If you have got time only for a short ride – but still feel like getting the heart rate up – climbing to Grefsenkollen is a good idea. The climb, which is one of the most well known for cyclist in Norway, takes you to one of the great view points over the city.
This route starts out from Tøyen and takes you north-west out of the city and to the bottom of Grefsenkollen just after a few kilometeres. The climb is a total of 3.8 kilometers with an average of 6.5% incline. It takes you a about 245 meters vertical and the steepest parts are above 11%. Average Joe will use somewhere above 15 min to get to the top – however, if you want to take the crown you need to dig deep and shave 8 seconds off Carl Fredrik Hagens 8.38.
When on top it is great to stop for either some food/drinks, or at least to take a picture to prove that you were there 😉
From Grefsenkollen you head down hill about 1/3 of the climb, before taking a sharp right turn. Now you head towards the big lake called “Maridalsvannet” – the main drinking water source of Oslo. Follow the route and watch out for traffic till you enter the valley. You will shortly get the countryside feel when you suddenly all you see is open fields. Be aware though that the first part of the valley has horrible asphalt. It is about the be re-asphalted, but at the time of writing its about ¼ of the valley left. Nevertheless, when you get onto the new asphalt, the ride is a dream. Bike to the end of the road- then turn and take the other way back. It will give you some small climbs, but they are more to be considered bumps in the road compared to the Grefsenkollen climb.
From Maridalen, you head back towards the city center of Oslo to the starting point at Tøyen. This is a great place for a coffee – even though this ride was a bit too short for a bun 😉
Espresso @ Skatten was extremely good – 8/10!
