Col du Reidmatten

Col du Reidmatten cycling climb profile

The Col du Reidmatten is not a climb that rewards impatience. On paper, it is a 19.6 km HC ascent in Switzerland, rising from 1392 m to 2902 m with 1510 m of net elevation gain. The headline number is the 7.71% average gradient, but the more important detail is the combination of that average with a maximum gradient of 22.24%.

That tells you the ride is not simply long. It is long enough to require threshold discipline, and steep enough in places to punish any rider who treats the opening kilometres like a tempo warm-up.

How the gradient unfolds

With only the aggregate profile available, the most honest way to read the climb is as a sustained high-mountain effort rather than a rolling ascent. Over 19.6 km, an average of 7.71% means there is very little room for meaningful recovery. Even if the gradient varies, the climb has to keep applying pressure for a long time to produce that average.

The 22.24% maximum gradient changes the pacing equation. A climb averaging 7.71% can often be ridden close to a steady aerobic rhythm. But when a profile includes a pitch above 22%, you need to preserve enough muscular reserve to handle short sections where cadence drops, torque spikes, and smooth pacing becomes harder to maintain.

The start elevation of 1392 m and summit elevation of 2902 m also matter. The climb finishes high, and while the profile data alone does not describe weather, road surface, or exposure, the elevation range means the final part should be treated as part of the effort, not as a place to rely on late acceleration.

Pacing and gearing notes

The best approach is conservative early pacing. Ride the first part below the effort you think the average gradient allows, because the climb has enough length and vertical gain to turn a small overreach into a long fade. If you are pacing by /glossary/ftp, this is the kind of ascent where staying controlled matters more than chasing a number every time the road steepens.

Gearing should be chosen for the maximum gradient, not the average. A setup that feels comfortable at 7.71% may become inadequate on a 22.24% pitch, especially deep into a 19.6 km climb. Prioritise a low enough gear to keep pressure on the pedals without being forced into repeated standing efforts.

Practical execution:

• Start with restraint, even if the lower slopes feel manageable.
• Keep cadence sustainable rather than heroic.
• Save your lowest gears for the steepest ramps, not as an emergency after you have already gone too deep.
• Expect the effort to feel progressively heavier because the climb gains 1510 m before the summit.

The Col du Reidmatten is a climb for riders who can combine aerobic patience with steep-gradient strength. The average gradient sets the baseline. The maximum gradient defines the risk.