Winnats Pass

Unknown

I have a question before I set off to do this.
I come from Suffolk where it is quite flat in comparison.
I ride about 50 miles twice a week with another couple of quicker rides thrown in.

I have never ridden in the Peaks before and will be going there very soon.
I have done some hill work, but not on hills like this.

Now I'm a little concerned that I won't physically be able to make it up there with my normal double chainset, or will I come to a grinding hault and have to walk?

I know it's hard to say, but give it a go.

FullFrameRob

To be honest Winnats isnt half as bad as people say it is, sure its steep and nasty @ 20% but the climb isnt all that long at approx 1/2 a mile and the really steep bit comes in the last 2/3 of the climb, personally i can get up useing a 39 X 27 with out any problems.

Major problem with the climb is the traffic, its not a busy road but the fact its very narrow road and traffic runs both up & down.

Unknown

Thanks for that.
I haven't got to grips with percetages of climbs yet!

FullFrameRob

You can always have a look at this website

http://www.rural-roads.co.uk/winnats/winnats1.shtml

Tom Butcher

Plenty of people do walk up it on events like Phil and Friends - though the majority probably ride. One thing about it is that the end is just round a bend - so you can give up and then find if you'd pressed on for another 20 yards you'd have made it. The unrelenting gradient and the traffic can make it difficult to get started again once you stop too.

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Warning about well known bike shop removed at request of moderators.

Unknown

Pretty sure my cassette is a 12-25.

dsoutar

I presume this is in relation to the Polka Dot next weekend. NYPD has almost put my mind at rest. Almost, that is...

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live." ~ Mark Twain, "Taming the Bicycle"

bigbaz

39x25 is a big gear for Winnats,but it is short enough to walk.

Anonymous

Cant wait for a pop at this this Sunday on the Polkadot...its just one of those very much talked about climbs...I know it will be tough (1km average 16%) but im a frequent visitor to the Lakes/Dales/NY Moors..and I know that some of the climbs ive encountered in those areas are in a totally differnet Category :-(Hardknott/Wrynose/Park Rash/Rosedale Chimney etc)...but its more for Nostalgia this one...very famous along with all the other climbs in the Polkadot...and more importantly for me -in a area i've never cycled before.

Unknown

I took this video of the climb if it helps : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqpKA6jI8u0

7 minutes of pain, always needs serious motivation

alecstilleyedye

went down it last weekend. very scary as it's narrow, steep and i'm no great descender. i'd rather have gone up it![:0]

if i had a better signature, i'd use that instead

Daywalkercp

How did you make that video Le Patron did you have a camera stuck to your helmet

lmrt

There is often a headwind going up that makes life a lot tougher. Forget about the average gradient, you've got about 1/3 mile of 1 in 5, which doesn't sound long but, believe me, is very hard. If you are doing it as part of the PDC then you will already be somewhat tired from the earlier riding. Even though lots of the other climbs are longer, I reckon that Winnants is the hardest climb of the whole ride.

Good luck with it

Unknown

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Le Patron</i>

I took this video of the climb if it helps : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqpKA6jI8u0

7 minutes of pain, always needs serious motivation


<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Jees, that's looks seriously tough.

TomF

Winnats is on a route I sometimes ride from home (in Manchester) so comes at about 50 miles in. Being, er, "stocky" (but without the strength I need for my weight), I find it hard work in 30/25.

Enjoy it on the Polka Dot!

mouflon

39x25 is a big gear for Winnats but is still turnable with some zig zagging and gritted teeth, depends whether you get any recovery between snake pass and there - its a long way between the 2 and too easy to use up lots of energy, wish i'd found some wheels to share it last year!

Unknown

Would a 27 rear sproket make much difference?
It's just the gears I have are perfect for where I live (pretty much stay in big ring 95% of the time).

giant_man

It does look hardish judging by that video clip, but i wouldn't want to get off or stop, I would keep going definitely.

One to do without a doubt, have to say quite short. Cars get quite close don't they due to the narrowness of it all but yes i will go and try that one.

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SIZE IS EVERYTHING! or at least that's what my LBS tells me.

fudbeer

lmrt wrote:

There is often a headwind going up that makes life a lot tougher. Forget about the average gradient, you've got about 1/3 mile of 1 in 5, which doesn't sound long but, believe me, is very hard. If you are doing it as part of the PDC then you will already be somewhat tired from the earlier riding. Even though lots of the other climbs are longer, I reckon that Winnants is the hardest climb of the whole ride.

Good luck with it

Old fred but never mind

You are spot on the killer thing about winnats is the distance of the extreme steepness have done many others even in the lakes but still find this one the hardest,its like no other climb and if I ever get above "nearly stopping pace" I am happy.

I guess if you have sprinters leggs you may get up it easier. 8)

ugo.santalucia

nypd wrote:

To be honest Winnats isnt half as bad as people say it is, sure its steep and nasty @ 20% but the climb isnt all that long at approx 1/2 a mile and the really steep bit comes in the last 2/3 of the climb, personally i can get up useing a 39 X 27 with out any problems.

Major problem with the climb is the traffic, its not a busy road but the fact its very narrow road and traffic runs both up & down.

The climb is about 1 mile long and not half... if you don't find Winnats challenging, maybe you should look at riding a more challenging bike up it...
You see, we spend most of our time upgrading bikes up to 6.5 Kg and then we complain that the climbs are not hard enough.
If I recall correctly, Bartali climbed the col de l'Izoard on a 48 x 22 the bike was around 12 Kg, which was the state of the art before WW2, now, the Winnats pass is not the Izoard, but one has to start somewhere... :twisted:

Stedman

I have climbed Winnats eight times as part of the Phil Liggett ride. The first two times I failed, however after that I have succeeded every time. The main problem that I find is that my legs are not fresh having already put in some miles on other long climbs beforehand.

When I first started it was 30 x 28 triple, I then moved on to 34 x 28 compact and this year it was 38 x 28 and whatever gear I have used, it has always been hard!

Winnats is hard, but at least you do not have the front wheel coming off the road or the back wheel spinning through insufficient traction. To be honest I find really steep hills quite scary.

pablojag

Only ridden Winnats once (as part of the Tour of the Peak this year), traffic was very heavy both ways but luckily didn't get stopped, I was in my granny (30x27) from the very start.
Wasn't as fit as I'd have liked and it felt horrible...I don't intend on riding it anytime soon...well not till I'm much fitter. :roll: