How To Climb Steep 30% Hill as a Heavy Cyclist | Bushcombe Lane, Steepest Street in The Cotswolds

I took on Bushcombe Lane — the steepest street in the Cotswolds — for the fourth time.

I’d failed on my first two attempts, finally conquered it on my third, and now I’m back with one goal: to go sub-10 minutes up this brutal 30% gradient hill climb.

But before I even reached the climb, I had to cycle 46 miles just to get to the start at Cheltenham Spa. From there, I tackled a 36-mile route featuring:

Aggs Hill – a tough, tree-covered climb

Salter’s Lane – a quiet country road through sheep-filled farmland

And finally, the monster: The very steep hill of Bushcombe Lane

🎯 Want to ride this route yourself?
You can find the full route on my Komoot profile:
👉 https://www.komoot.com/tour/2369469758

⚙️ My Bike Gearing for 30% Climbs:
After conquering Bushcombe Lane, I break down the exact gearing setup I used to survive this gradient:
46-30 crankset and 11-42 cassette — perfect for heavier riders taking on savage climbs like this.

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Time Codes
0:00 - Intro
3:28 - Starting at Cheltenham Spa
4:16 - Aggs Hill
7:50 - Salter's Hill
11:31 - I'm a British Cycling Ambassador
12:04 - Bushcombe Lane
17:48 - Post Bushcombe Lane effort stats
18:00 - My gearing set up
20:35 - Outro