Tronåsen

Overview

Tronåsen is a short, severe Category 2 climb in Norway (NO). It runs just 1.5 km from base to summit, but packs a net elevation gain of 240 m into that distance. The road begins at 37 m and tops out at 277 m, so almost every metre you ride is spent going up. There is no long approach to settle into and no plateau to hide on — the climb declares itself immediately and holds you there until the top.

The total ascent over the climb is 251 m, against a net gain of 240 m. That 11 m gap means the profile is not a clean single ramp: there are brief dips or false flats where the road gives back a little height before clawing it straight back. On a climb this short and steep, undulation like this matters — every metre re-climbed after a dip forces you to accelerate your own body weight again, so the effort feels harsher than the net numbers alone suggest.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 16.44% average gradient is already extreme, and averages on a climb this steep hide as much as they reveal. Some sections sit near the mean; others spike well above it, and the short dips pull the average down without ever giving you real rest.

• Expect an immediate steep start — there is no gentle run-in on 1.5 km.
• A short recovery dip or false flat mid-climb, where the road briefly eases before pitching up again.
• Repeated short, sharp ramps that account for the extra ascent beyond the net gain.
• The steepest ramp is punishing and must be respected — spin it out, do not muscle it.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, chasing even speed is a trap: the gradient changes will spike your effort into the red on every ramp. Pace by effort instead. Anchor your climb around your sustainable power output and let your speed drop on the steep pitches rather than forcing the pace. If you are unsure of that number, run the FTP estimator before you go. Because the undulation lets speed swing hard, protect your effort ceiling on the ramps and use the brief dips to shed heart rate — do not attack the recoveries, ride them.

Gearing

The steepest gradient here governs everything about your setup. A 16.44% average with sharper ramps on top demands low gears: run a compact or sub-compact chainset with a wide-range cassette. A 34×32 is the minimum most riders will want, and 34×34 or lower is smarter if you have it. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride — arriving at Tronåsen under-geared means grinding at low cadence on a wall, which wrecks your legs and your traction.

Summary

• Length: 1.5 km
• Average gradient: 16.44%
• Net elevation gain: 240 m
• Total ascent: 251 m
• Category: 2

Tronåsen is a specialist's climb: brief, relentless, and unforgiving of poor pacing or the wrong gears. Come with low gearing, ride it by effort, and respect the ramps.