilt then it's going to hurt.

https://www.strava.com/segments/3753318

And the full hill is a super convenient training climb for north london commuters as there's a loop down west hill that people use for reps.

https://www.strava.com/segments/5773494

Keep riding that at 130%+ of threshold and you soon know about it.

i always do York hill in the middle of a ride , so time i get there i have been up Toy hill and more .

yesterday i went straight to Chalkpit lane , about 35km from my house , so was relatively fresh .

then went up Titsey , Westheram , Toyhill , Idle hill , pilgrims way to Old terry lodge . and a few smaller ones .

115km for nearly 1800m of elevation .