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Baldwin Street New Zealand


Mitch

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Hey guys

So I’m sure some people on here have seen this, but I was surfing FaceTube and spotted this video by Evolve skateboards climbing what is close to the steepest street in the world. got me wondering which (if any) Euc’s could make it up. MCM5? Curious to hear what everyone thinks, and if anyone would be game to ride back down again :thumbup:

https://youtu.be/X06kZJMpF4M

 

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My guess is that almost all present wheels would overheat and stop if you tried running them up Baldwin at 15 mph, but that they would be ok at slower speeds. Baldwin street is over 1km long; on a similar length street with the grade being a mere 6 percent (3 degrees), all my wheels heat up significantly, as somewhere between 140-160 degrees the KS wheels start tilting back, then kick you off above that.

Now I've been on public/private access roads that were much steeper than Baldwin. Absolutely no problem so long as there's traction, but overheating is a real problem if you try cranking it.

You can zig zag downhill. I recommend everyone do this, because once you get above a certain speed on a runaway wheel then you're essentially going to do a bail at high speed, with every second you delay making the crash worse.

Edited by LanghamP
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That's almost local for me!!!

And idt is already on my list of things to try when I am close enough (and with wheels, of course). In February we might be down that way and if that comes off we will definitely be trying it out.

In anticipation, let me know what wheels I should be taking with me to have a crack with???

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6 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

anticipation, let me know what wheels I should be taking with me to have a crack with?

Would the wheel kick you off? Or blow something?

Whenever I go up a hill I'm always wondering, "does this wheel have a protection circuit?" I don't think the Gotways kick you off but I'm not sure.

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14 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

That's almost local for me!!!

And idt is already on my list of things to try when I am close enough (and with wheels, of course). In February we might be down that way and if that comes off we will definitely be trying it out.

In anticipation, let me know what wheels I should be taking with me to have a crack with???

Well an MCM5 is the obvious best chance if you have one. Second to that i'd say (based on @Marty Backe's latest video) that your KS16X is the next best bet! 

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  • 2 months later...

Baldwin Street is only really steep for some of its length, not for 1km (edit: it's only about 350m long - I just watched the video in the OP). It starts nearly flat and curves up to the full gradient. I read that it's around 35% which seems to be the upper limit described for some wheels. So you could definitely ride *on* Baldwin St but I don't know if you'd make it all the way up. If anyone is really going to try, do let me know! 

Edited by Ek.
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We have a street in Melbourne not quite as steep

 

but very steep none the less

 

the MSX gets up it at 40km/h

abs smashed my now sold Zero 10x scooter that hit 35km/h when it leveled out near the top, but only managed 22km/h on the steepest part 

 

and the V10F

 

3 times...

 

once it sailed up at 35km/h

 

the other 2 times, GET OFF!!!

 

LOL

 

for reference Baldwin st is 35% and the street I’m talking about is 30%
 

steepest hill I’ve been up was 37.6 degrees 

 

no idea what that is in %
 

but it was also very very short, and the V10F easily had the power, it was a matter of balance and traction 

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5 hours ago, Ek. said:

If anyone is really going to try, do let me know!

I am... For me it's only an island away! When one of our road trips get close enough I will be trying it with as many wheels as I can fit in the car.

1 hour ago, Trevor Phillips said:

for reference Baldwin st is 35% and the street I’m talking about is 30%
steepest hill I’ve been up was 37.6 degrees 

no idea what that is in %

Baldwin Street = 35% = 19.29°

30% = 16.7°

And 37.6° = 77%

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Anyway, if you want the new steepest street in the world you now have to go to Wales. Sorry everyone, but Baldwin St is not as steep as it was! I think it's fighting back though, so watch this space...

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37 minutes ago, Ek. said:

Anyway, if you want the new steepest street in the world you now have to go to Wales. Sorry everyone, but Baldwin St is not as steep as it was! I think it's fighting back though, so watch this space...

Nope. San Francisco is still the king - 41% the steepest paved road, Bradford St. above Tompkins St. See

http://www.datapointed.net/2010/02/more-steeps-of-san-francisco/

The Steepest Streets In San Francisco
1. Bradford above Tompkins (41% grade)
2. Romolo between Vallejo and Fresno (37.5% grade)
3. Prentiss between Chapman and Powhattan (37% grade)
4. Nevada above Chapman (35% grade)
5. Baden above Mangels (34% grade) *
6. Ripley between Peralta and Alabama (31.5% grade)
7. 24th between De Haro and Rhode Island (31.5% grade)
8. Filbert between Hyde and Leavenworth (31.5% grade)
9. 22nd between Vicksburg and Church (31.5% grade)
10. Broadway above Taylor (31% grade)
11. 23rd above Carolina (31% grade)

And I've done all of them on an e-scooter as a challenge for myself, but will never dare to take a segwheel to any of them, out of fear that it will roll down uncontrollably (even if I use a leash) and obliterate this beautiful city as we know it. (I actually wanted to post a new thread yesterday with the title "San Francisco Challenge" daring anyone to do this list on a segwheel, but decided it might start a dangerous craze... so... shush... don't tell anyone this top level secret!)

Here's another one not from this list, 38%:

 

 

 

Edited by Aneta
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I always wondered how the Guinness book of records could have overlooked SF and assumed they must have started there with the verification process as it's so obvious. Now I need to Google it...

Edit: ok, it looks like Bradford had the steep part paved in 2010 (although Wikipedia isn't always right) and perhaps nobody bothered to contact GWR. Perhaps someone should? I'd feel a bit sorry for the residents of Harlech (home of Ffordd Pen Llech) though... but only a bit.

Edited by Ek.
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3 minutes ago, Ek. said:

I always wondered how the Guinness book of records could have overlooked SF and assumed they must have started there with the verification process as it's so obvious. Now I need to Google it..

The guy who created this list has done some serious research, see this article with the 1st version of the list:

http://www.datapointed.net/2009/11/the-steeps-of-san-francisco/

Bradford above Tompkins (41% grade) is, essentially, a driveway to several houses, and 41% is just 30ft part of it:

bradford-520x367.jpg

I've been to it and felt a bit awkward doing my experiment there, I felt like an intruder. I can imagine that if it were made famous by Guinness, how unhappy local residents would be.

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  • 1 year later...
19 minutes ago, winterwheel said:

Yes, it was on a 16X... Not by me but a local rider I know.

And I have to say, he made it look easy!

Edited by The Fat Unicyclist
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I'd love to see a Sherman attempt that hill. 😁😅

MSP HT would be easy peasy.

Edited by Rawnei
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10 hours ago, Rawnei said:

I'd love to see a Sherman attempt that hill. 😁😅

MSP HT would be easy peasy.

I'm still keen to take a range of wheels down there to compare them... Not just to see that they can do it, but to see how well they perform (measuring speed, temperature, et cetera).

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2 hours ago, That Guy said:

Yeah, KS16X can take a 95kg rider up and down no problem. ;-)

(And yeah, it's the steepest in the world according to the Guinness World Records book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin_Street)

But, I want to try it with 120 kg rider... And at speed (none of that slow riding for the camera stuff)!!!   :D

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2 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

But, I want to try it with 120 kg rider... And at speed (none of that slow riding for the camera stuff)!!!   :D

I bet you will get down no matter what. In what shape....:w00t2:

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