Paintbrush Divide cycling climb profile
Paintbrush Divide is a category 1 climb in the US, running 28.8 km from 1976 m to 3254 m. The net elevation gain is 1278 m, and the listed average gradient is 4.44 percent.
That average is the key trap. On paper, 4.44 percent over a long climb sounds controlled, even tempo-friendly. But the maximum gradient reaches 16.12 percent, which changes how the climb should be ridden. This is not a climb to pace as one smooth, metronomic slope. The numbers point to a profile where the overall average is diluted by easier sections, while steeper ramps demand short periods of much higher torque and power.
How the gradient rides
With no detailed section-by-section gradient breakdown in the data, the most reliable way to read Paintbrush Divide is through the contrast between length, average gradient, and maximum gradient.
A 28.8 km climb at 4.44 percent is long enough that fatigue accumulation is the primary limiter. The climb asks for patience before it asks for aggression. But the 16.12 percent maximum means the decisive moments are likely not the average sections. They are the ramps where cadence can collapse if the rider is over-geared or already riding too close to threshold.
The practical takeaway is simple: the easy and moderate grades should feel deliberately restrained. If they feel like work early, the steepest sections will force costly spikes above sustainable power. On a climb with this much vertical gain, those spikes compound quickly.
Pacing strategy
Ride Paintbrush Divide as an endurance climb with anaerobic interruptions, not as a steady threshold test.
Practical pacing notes
- Use the early kilometers to settle below your sustainable climbing effort rather than chasing the average gradient.
- Treat the 4.44 percent average as a full-climb summary, not a pacing target for every section.
- Save enough margin for the ramps approaching 16.12 percent, where power will rise even if speed drops.
- If riding with power, anchor the effort around your known climbing range and avoid repeated surges above /glossary/ftp unless the terrain forces them.
- If riding by feel, the correct sensation for much of the climb is controlled pressure, not strain.
The biggest mistake is responding to every flatter or easier stretch by accelerating. Those sections are opportunities to keep the system under control before the next steep pitch, not invitations to spend energy early.
Gearing and cadence
The maximum gradient makes low gearing important. A rider who can comfortably spin on moderate grades may still need a bailout gear for the steepest ramps. The aim is not just to keep moving, but to avoid grinding at low cadence while fatigued.
Choose gearing that allows seated climbing on steep gradients and lets you reduce torque when the road tips up. On a climb this long, muscular fatigue can become the limiting factor before cardiovascular capacity does. Preserving cadence is therefore a pacing tool, not just a comfort choice.
Paintbrush Divide rewards riders who respect the full 28.8 km. The average gradient makes it look manageable, but the length and 16.12 percent maximum mean the climb is best handled with restraint, low gears, and a clear ceiling on early effort.