TL;DR
A Cycling Weekly writer took part in East London Vélo’s Mott Street hill-climb on a £200 Decathlon single-speed city bike after a puncture disrupted plans to use a borrowed road bike. The account describes the challenge of climbing on a roughly 12kg bike with one gear; the source material does not provide a finishing time or final placing.
A Cycling Weekly writer raced East London Vélo’s Mott Street hill-climb on a £200 Decathlon single-speed after a puncture disrupted plans to borrow a road bike. The account describes the physical challenge of tackling the Epping Forest climb on a heavy city bike with one gear, but gives no finishing time or final placing.
The rider had planned to use his brother’s road bike for the event, but punctured its rear tyre during a test ride shortly before sign-on. The writer said the tyre was cut by a shard of glass, spraying sealant onto his calves. The pair managed to repair the tubeless tyre, but the rider decided not to risk using someone else’s bike. He also said the start order, with the two riders scheduled to begin six minutes apart, left no practical opportunity to exchange bikes during the event.
Instead, he started on his own Decathlon ELOPS 500, a steel-framed city bike with aluminium rims, which he estimated weighed about 12 kilograms. He said he had installed clipless pedals, but the bike had only one gear. His target shifted from pursuing a competitive time to reaching the top of the climb.
The report describes Mott Street as an almost one-kilometre climb gaining 67 metres, with an average gradient of 6.7% and a maximum close to 15%. The rider was passed around the halfway point and recalled feeling as if he were “towing a three-seater sofa.” He nevertheless continued to the finish, where he said other finishers cheered as he approached in a bright pink jersey.
A Hill-Climb Without Racing Gears
The account shows how a last-minute equipment problem can change the purpose of a grassroots race. With the borrowed road bike no longer an option, the rider had to approach the event as a test of completing the course rather than competing for a strong time. That distinction matters: the report is an individual experience, not a comparison of bike performance or a claim that a single-speed is suitable for steep racing.
For readers considering local hill-climbs, the practical takeaway is that the rider’s bike, gearing and physical effort shaped the challenge, while the event remained open to someone without a specialist racing setup. The piece does not establish how the bike would perform against other bicycles under controlled conditions, nor does it supply results that would allow a direct comparison.
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How a Borrowed Bike Fell Through
The rider said his own road bike had been destroyed in July after it struck a car-park height restriction bar while secured to a roof rack. He had intended to borrow his brother’s bike for the Mott Street event, and said the two had taken part in hill-climbs together before. He described himself as a recreational entrant rather than a regular high finisher, recalling a previous result of 28th out of 40.
The event was organised by East London Vélo and took place on Mott Street in Epping Forest. The writer said the entry fee was £5 and that, after travelling about an hour to the start, he decided to race rather than leave. These details explain the decision to continue, but do not provide an independently verified event results record.
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Time and Placing Not Supplied
The supplied account does not state the rider’s finishing time, official position or the number of competitors who completed the course. Its title says he “just about didn’t come last,” but no results table or specific placing is included in the material available here. It is also not clear whether the organiser published a full set of results or whether the account’s description of the bike’s weight was measured or estimated.
The narrative is the rider’s first-person report. Details such as the puncture, the bike’s approximate weight and the physical effort are presented as his account; the source material does not include an independent event statement or technical verification of those details.
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Official Results Would Add Context
The supplied report does not announce a follow-up event, a formal result or a change to the competition. The most useful next information would be the organiser’s results, if available, showing the rider’s time and placing alongside the field. Without those figures, readers can understand the nature of the challenge but cannot judge how his ride compared with other entrants’ performances.
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Key Questions
What bike did the writer use?
He rode a Decathlon ELOPS 500 city bike, described as a single-speed with a steel frame and aluminium rims. He estimated its total weight at about 12kg.
Why did he not use his brother’s road bike?
During a test ride before sign-on, the writer said he cut the rear tyre on a shard of glass. Although they repaired it, he decided not to risk racing on someone else’s bike. The six-minute gap between their start times also made an exchange impractical, according to his account.
How steep was the Mott Street climb?
The report describes it as nearly one kilometre long, gaining 67 metres, with a 6.7% average gradient and a maximum gradient close to 15%.
Did the writer finish last?
The account’s headline says he just about avoided last place, but the supplied material gives no official placing or finishing time. A results list would be needed to confirm his position.
Source: rss
