Notschrei

Overview

Notschrei is a Category 2 road climb in Germany, running 10.2 km from a start elevation of 547 m to a summit at 1,127 m. The net elevation gain across that distance is 580 m, and the average gradient works out to 5.71%. On paper that reads as a steady, moderate ascent — the kind of climb you can settle into and grind out at tempo without much drama.

The paper number, though, is misleading. Total ascent on Notschrei is 774 m, which is 194 m more than the net gain of 580 m. That gap is undulation: the climb repeatedly kicks up, eases, and occasionally dips before rising again. Every one of those dips is elevation you have to re-earn. The practical effect is that your legs do meaningfully more work than a flat 5.71% grade would suggest, and your average speed will be harder to hold steady than the topline stats imply.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 5.71% average hides both the flatter recovery stretches and the sharp ramps that punctuate them. The maximum gradient reaches 20.8%, so the steepest pitch is nearly four times the average — a wall you cannot spin over casually. Expect the profile to move around rather than climb at a fixed angle.

• Flatter or gently descending recovery sections where you can shift up, drink, and let your heart rate settle
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back, each one demanding a fresh surge of effort
• A steepest ramp pushing toward 20.8%, where cadence collapses if you are in too big a gear

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like Notschrei, chasing an even speed is a trap — you will overcook the ramps trying to hold a number the terrain won't allow. Pace on even effort instead. Hold a consistent, sustainable power output through the steep pitches, accept that your speed drops there, and use the flatter recovery sections to bank a little pace rather than to push harder.

If you don't know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you go, then ride the ramps just under that threshold. The 194 m of extra ascent punishes riders who spike repeatedly; smoothing your output is what gets you to 1,127 m with something left.

Gearing

The 20.8% maximum gradient governs your setup, not the 5.71% average. On a pitch that steep, an under-geared bike forces you to grind at low cadence and blow up. 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 range to keep spinning when the road stands up. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you're over-geared on the steepest ramp is not the place to learn it.

Summary

• Length: 10.2 km
• Average gradient: 5.71%
• Maximum gradient: 20.8%
• Net elevation gain: 580 m
• Total ascent: 774 m
• Category: 2

Notschrei rewards riders who read past the average. Pace on effort, gear for the steepest ramp, and treat the 194 m of undulation as the real challenge — do that, and the Cat 2 label matches the ride.