Rote Lache

Overview

Rote Lache is a Category 2 road climb in Germany. It runs 7.4 km from a start elevation of 201 m to a summit at 698 m, giving a net elevation gain of 497 m at an average gradient of 6.7%. That combination puts it firmly in the range where a climb is long enough to demand pacing discipline but short enough that a strong effort can hold together start to finish.

The gap between the net gain and the total ascent tells the real story. While the road lifts you 497 m from bottom to top, the total ascent is 572 m — a 75 m difference. That means the climb is not a single clean ramp: you give back roughly 75 m across dips and false flats and then re-earn it. Every metre of descent is a metre you climb twice, so the felt effort is higher than the 6.7% average and the 497 m net figure suggest.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 6.7% average is a smoothed number. On Rote Lache the undulation means some sections sit below that figure while others spike well above it, peaking at a steepest ramp of 18.09%. The recovery sections are where you conserve; the steep pitches are where the climb is won or lost.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that account for the 75 m of give-back — use them to spin, not to attack.
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those dips, each resetting your rhythm.
• A steepest ramp of 18.09%, more than double the average, where you will need your lowest gear.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, pace to even effort, not even speed. Hold a steady sustainable power output through the steep ramps and let your speed rise naturally on the flatter recovery sections — do not chase a constant km split, or you will overcook the 18.09% pitches. If you do not know your threshold, run the FTP estimator first so your target wattage is grounded in real numbers rather than feel. The 75 m of re-climbing punishes riders who surge; smooth, disciplined power keeps the whole 7.4 km sustainable.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your setup, and 18.09% is steep enough to demand real range. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear will keep your cadence workable when the road kicks up. Confirm your chainset and cassette combination before the ride; discovering you are over-geared on an 18% ramp is a mistake you only make once.

Summary

• Length: 7.4 km
• Average gradient: 6.7%
• Maximum gradient: 18.09%
• Net elevation gain: 497 m
• Total ascent: 572 m
• Category: 2

Rote Lache rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to power, gear for the 18.09% ramp, and treat the 75 m of re-climbing as part of the effort — do that, and the 497 m net gain to the 698 m summit comes together cleanly.