Ride Classification - Mount Baker Bicycle Club

HomeRide Classification: the 4 Ts

Mount Baker Bicycle Club Ride Leaders will use the following chart to describe their rides using the four Ts: tempo, topography, traffic, and terrain.

A typical ride will look like this: Tempo B, Topography B, Traffic B, Terrain A. This ride might be a tour of milder corners of Bellingham.

Our weekly winter Wednesday trail ride might look like this: Tempo A, Topography C, Traffic A/B, Terrain D.

The observant rider will note that Tempo A ride on Topography C (as in the trail ride) means you will be not going fast, but you will be taking lots of climbs, some punchy, some longer.

A ride should also mention total distance and total climbing, so you have an idea of how much work that will be for you, and whether that's a ride you'll enjoy. A Tempo A, Topography A ride that's 15 miles long should be less than 90 minutes, for example. A 35-mile ride that's Tempo C, Topography C with 2000 feet of climbing might take the riders 2 to 3 hours.

If you need more information about a ride, please contact the Ride Leader, who will be listed on the Event.

Ride classification
	A	B	C	D
Tempo	10-12 mph	13-16 mph	14-18 mph	19+ mph
Topography	< 25ft of climbing per mile on average. < 5% grades. Mostly flat. Climbs are low and at most a couple of minutes.	25 to 50 feet per mile on average. 5-8% grades. Generally flat with some hills or short steady climbs at lower grades of 2-4%.	51 to 75 feet per mile on average. 51 to 75 feet per mile on average. A hilly course with long steady climbs between 3 and 7% grade and shorter climbs of up to 12%.	75+ feet per mile on average. A mountain climb. Route will involve long steady climbs of 5 to 8%. On shorter sections grades may be > 15%. Long, fast descents.
Traffic	Little to no route shared with vehicles; interurban trails, dedicated bike lanes.	Light, low-speed in-town urban traffic. Residential roads, minor connectors. Vehicle speeds < 30 mph.	Moderate traffic. Urban core roadways, connector arteries with cycling infrastructure. Vehicle speed < 35 mph.	Regular vehicle contact, shared lanes with vehicles. Some traffic may be moving >35mph. Urban traffic, or regularly used rural highways.
Terrain	Smooth pavement in good condition. Roads have wide clear shoulders.	Variable pavement, or high-grade gravel path. Pavement in mixed condition. Roads may have shoulders with some debris. There may be loose gravel, but surfaces will be even and maintained. Attention is needed, but not special skill.	Unpaved surfaces, some obstacles, variable traction. May have intermittent paving in mixed condition. Bike handling skills will come into play. Durable, wider tires with traction tread.	Broken surfaces, some obstacles, some single track, low-traction conditions. Bike handling skills will be necessary throughout the ride. Durable, wider tires with traction tread.