Bummerepass

Overview

Bummerepass is a Category 1 climb in Switzerland, running 9.1km from a start elevation of 1,300m to a summit at 2,027m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 727m at an average gradient of 8%. That combination — a sustained near-double-digit average across more than nine kilometres above 1,300m — puts it firmly in the class of climbs that demand a genuine effort budget rather than a token warm-up.

The number worth watching is the gap between net gain and total ascent. The road climbs 727m net but racks up 880m of total ascent, meaning roughly 153m of that height is given back and re-earned along the way. This is an undulating climb, not a smooth ramp. Every metre of descent is a metre you have to climb again, so the moving effort is higher than the tidy 8% average suggests. Plan for the 880m figure, not the 727m.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An 8% average on an undulating profile hides two things: the flatter recovery sections that pull the mean down, and the steep pitches that must exist to compensate. On Bummerepass the steepest ramp hits 20% — more than double the average — so the hard metres are concentrated, not spread evenly.

• Expect flatter or slightly descending recovery sections where the average drops well below 8%.
• Expect repeated short climbs as the road gives back height and reclaims it — the 153m of extra ascent lives here.
• Expect the steepest ramp near 20%, a pitch that will spike your effort well above your climbing rhythm.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb, chasing even speed is a trap: you overpower the steep ramps to hold a number and blow up before the summit. Ride even effort instead. Hold a steady sustainable power output through the steep pitches and let your speed drop, then resist the urge to hammer the flatter recovery sections to "make up time." Use those flatter metres to actually recover.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you go. Knowing your threshold lets you set a target for the 20% ramp that you can hold to 2,027m rather than one that ends your ride at kilometre six.

Gearing

The 20% maximum gradient governs your setup, not the 8% average. On a pitch that steep, at altitude, after 880m of accumulated climbing, you want low gears in reserve. Run a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the cadence to spin the steep ramps rather than grind them. Check your setup before the ride. Swapping a cassette is a garage job, not a roadside one.

Summary

• Length: 9.1km
• Average gradient: 8%
• Maximum gradient: 20.09%
• Net elevation gain: 727m
• Total ascent: 880m
• Category: 1

Bummerepass rewards riders who respect the undulation. Budget for the 880m of total ascent, meter your effort through the 20% ramp, and carry the gears to spin it. Do that, and the summit at 2,027m comes to you.