Media-

Climbs

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Last update:  29-Apr-2004

10 years ago there were hardly any books about climbs. Nowadays the number of books with information about climbs grows and grows. And not only books: also CD-roms.
For media with general cycling information or information about climbs lower than 1000m see Media Cycling

Books with mainly profiles

 

Altigraph -Atlas des Cols

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Altigraph Edition (BP1 49080 Bouchemaine)
France, all mountain ranges
French
The total serie covers most of the French passes (cols in French) and climbs (a few outside France near the border). Altigraph books are famous and well-known at European mountains cyclists

Contents

Explanations, Technics (VAM=avg. climbing speed, FIP=personal performance table, estimated times)
Example profilePer climb:
  • Profile: km-Type: manually drawn line between points
    Each point (km): heigth, avg.%, objects: place,bridge,church,etc.
  • Starting point/height, Length, Difference in altitude, % (min-max), Difficulty (called Cotation=estimated time in case of 200W power), State of the route, Period open (snowfree), Landscape (stars)
  • Maps with localisation (Michelin), short description of region, landscape, villages, history
  • Description of the route: Important points (heights, direction)
+ +
  • Nice layout
  • A lot of unknown or not very well known climbs
  • Location on the map (in colour)
  • A lot of information per climb
– –
  • Profile not always very accurate (I know this because I've measured a lot of climbs): manually drawn profiles, points and objects not in the exact place, heights sometimes wrong or inconsistent (2 different heights for same point)
  • Profile per km in stead of per point of gradient change
  • Points in description: precise place not always mentioned (like bridge, crossing, junction, church, ...)
    Example: a start in Argeles-Gazost can be anywhere
  • Max. gradient not always mentioned
  • The Serie of the Pyrenees overlap: a lot of double climbs. It's eays to cover all the Pyrenees in 3 volumes but I think because of commercial reasons they appear in 4 volumes
Titles
Last Ed.
Remark
Atlas des Cols    
des Alpes vol. 1,2,3,4,5 1997-2000 before only 2 volumes for total Alps
des Pyrenees vol. 1,2,3,4 1996 before only 1 volume for total Alps
du Massif Central 1997 (2nd) only profiles. No extra information. Reedited
des Vosges et du Jura 1992  
     

Other titles with profiles

   
Cyclo-Guides de Montagne ? detailed profiles
les Profils Dolfin ? profiles around 1900 (reedited)
les Guides Velo ?  
le Tour des Pyrenees a Velo ?  

 

Ediciclo -Passi e Valli d'Europa

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Ediciclo Editore
Italie N (Alps, Appennines), Austria (Kärnten/Carinzia)
Italian, German (1 book)
It's the Italian counterpart of the Altigraph serie.

Contents

Maps, some Photos, Introduction (maps, difficulties), Information (traffic, climate, internet-links, etc.)
Per Climb:

  • Profile Route-Type: places, objects, changes in gradient
    Each point: length, heigth, avg.%
  • Starting point/height, Length, Difference in altitude, avg.%, max.%, Difficulty (1-5)
  • Description of the route: landscape, villages, objects, turns etc.
  • Special Note
+ +  
– –  
Titles
Last Ed.
Remark

Passi e Valli d'Europa    
1. Friuli Venezia Giulia 1995 NE Italy
2. Emilia Romagna 1 / 2 1996 / 2001 N Appennines
3. Dolomiti Bellunesi /
Belluneser Dolomiten (German) (*)
1996 only profiles. No extra information. Reedited
4. Lombardia 1 / 2 1997 / 2000  
5. Carinzia 1998 S Austria. German: Kärnten
6. Piemonte 1 / 2 1998 / 2003 W Italy, Alps
7. Toscana 1 1999 Tuscany
8. Alto Adige 1 1999  
9. Prealpi Venete 1 2000  
Old serie:
Il grimpeur, Guida per il ciclista
   
Salite della Lombardia Vol. I,II,III 1989-1991  
Salite nel Triveneto Vol. I,II,III 1988,92,?  
Canton Ticino Gottardo e Mesolcina 1992  

Other cycling books

   
Collana Mountain Bike ?  
Collana Ciclomappe ?  
Friuli Venezia Giulia in bicicletta ?  
le Alpi in bicicletta ?  

 

Altimetrias

Publisher (auth.)
Countries
Language
Description

Dorleta (by Mario Ruiz, Jacques Roux)
Spain, France
Spanish
Same books as the Altigraph-series! In Spanish

Contents

See above

+ + See above
– – See above
Titles
Last Ed.
Remark
Altimetrías    
Pais Vasco ? Basque country
de los Pirineos Zona 1,2,3,4 ? Pyrenees
de los Alpes ? French Alps
     
     

 

Other books

Atlas de los Puertos de Montaña de Catalunya / Atlas dels Ports de Muntanya de Catalunya
By: Oscar Baisells
Publisher: Pagés Editors, Bobalà 4 -25004 Lleida, 1st edition 1991
No further information

Ciclistes!
By: Joan Garcia Ayllón
Publisher: Graficas Reclam S.A.
Contents: Profiles of all routes in Barcelona, Tarragona, Lerida and Gerona (no further information)

 

Books with info of Climbs

 

Grosser Alpenstrassenführer

Publisher (auth.)
Countries
Language
Description

Denzel-Verlag, Innsbruck (Harald und Eduard Denzel)
Last Edition: 20th (1999) (1st Edition 1956)
Alps-countries (France, Switserland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Slovenia)
German
Sometimes called the bible of the Alp routes (Alpenstrassen). This book is very thorough and detailed and is indeed a standard work .
The book is intended for all kind of traffic: bicycles and motorized traffic. The climbs are categorised by country and province.

Contents

Maps (more than 100), Photographs (175), Introduction (technique of riding in the mountains with car and motor), Descriptions of the regions, Alphabetic Index with data per route (7 type,max.% per side, techn.difficulty SG1-5), about 600 climbs
Per Climb:

  • Profile (sometimes) Route-type (roughly): places, tops, steep parts
    Each point: length, heigth
  • Starting point, max.% (index)
  • Landscape classification (*,**,***),
  • Technical Difficulty meant for motorized traffic (SG1-5)
  • Description of the route: landscape, villages (with heights), objects, turns etc.
+ + Many things
– –
  • Length, Height difference, Avg. % of the climb are (normally) not mentioned. Other data is available but 'hidden' in the description.
    It seems to me that the book is more written for motorized traffic than for bicycles

8500 cols de France

Publisher
Authors
Countries
Language
Description

Franck Mercier/Editions des Cent Cols
Robert and Monique Chauvot (Collection : LA FRANCE A VELO)
France
French
This relatively small book lists all (?) 8500 passes (Fr: cols) that can be found on IGN and Michelin maps. This includes also unpaved passes (Fr: muletier).
It's made in cooperation with the 'Club de cent cols' -the 100 passes association.
It must have been a gigantic work to do but if you are just interrested in nice descriptions or photographs this book is not ment for you. It's in fact maybe the most boring book of France.

Contents

There is a list per 'departement' and a list by height. There are no maps or photographs. In the second list the data per pass is

  • Height
  • Coordinates on IGN map and on Michelin map
+ +
  • The completeness
– –
  • You need the corresponding IGN or Michelin maps
  • No other data than height
  • No pictures, maps

 

 

Bart Aardema

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Kosmos (Holland)
Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Switserland
Dutch

Contents

 

Titles Last Ed. Remark  
Berggids voor fietsers 1987? Austria, Frankrijk, Spain, Switserland
Fietsen in de Pyreneen 1989? Pyrenees
Fietsen in Zuid-frankrijk 1990? South France
     
     

 

Bruckmann

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Bruckmann Verlag, München
Alp countries Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switserland
German
Serie books

Contents

??

Titles Last Ed. Remark
Die schönsten Alpenstrassen   Austria, France, Switserland
For Motorbikers! 100 pictures
Radtouren .. (more books in serie)    
zwischen Gardasee und Venedig 1997

to do

im Tessin 1997  
rund um den Bodensee 1996  
in Südtirol 1995  
im Schwarzwald 1995  
im Chiemgau mit Berchtesgadener Land 1996  
in der Provence ? Passes?  

 

 

Rudolf Geser

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

BLV Verlaggesellschaft mbH and Südwest Verlag
Austria, Frankrijk, Germany, Italy, Switserland
German
Passes and climbs per country or region.
Per climb there is a map and profile and a one page description of the route. There is information about the max. %, length, difference of height, estimated time, recommended gears and used map.

Contents

Same information in another jasje. Old wine in new

Titles Last Ed. Remark


BLV serie    
Alpepässe und Höhenstrassen mit dem Fahrrad 1990? Austria, Frankrijk, Germany, Italy, Switserland
Bergstrassen und Pässe mit dem Fahrrad 1990? Alps, Vosges, Central Massif, Pyrenees
Die 35 schönsten Radtouren-Südtirol Dolomiten Gardasee 1989? North East Italy
Die 35 schönsten Radtouren -Toscana Abruzzen Süditalien 1992 Middle and South Italy
Die 40 schönsten Paßstrecken in
Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz, Italien , Frankreich
1991  
Südwest serie    
Die schönsten Alpenpässe mit dem Rennrad 2001 Alps. Also MTB version available
Die schönsten Motorradtouren - Südtirol / Dolomiten    
Die schönsten Alpenpässe - 50 Motorradtouren 1999  
     

alpepasse mit de mrennrad: Alle Angaben: Streckenlänge, Steigungen, Zeitaufwand und empfohlene Übersetzung - Anschauliche Karten mit Höhenprofil und Steigungswerten - Extra: Tourenkarten zum Herausnehmen

 

Pirola (Luc Oteman)

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Pirola, Schoorl, Holland
Most W. European countries (France, Italy, Portugal, Spain)
Dutch
The Luc Oteman serie contains the most climbs.
These books decribe the region in a number of routes and profiles

Contents

Introduction (transport, equipment, maps, lodging, adresses), Practical information (traffic, bicycle shops, public holidays, food and drinks,etc.) , Descriptions of the regions (mountains, nature, climate, history, etc.)
Per Route:

  • Route: distance, heights (many self-measured)
  • Map, profile (manually drawn)
  • Description: landscape, villages, objects, turns etc.
Titles Last Ed. Remark

Old serie

Luc Oteman -Fietsen    
in Frankrijk 1,2,3 (W,M+S,E) 1994 France
op Corsica ?  
in Portugal 2000  
in Andalusië 2001 Andalucia, South of Spain
Old series    
in Noord Spanje 1,2 1992 North Spain
Other?    
     
     

 

Books for motorbikers

Allthough I'm really not a motorbike enthusiast - you know what I mean when you have cycled the Furkapass (Switserland) in summer - books for motorbikers contains also usefull information for cyclists. These books ar all about the Alps and all in German. No wonder why all the bikers in the Alps are German (speaking)

Titles Last Ed. Remark
Südwest Verlag    
Mit dem Motorrad durch die Alpen (Heinrich Bauregger) 1998 40 routes, maps, pictures, maps, accommodation tips
Die schönsten Motorradtouren in der Schweiz. (Michael Waeber) 1996 routes in Switserland, pictures
Denzel    
Motorrad Touren in den Alpen (Harald Denzel) 1999 100 routes
Motorbuchverlag    
Alpen, Band 1 and 2 (Elke, Dieter Loßkarn)    
Heel Verlag Lust Auf.. serie   routes, tourist tips, landscape, pictures, maps
Pässe -Die 50 schönsten Pässe der Alpen
(Sylva von Harasim, Martin Schemp)
1998 50 passes
Deutsche Alpen 2001 German Alps.  
Dolomiten      
Französische Alpen
  French Alps. 10 routes  
Gardasee   Lake Garda  
Oberitalienische Seen   North Italian lakes.  
Österreichische Alpen   Austrian Alps  
Heel verlag other      
Motorradtraum Alpen (Bruno Geser)   2160 km in 20 routes, pictures and maps  

 

Others

Frans Heylen [Belgium]
Met de fiets over de bergen [Dutch]
De Roerdomp (1984)
Contents: 8 trips of which 6 in the Alps. Per trip a travelogue. Profiles at the end.
also to Order at: de Vakantiefietser

Kasteel, Ludwig
Französische Alpen, Dauphine.
Stöppel Verlag (1999)
Contents: Mountain Bike routes, color pictures, profiles

 

Hanspeter Lanig
Die schönsten Alpepässe, Die schönsten Pässe & Touren in Frankreich [German]/ Fietsen in de Alpen [Dutch]
Kosmos (1988/1990) (still available?)
Contents: .. passes with a description (from one side) and a profile. No pictures
Remark: Data not always reliable, especially heights

Dieter Maier
Die schönsten Pässe und Höhenstraßen der Alpen:
Nebel Verlag (2000)
Contents: descriptions (geographical, historical), 200 colorpictures, ..

Maur, Franz auf der; Maur, Brigitte auf der
40 Pass-abenteuer
Werd Verlag (1999)
Contents: walks and bicycle tours over Swiss passes, colorpictures, maps

Alex Polfliet [Belgium]
Fietsen in de Pyreneen {Dutch]
Fietsen in de Franse Alpen [Dutch]
Fontein
Contents: decriptions and profiles of selection of passes

Karl-Heinz Veit [Austria]
Radsport Kompass -Die schönsten Touren Tirol & Vorarlberg [German]
Sportinform Verlag (1989) (still available?)
Contents: 25 routes, per route a description, map and profile

Günter Weires
Über alle Berge auf Passstrassen und Höhenstrassen durch Frankreich
Touristic Verlag (1988)
Contents:?

 

 

CD-roms with profiles

http://www.alpenradtouren.de/Foto-CD/foto-cd.html

Alpentouren

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Alpentouren, Austria (own poduction Horst Reinelt)
Alp countries Austria, Germany, Italy, Switserland
German
Information gathered during trips through the Alps of a group of friends started in 1987.
It's far more than just a few holiday photographs. The design is professional.

Contents

General information (campings), Tips, Internal Search
Journeys (=Alpentouren) from 1987: route and diary with photos
Overview Alp passes: alphabetic, by height, chronological, geographical
Per top/pass (=Alpenstrasse):

  • Route on the map
  • Type, landscape classification (1-5 stars)
  • Per climb: starting point(s), type, length, avg. %, max. % (no profile!)
  • Short description

 

Bike-Explorer

Publisher
Countries
Language
Description

Bike-Explorer, Switserland
Switserland
German
CDroms with passes and routes of the high mountaineous part of Switserland, one contains the most of all high, surfaced passes, the others contains 40-60 routes.

Contents

All: photoalbum, information (bicycle shops, tourist links)
Velo-Explorer: 45 Swiss passes
Bike-Explorer: routes
Per Route/Pass:

  • Profile route-type: places,start descent/ascent, max.%
    Each point: name and height
  • Length, heightdifference, avg.%, max.%
  • Estimated time, Traffic, Roadsurface, Views
  • Photos, Video (not all)
  • Short description
Titles Last Ed. Remark
Velo-Explorer Schweizer Alpenpässe   45 passes
Bike-Explorer    
Graubunden   58 routes
Tessin / Ticino   45 routes
Ostschweiz   45 routes
Wallis / Valais   60 routes