Videos: Rollapaluza Urban Hill climb returns to north London

Event comes back to Highgate’s Swain’s Lane after four-year absence

The leaves are falling from the trees, the days are getting cooler, and the nights are drawing in – and for cyclists in Britain, that means it’s hill climb season.

Saturday 1 October saw some 200 cyclists tackle the north London climb of Swain’s Lane in Highgate as the Rollapaluza Urban Hill Climb made a welcome return after the last edition in 2012, the event supported by Sinclair, Rapha and Flying Dutchman.

900 metres long, the climb has an average gradient of 9 per cent but gets tougher in the second half, where it hits 18 per cent.

Here’s a video of the day, where Isaac Mundy took the men’s event in 1 minute 21 seconds, with Emma Grant triumphing in the women’s version in a time of 1 minute 48 seconds.

UrbanHillClimb from Orange Trike Media on Vimeo.

Some riders shot on-board video – the video at the top of the article is by Peter Holroyd who finished on the podium with the third-fastest time of 1 minute 31 seconds, while below is one shot by Charlie Woodhall – and there’s also footage of the separate Cargo Bike category from Paul Hayward.

It’s a tough enough climb to tackle once – so spare a thought for Mat Ilic of Regent’s Park Rouleurs, who in 2014 ‘Everested’ the ascent by tackling it no fewer than 134 times.

> Videos: London cyclist Everests hill with 18 per cent gradient - riding it 134 times