The Climbing Cyclist - The joy of riding uphill & a guide to Victoria's best climbs.

June 3, 2015

Why I love cycling on Beach Road

When you love riding in the hills it can become a bit of a reflex to simply head out for rides that are nice and lumpy. But as I was reminded on Saturday, there is something very satisfying about heading out for a pancake-flat ride like Beach Road every once in a while. Read more

May 27, 2015May 27, 2015

How to suffer on the bike

If you're the sort of rider that enjoys pushing yourself to improve and trying to find your limits, you're probably reasonably good at suffering on the bike. So why does suffering on the bike have a kind of a perverse appeal? And how can we get better at it? Read more

May 20, 2015

Exploring Kinglake: Bowden Spur and other new roads

An upcoming trip to South Korea for a Gran Fondo gave me the motivation to get out and go for a nice long ride. Along the way I explored some roads in the Kinglake Ranges for the first time, not least the very tough Bowden Spur Road. Read more

May 13, 2015

The top 30 HC climbs in Australia: 10 to 1

Over the past three weeks we've been counting down the top 30 HC climbs in Australia. Today, in the final instalment of this three-part series, David Blom takes a look at the 10 hardest climbs in Australia. Read more

May 6, 2015

The top 30 HC climbs in Australia: 20 to 11

There are no shortage of long and challenging cycling climbs around Australia. In this three-part series David Blom counts down the top 30 HC climbs in the country, continuing, in this instalment, with numbers 20 to 11. Read more

April 29, 2015May 6, 2015

The top 30 HC climbs in Australia: 30 to 21

There are no shortage of long and challenging cycling climbs around Australia. In this three-part series David Blom counts down the top 30 HC climbs in the country, starting, in this instalment, with numbers 30 to 21. Read more

April 22, 2015September 14, 2016

Why you should ride your road bike on unsealed roads

There are few better things as a road cyclist than discovering a freshly laid patch of super-smooth hotmix bitumen. But as satisfying as smooth road surfaces can be, I'd argue there's just as much fun to be had at the other end of the spectrum: riding a road bike on unsealed roads. Here are some tips on how to do so. Read more

April 7, 2015

Cycling the Snowy Mountains: climbing Mt. Kosciuszko

On the second day of my trip to the Snowy Mountains I got to climb mainland Australia's highest peak, Mt. Kosciuszko. It was an adventure that included more than three hours of riding and more than four hours of hiking. Read more

March 30, 2015February 2, 2022

Cycling the Snowy Mountains: Khancoban to Jindabyne

In the first of two rides in the Snowy Mountains, I tackled the challenging Alpine Way between Khancoban and Jindabyne. Two tough climbs, some thrilling descents and a whole lot of fun. Read more

March 21, 2015

Cycling New Zealand 2015: a return to Christchurch

On the final day of my trip to New Zealand I got the opportunity to ride in Christchurch's Port Hills again. With so many climbs and great roads to explore, I wasn't short of options. Read more

March 18, 2015March 18, 2015

Cycling New Zealand 2015: the 'world's steepest street'

On a quick visit to Dunedin I visited the "world's steepest street" -- the mighty Baldwin Street -- to see what all the fuss is about and how steep it really is. Read more

March 13, 2015

Cycling New Zealand 2015: climbing Coronet Peak

In the fourth of six blog posts about a recent trip to New Zealand's South Island, I write about riding up Coronet Peak, a climb that surprised me with its difficulty despite having ridden it before. Read more

March 11, 2015March 11, 2015

Cycling New Zealand 2015: climbing The Remarkables

In part three of my Cycling New Zealand 2015 series I pay a visit to a climb near Queenstown that I'd been wanting to try for years: The Remarkables. To say it was hard would be a massive understatement. Read more