Scharflingerhöhe

Overview

Scharflingerhöhe is a short climb in Austria, rated category 4. It runs 4.4 km from a start elevation of 474 m to a summit of 642 m, for a net elevation gain of 168 m. On paper that reads as a gentle warm-up: an average gradient of 3.83% over a distance most riders can clear inside twenty minutes.

The numbers hide something, though. While the net gain is 168 m, the total ascent is 311 m — a difference of 143 m. That gap tells you the road does not climb cleanly. You are gaining and giving back elevation across the profile, and every metre you give back has to be re-climbed. Plan your effort around the 311 m of actual climbing, not the 168 m the start-to-summit figure suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.83% average is a blend, not a description of any single stretch of road. On an undulating profile like this, long flatter or downhill sections drag the mean down, which means the pitches that actually climb are steeper than the average implies. The road peaks at 11.88%, so expect at least one wall that hits nearly 12%.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or tips slightly downhill — these are where the net/ascent gap comes from
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back rather than one continuous grade
• A steepest ramp approaching 11.88%, well above anything the average prepares you for

Pacing Notes

On a steady climb you would hold even effort and let speed vary. Here, with 143 m of extra climbing built into the undulation, even-speed pacing is a trap — chasing a constant speed forces you to over-power the steep ramps and coast the descents. Ride to even effort instead: settle into a sustainable power output you can hold to the top, ease slightly on the flatter recovery sections, and let the descents come to you rather than sprinting them.

Know your ceiling before you start. If you have not tested recently, run the FTP estimator and set a target you can defend through the near-12% pitch without blowing up.

Gearing

Gearing is governed by the steepest gradient, not the average — and 11.88% is steep enough to matter. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette such as 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout gear to spin the ramp rather than grind it. Check your setup before the ride: confirm the cassette and chainset you are running actually deliver that low ratio, because you do not want to discover the gap at the base of the wall.

Summary

• Length: 4.4 km
• Average gradient: 3.83%
• Maximum gradient: 11.88%
• Net elevation gain: 168 m
• Total ascent: 311 m
• Category: 4

Scharflingerhöhe is short and low-category, but the 143 m gap between net gain and total ascent makes it more work than the average suggests. Ride to even effort, gear for the steep ramp, and treat it as the undulating climb it is.