Svartediket

Overview

Svartediket is a Category 4 climb in Norway. It runs 5.9 km from a start elevation of 0 m to a summit at 229 m, for a net elevation gain of 229 m. On paper that reads as a short, moderate ascent, and the category confirms it: this is not a mountain pass but a compact effort you can slot into a longer ride.

The number that changes the story is total ascent. The climb records 333 m of total ascent against just 229 m of net gain — a difference of 104 m. That extra 104 m is climbing you do twice, because the road gives back elevation before taking it again. Undulation like this makes the ride harder than the net figure suggests: every metre of descent is a metre you have to re-earn, and the repeated changes in pitch break your rhythm.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The average gradient of 3.87% is a blend, not a description. On a climb with 104 m of hidden descending, that average smooths over flat and downhill sections on one side and sharp ramps on the other. The headline hazard is a maximum gradient of 16.98% — a wall roughly four times steeper than the average, and the pitch that will govern your gearing choice.

Across the profile, expect:

• Flatter and recovery sections, including short descents, that pull the average down
• Repeated short climbs rather than one continuous grade
• A steepest ramp reaching 16.98% that demands a real jump in effort

Pacing Notes

On a smooth, steady climb you can hold even effort and let speed drift. Svartediket's undulation makes that harder. Chasing even speed here means burning matches on every ramp and coasting on the descents — a spiky, wasteful pattern. Instead, target even effort: hold your sustainable power output through the ramps, accept that speed will surge on the flatter and downhill sections, and avoid pushing hard where the road already helps you. Over 5.9 km the recovery sections are your friend, so use them to reset rather than to attack. If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you ride so your target on the 16.98% ramp is grounded in data, not guesswork.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest pitch, not the average. A 16.98% ramp will overwhelm a standard road setup if you fatigue. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset and pair it with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the spin to stay seated and keep cadence up when the grade bites. Check your chainring and cassette before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a 16.98% wall is not the place to find out.

Summary

• Length: 5.9 km
• Average gradient: 3.87%
• Maximum gradient: 16.98%
• Net elevation gain: 229 m
• Total ascent: 333 m
• Category: 4

Svartediket is a short Category 4 climb that punches above its net gain. The 104 m gap between total ascent and net gain, plus a 16.98% ramp, mean you should pace by effort and gear for the steep — treat it as harder than 229 m suggests.