What is a 100% incline in Tour de France?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of incline percentages as used in the context of the Tour de France, particularly focusing on what a 100% incline means and how inclines are categorized in cycling. Participants explore the implications of various incline percentages and their practical significance in cycling.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that a 10% incline means an increase in height of 10cm for every meter traveled.
  • Others clarify that a 100% incline corresponds to a 45-degree angle, indicating a 'one in one' slope.
  • There are discussions about the visibility and perception of a 100% incline, with one participant describing it as "really inclined" and potentially scary due to the lack of visible road until a certain distance is reached.
  • Some participants mention that inclines are categorized into different levels, with lower numbers indicating harder inclines, and that "HC" stands for "beyond categories," representing the hardest climbs.
  • There is a question about whether a 200% incline would be straight vertical, with responses indicating that it corresponds to a gradient of 2, or about 63.4 degrees, and that vertical cannot be assigned a finite value.
  • One participant argues that a slope beyond a certain gradient would be irrelevant for cycling, as traversing such inclines would be impossible.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the definitions of incline percentages and their implications, but there are differing views on the practical relevance of extreme inclines like 200%. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the categorization and significance of very steep inclines in cycling.

Contextual Notes

Some statements about incline categorization and visibility are based on subjective interpretations and may depend on individual experiences or definitions. The discussion does not resolve the implications of extreme inclines in practical cycling scenarios.

TSN79
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I'm watching Tour de France these days, and I hear people talking about mountain stages etc, and they often say that this and that road has an incline of let's say 10 %...what does that mean? How steep is that?!
 
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I think they refer to the gradient, so, say, a slope of \frac{3}{4} is 75% incline.
 
A 10% incline would mean you increase in height 10cm for every meter you travel.
 
Both correct; 100% is a 'one in one' incline, or 45 degrees. (1:8 is 12.5% etc).
 
Great, thanks guys!
 
Have you ever seen a 100% incline ? It is really inclined :biggrin:
I mean, realize the following : with a 100% incline, you will not see the road until your distance to the beginning of the slope equal the height of your eyes. Even two meters from the beginning of the slope, it looks like there is no road at all. Quite scary.
 
Also, inclines are catogorized into 5 or so catgories. I believe the lower the number the harder the incline. Is this right?
 
And then "HC" is the hardest since it is "beyond categories."
 
Technically, climbs are rated by category. The length, number, and steepness of inclines involved in a long climb all go into deciding which category the climb belongs in. A particularly long incline with no breaks could result in a climb being rated in a tougher category than one with several very steep, but short inclines.
 
  • #10
would 200% be straight vertical then?
 
  • #11
No, 200% incline would be a gradient of 2, corresponding to an angle of arctan(2), or about 63.4 degrees.
 
  • #12
Vertical cannot be assigned a finite value here. It would be "infinitely steep" somehow.
 
  • #13
Vertical is not an incline, the closest to it would be technically indefinite I suppose, or more realistically depend on the slope.

For all intents and purposes in cycling a slope beyond a certain gradient would be irrelevant as it would be impossible for anyone to even attempt to traverse it.

I'd imagine 200% doesn't even exist in cycling, as that would be absurd unless it was a BMX jump :smile: or a bump in the road.
 
Last edited:
  • #14
humanino said:
Have you ever seen a 100% incline ? It is really inclined :biggrin:
I mean, realize the following : with a 100% incline, you will not see the road until your distance to the beginning of the slope equal the height of your eyes. Even two meters from the beginning of the slope, it looks like there is no road at all. Quite scary.
Ah. Took me a while to visualize this.

You're talking about being at the top of the incline looking down.
 

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