Lochenpass

Overview

Lochenpass is a Category 3 climb in Germany that runs 8.6 km from base to summit. It begins at 512 m and tops out at 884 m, for a net elevation gain of 372 m. On paper that reads as a moderate mid-length ascent, and the category confirms it: this is a climb you can take on without specialist preparation, but not one to treat as a warm-up.

The number that reshapes the effort is total ascent. While the net gain is 372 m, the total ascent is 487 m — an extra 115 m of climbing that comes from dips and rises along the way. That gap is undulation: the road gives back elevation you then have to reclaim. In practice you climb more than the summit-minus-base figure suggests, and every metre lost on a descent is a metre you pay for again. Budget for the full 487 m, not the 372.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.34% average is a blended figure that hides real variety. With undulation baked into the profile, sections of easy or downhill road pull the average down, which means the climbing pitches are steeper than 4.34% to compensate — up to a maximum of 14.43%.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or briefly descends, dragging the average down
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back, the source of the extra 115 m over net gain
• A steepest ramp hitting 14.43%, far above the average and the pitch that dictates your gearing

Pacing Notes

On a steady climb you can hold near-constant effort. Lochenpass punishes that approach because the gradient keeps changing. Chase an even speed and you will over-spike on the 14.43% ramps and coast on the flats — wasteful and fatiguing. Instead, pace to even effort against your sustainable power output: let speed rise on the shallow sections and drop on the steep ones while your power stays controlled. Know your ceiling before you start; the FTP estimator gives you a working number to pace against.

Gearing

Gearing is governed by the steepest pitch, not the average. At 14.43%, a standard road setup will leave you grinding. Run a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout gear for the steep ramps while keeping cadence high through the undulation. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette and chainring you are actually running, not the one you assume is fitted.

Summary

• Length: 8.6 km
• Average gradient: 4.34%
• Maximum gradient: 14.43%
• Net elevation gain: 372 m
• Total ascent: 487 m
• Category: 3

Lochenpass rewards riders who respect its undulation. The 372 m net gain undersells 487 m of real climbing, and the 14.43% max demands gearing the 4.34% average never hints at. Pace to effort, gear for the steepest ramp, and it becomes a rhythm climb rather than a fight.