Mahon Falls

thebouldwhacker

I'm curious to know from those who know about climbing Mahon falls.
I have cycled it anti clock wise but found the decent a pain in the ass. Is it better climbing it clockwise(and descending the car park/waterfall side)?

Quigs Snr

It is much easier to climb on the car park side. The descent as you say is a hairy brake pad melter. Going up the other direction is far steeper. Hitting close to 20% in places but the descent is easier. Usually I would just go up from the car park side and turn and come back down the same way. Generally I avoid the whole thing like the plague.

thebouldwhacker

Hmmm, its a beast which must be tamed by hill repeats!

on_the_nickel

Which way does the SKT do it?

Quigs Snr

SKT goes up up the easier carpark / falls side. The down the gravelly, twisty steep side. They put hay bales up on the crashy parts.

thebouldwhacker

Yea, there were a few crashes last year, I heard barbed wire was included in one. I enjoy descending but there's little joy in riding the brakes for 3km.

royrogers

What kind of distance is the climb on the SKT.

Raam

In the Race Around Ireland, we were made do it from the non-waterfall side. I found it much harder than the waterfall/skt side, but that may have been the 4 days of very little sleep and too much cycling that came before it. Curse you, Emmet Roche!