Fargo Street bicycle challenge

One of the things on my bucket list is to unicycle up Fargo Street, the steepest street in Los Angeles and the second steepest paved street in America (source). Last week I found myself near Fargo street so decided to pay it a visit to investigate. I only had my bicycle with me at the time.



If the hotlink doesn't work, try this link.

Please thumb me if you liked the video.

I do hope to return soon with my unicycle. Any forum members live around Echo Park who could help with a unicycle video?

The question for the poll is did you enjoy the video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37WtEwtkP4I

This guy sounds like he is having a heart attack walking up the street. Terry Peterson claims that as of 2011 he is the only unicyclist to make it up Fargo Street.

Actually, this video is the most boring Fargo Street climb video possible. He engineered a special gear so that he is only advancing 7.5" per revolution. It's like watching a turtle pounce on it's prey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU

Quote: Pacomartin

Terry Peterson claims that as of 2011 he is the only unicyclist to make it up Fargo Street.

A major reason I want to do it is to get his attention. Hopefully he'll buy me a beer after I'm #2.

Quote:

Actually, this video is the most boring Fargo Street climb video possible. He engineered a special gear so that he is only advancing 7.5" per revolution. It's like watching a turtle pounce on it's prey

Clever bike. It would not be easy to balance on something that slow for seven minutes.

To be honest, I thought doing it on a bicycle was not that hard. I could have gone 2x to 3x as long without ever putting my feet on the ground.

There's another street in L.A. that is supposed to be just as steep, (but perhaps not as long?)

Here's an interesting article from the Huffington Post Top 10 Steepest Streets in America It mentions the steepest at 37%, is an access road in Hawaii.

Maybe it's time to outdo the Unigeezer, and do that one on your unicycle.

I wonder if there is any incline data on Paseo de la Herradura or, more interesting, El Tobogán de Interlomas (don't know what the official name is for the latter).

Quote: Ayecarumba

There's another street in L.A. that is supposed to be just as steep, (but perhaps not as long?)

Baxter and Fargo are right next to each other. The 28th St. in Los Angeles, CA in between Gaffey St. and Peck Ave seems to be only one block (350' long), but it looks like only about 1/3 of the block is super steep.

3. Eldred St. in Los Angeles, CA -- 33% gradient
4. 28th St. in Los Angeles, CA -- 32% gradient
5. Baxter St. in Los Angeles, CA -- 32% gradient
6. Fargo St. in Los Angeles, CA -- 32% gradient

Eldred seems to be the steepest street in LA, and it is about 1/4 miles long. But once again the really steep portion seems to be the last block which terminates in a wooden stairs.

Quote: Ayecarumba

There's another street in L.A. that is supposed to be just as steep, (but perhaps not as long?)

Here's an interesting article from the Huffington Post Top 10 Steepest Streets in America It mentions the steepest at 37%, is an access road in Hawaii.

Maybe it's time to outdo the Unigeezer, and do that one on your unicycle.

Other lists put Fargo Street as the steepest in LA because the others on that list you linked to, like Eldred Street, are allegedly very short. However, in looking at both on Google Maps, Fargo and Eldred seem about the same. Fargo is a little longer.

Eldred street. It doesn't look so steep in this picture. Maybe just a little part of it is steep outside of the view of this picture.

Personally, I'm still obsessed with Fargo Street because that is the challenge that the Unigeezer threw at me.

I'd love to try that "street" in Hawaii. No way could I do it on a unicycle but think I could on a bicycle.

Kudos to you for doing Fargo St. in a straight line. It is difficult to appreciate just how steep it is in pictures and videos since our minds "level out" the terrain by assuming familiar landmarks (e.g., curbs, sidewalks, driveways) are all as flat and level as the ones in front of our houses. However, you made it look like an easy day at spin class Wizard.

What scares me the most are the cars parked without their wheels turned into the curb...

Quote: Wizard

However, in looking at both on Google Maps, Fargo and Eldred seem about the same. Fargo is a little longer.

Eldred street. It doesn't look so steep in this picture. Maybe just a little part of it is steep outside of the view of this picture.

I think if you go into Google maps on your view of Eldred Street and rotate it 180 degrees you will see that it is the last block, that terminates in a set of 196 wooden steps that is very steep. The portion of the street you are looking at is not steep at all, and is in fact flat at one point.


Fargo climbs 153.21' in 0.11 mi (26% average)
Eldred climbs 136.06' in 0.13 mi (20% average)

So while Eldred may have a small portion with a steeper climb than Fargo (33% to 32%), overall, Fargo Street is the more difficult hill. None of those articles specify what is the minimum distance they used to calculate climb, but it might be as little as 25' .

The 196 wooden steps at the end of Eldred climb 111' in 0.05 mi. These stairs are very old and a sign warns you of "loose dogs" and "big horn sheep". From the top you have good views of San Gabriel Mountains out to Mt. Baldy and Big Bear, on clear days.

That street on the Big Island of Hawaii from near sea level the Waipio Valley lookout seems impossible on a unicycle on risking death from the automobiles if you are riding a cycle. From the minimum 39' elevation it climbs to 750' elevation in 0.62 mi. Even if some portion of it didn't reach 37% climb, I think it would be impossibly dangerous as there appears to be no shoulder at all.

Google Maps only shows you the top of the hill
https://www.google.com/maps/@20.117495,-155.584326,3a,75y,214.09h,71.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCekPurH-w3dqwJmr5qVtJw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Terry "the Unigeezer" Peterson was kind enough to answer my Email on the ideal unicycle for doing Fargo Street. So, per his advice, I have put some 165 mm crank arms on my 24" road unicycle. It feels weird to ride. Very slow but full of power. I can't wait to try it out on Fargo Street. Unfortunately, there are no streets in Vegas more than about 15 degrees in steepness that I know about to practice on.