Awesome ride Andy, thanks for taking us along! This much older rider is preparing for a much shorter ride in the Alps of west Texas, Cyclefest 2024’s Mt Locke Hillcimb on September 22nd. 69 years young, 6 miles, 1,600’ elevation gain, with the last half-mile gradients varying from 13~18%. I’m hoping that my 50/39/30t triple-chainring and 11-36t XT 10 speed cassette will give my legs enough leverage to make the climb, and enough speed for the descent afterwards. 8 years since last time I did it, when I foolishly thought I would be fine with 53/39t double pulling 11-34t XTR 9 speed cassette… I made it, but only just. Thanks again, looking forward to seeing you on the next adventure!😁❤️
I was in Switzerland in 1987 and walked and trained around near that area, but never got on a bike at the base of one of those monsters. Thanks for doing this so we may live vicariously through you. So beautiful, pure scenic overload.
Hey Andy, so surprised to see you are currently in my homeland !! As a recent born again biker living in Geneva and getting more and more interested in taking care of my bike myself, I became fan of your channel and its midwestern style. Now you just brought Winsonsin almost to my doorstep 😉 Wishing you and your wife the best possible time roaming around here. Enjoy our Alps ! Jérôme
I love these adventure, bike hikes. Whether it’s in the north woods or in Switzerland or around town. Makes me want to go out and ride my bike more. Thanks for making.
Great video! It brought back memeories of some tough climbs in the Black Forest, the Vosges in France and the Pyrenees in France and Spain. None of my climbs was a tough as yours but all of them gave me a sense of accomplishment that no motorized vehicle ever could! Congrats! and thanks for taking us along!
Recent bikefarmer subscriber, well relatively, and what a video this is! Andy you did a spectacular job of documenting this ride! What a place to visit that looks to be! Wow, bravo 👏
I lived in Switzerland for many years and as much as I love this video, it also hurts my heart seeing this and not being there. Great job on the ride man!
Nice to see you in my neighborhood. You get used to the mountains :) After 10 years of intensive training, you arrive at the top a little less sweaty :) Enjoy the time!
Awesome vid, thanks for posting this. It brings back fond memories of riding in the Alps and you did a great job with the video. Congrats on the summit!
Congrats! Next time you can tackle the Oetztal Marathon in Tyrol. It's only 230 km and 5.500m of elevation to take care of! ;) Some of my coworkers ride the marathon every year.
I did 12km of 8% once and honestly thought about quitting my entire bike tour halfway up! Ten days in at that point, four to go and I sat down and seriously considered turning around. Lucky my 26-36-48 triple and 36t cassette mean I can climb pretty much anything if I’m patient enough. You know it’s a good pass when you can smell burning brakes on the trucks going down!
Dude, what a nice ride and video. Reminds me of my trip to Austria where I took on the Grossglockner. 20km 1700m of climbing. Topped out at around 2500m and man does the air get thin up there. Thank god there were sooo many things to take pictures of and make excuses to stop 😄
I don't usually comment but: awesome video Andy! European here, similar age as yourself and I too challenge myself with stuff way beyond my fitness level 😅 watching your video I wished to be climbing with you, miserable together
Excellent film Andy, you deserve a great holiday and thanks for your inspiring channel. The film was beautiful but I’d prefer natural sounds with no over dub music. Good luck with your next venture, you are very watchable 😊
MTB is really strong in Brazil. If you have the opportunity and interest, you should consider go to Minas Gerais state (look for Ouro Preto, it's a beautiful historical city). It would be awesome to see a video of you climbing those mountains! And thank you for the awesome content, bikefarmer is my favorite bike channel.
Sweet ride there sir - kept me going as I fought with a bike that probably should just have gone to scrap. If the parts bike had been a little less janked out and I hadn't had to build a wheel... Hey ho, what ya gonna do?
I hiked that pass a few months ago. Took the bus to Derborence, climbed up a crazy steep ascent with ropes and ladders and then camped near the Col du Sanetsch (where you are around 23:20). Was absolutely freezing, didnt sleep at all, but saw probably the best night sky I've ever seen in Switzerland. Biking up to Derborence from Aigle should also be quite nice, just watch out for the bus!
Nice work! I just did my hardest ride this spring. About the same grade%, but only 7 miles. In lewiston idaho at the confluence of the snake and clearwater river at the entrance to hells canyon.... not nearly as pretty as the alps, but if you're ever back west in the early spring you might find it interesting. Lol I almost started puking a couple miles in until I paced myself better. Anyway Thank you for documenting such an epic ride!
I grew up near Glacier Park in Montana - Going-to-the-Sun Road goes up to ~6600 feet. Similar great alpine ride. As national parks in the US become more crowded it's not as peaceful as it used to be - bicycle restrictions and it's best to start in the dark.
They need to start treating that road like the Bow Valley parkway up here in Bamfd. Close it once or twice a week for cyclists and people will come from all over to ride it.
If I didn't puke a lung and die, I sure as hell would find a way to get downhill redemption after that climb. Visions of Mt. Lemmon dancing in my head . . .
Thanks for taking us along. I don't have the words to not make this come across crummy, so please understand that this is the highest praise that I could ever extend to anyone! It is inspirational to see someone who does not have the abdomen of an Olympic track start pull off an accomplishment like this! Very well done! You are an inspiration to Dad Bods everywhere! On another note, was the foam hat a legal thing, or did you feel it was warranted? The visor under the helmet is a fantastic solution, I will be buying one today. Thanks again, I enjoyed this.
@@bkefrmr Based on your top ten and previous discussions that didn't seem to be the case, at least to me. Of course, I am a blithering idiot. Again, thank you for taking us along. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.
You gotta love those surprise 3 hour adventures that you thought would just take an hour... Swear all you were missing from your first restaurant stop was the coke jingle as you were getting your calories and sugar ;).
Thanks for this video, feel like I have climbed an Alp now. (As if! Ha, Ha, Ha). If your lowest gear ratio is 1:1, you don't actually have a granny gear. I can't believe you climbed that mountain without a true low gear! You didn't need a coke. You needed a pie plate on your rear cassette!
First and foremost, I very much enjoy your channel. And congratulations that was an awesome ride. I mean it, 18 miles mostly double digit incline, impressive I have to ask you two questions on a hot summer day why the hell would you wear a black helmet and black shirt and shorts? Second you were about to pass out why would you lay down in a parking lot. How about sitting in that little stream, that would have cooled you off.
Descending is no picnic either. But I’d always recommend taking a cable car up a mountain to hang out and take in the views. The hiking in Switzerland is incredible.
Love the video, looks like a great trip. Might be worth trying a video like this without any music? I find the sounds of the bike and the surroundings more pleasant to listen to
Yeah, maybe you’re right. I go back and forth on it. Hard to get it right. Editing is a whole new skill set and getting the sound right is a whole different animal. Thanks for watching!
