Ride Box Hill’s Olympic Zig Zag on your home trainer

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Ride Box Hill’s Olympic road race zig-zag in your own home

Posted 27 July 2012

Words by Simon Whiten

We came across this crazy training aid via LinkedIn. It uses video to both motivate and harass the rider into action and so appears to be a bit of a Sufferfest clone. However, it’s not really long enough to provide a true workout and it’s hard to see how it could be easily slotted into an existing turbo trainer session. But, on the plus side, it does feature the 2012 Olympic road race climb of Box Hill’s Zig Zag Road.

Now, few European or American readers, who have access to proper mountains, will be too impressed by this climb, but, lying within a stone’s throw of London town, it’s as close as the capital’s cyclists get to Alpine riding. It’s a stern test for most of us, even if the organiser of the Olmpic road races had to send the men up it nine times to make it into a real obstacle.

For those unfamiliar with it, the hill features switchbacks, which while common elsewhere are rare in the UK, where roads tend to go straight over obstacles no matter how steep the gradient. This feature makes it unusual enough to be a draw for cyclists from all over the south east of England and also explains its particular appeal to the Olympic road race organisers.

So, if you are wondering what all the fuss over Box Hill is about, then why not enjoy the ascent to the sound of a rock band while being “encouraged” by a rather droll commentary? (Bear with it as it does actually improve as the video progresses)

It’s a bit of fun and, as a bit of fun, it’s great. So enjoy!

Read about the Belgian road race team on Box Hill here.

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