Ashby Gap

Overview

Ashby Gap is a Category 4 climb in the United States covering 5.1 km. It starts at 127 m and tops out at a summit of 316 m, for a net elevation gain of 189 m. On paper that reads as a short, moderate ascent — the kind of climb you might expect to ride through at a steady tempo without much thought.

The profile tells a more demanding story. While the net gain is 189 m, the total ascent over the climb is 326 m. That 137 m gap means the road repeatedly gives back height that you then have to reclaim. You are not climbing one smooth 189 m ramp; you are climbing roughly 326 m in pieces, losing about 137 m to descents and dips along the way. Every metre you coast down is a metre you pay for again, so the effort is meaningfully higher than the net figure suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.7% average gradient is a blend, not a constant. With 137 m of descent baked into the profile, the flat and downhill sections drag the average down and hide the pitches where the road bites — the steepest ramp reaches 9.38%. Expect the work to come in bursts rather than as a single sustained grind.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections that pull the average below what your legs actually feel
• Repeated short climbs separated by dips, thanks to the 137 m of internal descent
• A steepest ramp of 9.38% that demands a real gear change and a burst of effort

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb you can chase even-effort pacing and hold a steady number. Ashby Gap's undulation breaks that model. Riding for even speed here would force you into surges on every ramp and coasting on every descent, spiking your cost. Instead, anchor to even effort: hold your sustainable power output on the climbs and let speed rise on the dips rather than pushing to keep the number up. Ease slightly before each descent so you carry momentum into the next rise. If you do not know your threshold, run the FTP estimator first so your target is real, not guessed.

Gearing

The 9.38% steepest ramp governs your gear choice. On a 5.1 km climb with repeated punchy sections, you want a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a low bailout so you can spin the steep pitches instead of grinding them. Check your setup before the ride; confirm the cassette clears your derailleur and shifts cleanly under load, because a missed shift on a 9.38% ramp costs momentum you will not get back.

Summary

• Length: 5.1 km
• Average gradient: 3.7%
• Maximum gradient: 9.38%
• Net elevation gain: 189 m
• Total ascent: 326 m
• Category: 4

Ashby Gap is a short Category 4 climb that punches above its net elevation gain. The 137 m gap between net gain and total ascent is the number that matters — pace to effort, gear for the 9.38% ramp, and treat it as harder than 189 m implies.