Schrimmennieder

Overview

Schrimmennieder is a Category 1 climb in Austria, running 9.4 km from a valley floor at 1014 m up to a summit of 1829 m. That gives it a net elevation gain of 815 m over its length, with an average gradient of 8.67%. A sustained near-nine-percent average across more than nine kilometres puts this firmly in serious-climb territory: there is no easing into it, and the elevation profile does most of its work in a single, committing push.

The number that reshapes how you ride it is total ascent. While the net gain is 815 m, the total ascent is 1196 m — a difference of 381 m. That gap means the road does not climb cleanly; it gives back roughly 381 m of descent that you then have to re-earn. Every metre of that is climbing your legs pay for but the net figure never shows. Plan your effort around 1196 m of vertical work, not 815 m.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 8.67% average is a blend, not a constant. With 381 m of undulation baked in, stretches of the road descend or flatten, which means the climbing sections are steeper than the average implies to compensate. The steepest ramp bites hard at 37.57% — a wall you will not spin over, only grind.

• Flatter or descending recovery sections that pull the average down and let you re-set
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those dips, each demanding a fresh surge
• One brutal steepest ramp near 37.57% where cadence collapses and torque takes over

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb, even-effort and even-speed pacing nearly converge. Here they do not. Because the gradient swings, holding even speed would spike your output on the ramps and waste it on the descents. Pace to even effort instead: hold a steady sustainable power output and let your speed rise and fall with the road. Ease slightly on the false flats to bank recovery, and accept that the steep pitches will briefly push you over threshold — that is unavoidable at 37.57%. Know your ceiling before you start by running the FTP estimator.

Gearing

The steepest gradient governs your gearing, not the average. At 37.57%, a standard setup will leave you stalling or walking. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 at minimum — so you keep a turnable gear on the wall. Check your drivetrain before the ride; discovering you are under-geared halfway up is not a mistake you recover from here.

Summary

• Length: 9.4 km
• Average gradient: 8.67%
• Net elevation gain: 815 m
• Total ascent: 1196 m
• Category: 1

Schrimmennieder rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to effort, gear for the steepest ramp, and budget for 1196 m of climbing — not the 815 m the net gain advertises.