Geschriebene Buche

Overview

Geschriebene Buche is a Category 4 climb in Austria, running 3.6km from a start elevation of 371m to a summit at 515m. Its net elevation gain is 144m, and its average gradient of 3.96% places it firmly in the short-and-shallow bracket — a climb you can ride at tempo rather than survive.

That average, however, understates the work. The total ascent is 203m against a net gain of only 144m, a 59m difference that tells you the road does not climb cleanly. Somewhere along those 3.6km you give back roughly 59m of descent that you then have to reclaim. On paper this is a modest effort; in the legs it undulates, and the repeated re-accelerations cost more than the net numbers suggest.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 3.96% is an accounting figure, not a riding experience. With a maximum gradient of 9.43%, the steepest ramp is more than double the average — proof the climb is stitched together from steeper pitches and softer, even downhill, sections rather than one steady wall.

Expect the profile to break down roughly like this:

• Flatter and false-flat stretches where you can carry speed and recover
• Short descents or dips that pull the average down but interrupt your rhythm
• Repeated ramps that reset the effort each time you level off
• One steepest pitch approaching 9.43%, where you will need your low gears

Pacing Notes

On a clean, steady climb you can chase even-effort pacing and hold a near-constant number. On an undulating profile like this, even-effort and even-speed diverge sharply. Chasing a fixed speed over the dips wastes matches on the descents; chasing a fixed power over the flats leaves you spinning out.

Ride to your sustainable power output on the ramps, and let the flatter and downhill sections be genuine recovery rather than places to force the pace. Push a touch above threshold on the steepest ramp if the summit is close, then ease. If you are unsure what number to hold, run the FTP estimator before you go so your targets are grounded in real data.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your gearing, and at 9.43% you want an easy bailout gear even on a short climb. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — 34×32 or 34×34 — gives you spin-friendly options for the steepest ramp without over-gearing the flats.

Check your setup before the ride. Confirm the cassette and chainset you expect are actually fitted and shifting cleanly; there is no worse place to discover a stiff derailleur than mid-ramp.

Summary

• Length: 3.6km
• Average gradient: 3.96%
• Maximum gradient: 9.43%
• Net elevation gain: 144m
• Total ascent: 203m
• Category: 4

Geschriebene Buche rewards riders who read the profile rather than the average. Pace the ramps to your threshold, recover on the dips, and gear for the 9.43% pitch, and this short Category 4 will pass quickly and cleanly.