I love Thailand… but I hate this mountain.
39km long at 5.6%, with a total elevation of 2565m, these numbers do not tell the tale of this Beast from the East.
PJAMMcycling.com break it down so you can better understand the incline percentages involved:
13% (4.9 km) of the climb is [very shallow!] descent, 34% (13.2 km) is 0-5%, 29% (11.km) is 5-10%, 21% (8.2 km) is 10-15%, and 3% (1.1 km) is 15-20%. The steepest quarter-mile is 16.7% and steepest full kilometer 16.2%.
The last 10km is 9% but that also comes nowhere near explaining the sufferation I experienced over some of these kilometres. The double digit percentages come thick and slow… very slow… over these final kilometres, and looking down at the distance to go on the computer is not recommended.
Now, some people claim this climb is harder than the Taiwan KOMChallenge, and with all due respect, they are wholly incorrect. The KOM is IMO the Daddy of all Climbs, and you need to ride it to know it.
(And if you need coaching for the KOM, I’m the official provider for the event, click here!)
But having said that, Doi Inthanon, which is Thailand’s highest mountain, is hard as f&ck, make no mistake. It’s that suffering that you know you can make stop at any time, if you just got off the bike, but for some deranged, deeply disturbing reason, you need it.
Not every day, not even every week… but yeah, you need it.
And this is why we do it.
Hope you enjoy the video!
And a big thanks to Nuun for leading the way to the Mountain of Pain!
And ok… I don’t really hate Doi Inthanon… it’s just a very strong dislike.
