How to Categorize Climbs for Cycling

There is a truism in road bicycling that says races are won or lost on the mountains. Climbs are where the riders show conditioning, form and tactics. In professional cycling, there are five categories of climbs. These categories are used almost universally in the cycling world, and are fairly straight-forward. If you are trying to rate climbs for a cycling ride or event, use the accepted standards to assess them.

Things You'll Need

  • Maps with gradients for your route or bicycle ride
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Instructions

    • 1

      Drive the routes and climbs. Bring a topographical map or map that shows the grade percentage for the climb. Check the mileage for the climb, typically starting at the bottom of the climb and ending at the highest elevation of the climb.

    • 2

      Rate the climb a category 1, referred to as a Cat 1, if the route is between six and 12 miles in length with a total elevation gain between 3,000 to 5,000 feet.

    • 3

      Rate the climb a Cat 2 if it is three to six miles long with elevation gains between 1,500 and 3,000 feet.

    • 4

      Rate the climb a Cat 3 if there is 500 to 1,500 of elevation gain over a length of two to three miles.

    • 5

      Rate the climb a Cat 4 -- the easiest category -- when the distance covered is less than two miles with elevation gains between 250 to 500 feet.

    • 6

      Give a "Hors Catégorie" for climbs over 12 miles and a climbing grade of 10 percent or higher. Hors Catégorie, or the English Beyond Category, are the hardest climbs and are in the realm of professional cyclists.