File photo: On November 29, 2013, Australian rider Tubin of Team SZR from Singapore (front) crosses the finish line first to win the final stage of the 4th Tour of Poyang Lake International Cycling Race in Nanchang.
British monthly magazine Focus stated that as long as cyclists accelerate sufficiently, they can ride up slopes of any gradient, including perfectly vertical ones. However, starting from a standstill at the base of the slope, the limiting factor becomes leg strength. Most cyclists lose balance when their speed drops below one meter per second. An Olympic-level cyclist can generate around 370 to 400 watts of power for short bursts; without accounting for bike axle friction, this theoretically allows them to climb a slope of about 45% at one meter per second. One of the steepest roads in the world is Baldwin Street in New Zealand, where the steepest section has a gradient of approximately 35%.