Raten

Overview

Raten is a long, steady category-2 ascent that rewards patience more than punch. Over 17.8 km it lifts you from a valley floor at 417 m to a summit of 1074 m — a net gain of 657 m, with 651 m of total ascent once the small dips and false flats are accounted for. The average gradient sits at a modest 3.69%, which on paper looks gentle, but that number hides a lot: at 17.8 km this is one of those climbs where the distance itself becomes the difficulty. You are not going to blow up on any single ramp; you are going to be climbing for a long time.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Raten is the gap between its average and its maximum. A mean of 3.69% is an all-day tempo grade, the kind you can hold in the saddle and even big-ring on the flatter stretches. But the pitch touches 11.3% at its steepest, more than triple the average. That tells you the climb is uneven: long shallow sections that let you settle into a rhythm, punctuated by short, sharp ramps that force you out of your comfortable gear. The near-equal net gain (657 m) and total ascent (651 m) confirm there is very little descending mixed in — this road climbs almost the entire way, so the elevation you earn stays earned.

Pacing Notes

Because the difficulty here is duration rather than steepness, pace to your sustainable power, not your ego. Aim to ride the shallow majority a touch below your FTP so you have headroom for the 11.3% pitches, where power naturally spikes as speed drops. If you do not know your threshold number, run it through the FTP estimator before you go — 17.8 km is a long time to discover you started too hard. Meter your effort so the steep ramps cost matches, not maximal, and let the flatter grades be genuine recovery rather than an excuse to surge. Fuel early; a climb this long burns through reserves well before the summit.

Gearing

At 3.69% average you will spend most of Raten in a moderate gear, but plan your setup around the 11.3% maximum, not the mean. For most riders a compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is ideal. A 34×32 will get you up the steep pitches with a reasonable cadence if your legs are strong. If you are carrying fatigue from earlier in a ride, or you simply prefer to spin, step up to a 34×34 for extra insurance on the ramps. Either way, the goal is to keep cadence high enough that the short steep sections do not turn into grinding, back-loading efforts over such a long climb.

Summary

Raten is a distance-driven category-2 climb: long, mostly shallow, with steep stings that keep it honest. Ride it steady, gear for the spikes, and let the 17.8 km do the work of tiring you rather than any single ramp.

Length: 17.8 km
Average gradient: 3.69%
Max gradient: 11.3%
Start: 417 m
Summit: 1074 m
Net gain: 657 m
Total ascent: 651 m
Category: 2