Flexen Pass

Overview

Flexen Pass is a category 1 climb that rewards patience over punch. Over 29.1 km it lifts you from a start elevation of 585 m to a summit at 1771 m, a net elevation gain of 1186 m against a total ascent of 1177 m. The near-identical net gain and total ascent tell you something important right away: this is an overwhelmingly upward road with very little descending mixed in. There are almost no free metres given back, so every kilometre nudges the altimeter higher.

The headline average gradient of 4.07% sounds gentle, and for long sections it genuinely is. But the 18.28% maximum gradient warns that the mean hides real teeth. On a climb this long, a 4.07% average is a number you settle into, while the steep pitches are where the day is actually decided.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do the arithmetic and the shape becomes clear. A 4.07% average across 29.1 km is a moderate, all-day slope, but a 18.28% maximum is more than four times that mean. That gap means the road is not uniform: mellow stretches subsidise short, sharp ramps that spike far above what your legs have grown used to.

Because total ascent (1177 m) sits just below net gain (1186 m), you can trust the elevation profile to trend relentlessly upward with barely any relief. Expect long, grinding kilometres where the gradient hovers near or just under the average, punctuated by pitches that lurch toward the 18.28% ceiling. Those ramps arrive after your legs are already loaded, which is precisely why they hurt.

Pacing Notes

The smart way to ride Flexen Pass is by effort, not ego. Anchor your pacing to your FTP and hold something in reserve for the steep sections near 18.28%, where power naturally spikes if you let cadence collapse. Over 29.1 km, a few over-cooked minutes early will cost you far more than the time they seem to save.

Aim to sit comfortably below threshold on the 4.07%-ish stretches so you have headroom when the road rears up. If you are unsure what your threshold actually is, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator and build your target zones from there. On a climb where 1186 m of gain accumulates steadily, consistent sub-threshold riding beats surging every single time.

Gearing

With a 18.28% maximum gradient waiting inside a 29.1 km effort, gear for the worst pitch, not the average. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline here.

If you are a strong climber with good high-torque endurance, a 34×32 will get you over most of the ramps, but it leaves little margin when the gradient approaches 18.28% late in the climb. For most riders, and for anyone who wants to protect their knees across 1186 m of ascent, step up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket keeps your cadence alive on the steepest sections and turns a survival grind into something you can actually pedal through.

Summary

Flexen Pass is a long, honest category 1 climb: 29.1 km of near-continuous ascent from 585 m to 1771 m, averaging 4.07% but hiding pitches up to 18.28%. Pace it by effort, gear it for the ramps, and let the 1186 m of gain come to you one kilometre at a time.

Length: 29.1 km
Average gradient: 4.07%
Max gradient: 18.28%
Start: 585 m
Summit: 1771 m
Net gain: 1186 m
Total ascent: 1177 m
Category: 1