DANA POINT : Race Takes Bike Ride to a Higher Degree

Under normal circumstances, a quarter-mile bike race would not be far enough for a cyclist to break a sweat, but organizers of this race have taken a whole new angle on things.

Try a 60-degree angle up Cove Road.

On Sunday, 25 to 40 cyclists are expected to compete in the third annual Dana Point Festival of Whales Uphill Bicycle Time Trial, billed as “Orange County’s most exciting annual hill climb.”

“This is a chance for serious, as well as recreational riders, to challenge not only others but also nature,” race organizer Ed Restante said.

World-class cyclist Steve Reme of Dana Point has won the race the past two years, establishing a record of 52 seconds last year. This year, a new champion will be crowned, as Reme will not participate in the race but will help with timing of the event.

Restante said that although road racing bikes fair best in the race, competitors have raced on mountain bikes and on tandems. “We’ll probably issue awards for different types of bikes this year,” he said. The top three finishers in various male and female age groups will be given awards.

Registration for the event begins at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The entry fee is $15 to $20. Helmets are mandatory.

How Steep It Is Cove Road, the site of Sunday’s Uphill Bicycle Trial, is touted as having a 60-degree incline. Here are the degrees of some other well-known angles: Grapevine: 3,43 degrees (Interstate 5 northbound, north of Castasic Lake) Lombard Street: 10.3 degrees (San Francisco) Splash Mountain: f45 degrees (Disneyland log ride) Boomerange: 45 degrees (Knott’s Berry Farm roller coaster) Sources: Caltrans, City of San Francisco, Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm