Hardknott Pass

Variance

Has anyone climbed this before?

I've been up it in the car and its hard enough to negotiate all those hairpin bends in 1st gear!!

I'm a pretty keen cyclist but just cant ever see a time where i would be able to climb Hardknott

So, is it as hard as it looks? I know those who have ridden the FWC have to climb it, and it seems to be the toughest climb in the Uk as far as I'm aware. Would be interested to hear stories and see pics from your attempts

Paul

Fuji Mackers

Yip, in the Fred you can see it looming for a good 30 minutes. I found everyone rode along in silence during this time in fear. When you get to the red phone box, you say a quick prayer, drop down to the inner ring and into a world of pain. Its steep right from the start, and people were walking pretty much from the cattle grid. Then the really steep bit 3/4's of the way up is the worst, especially having dropped all your energy getting up the first half. Its also a struggle with standing vs sitting and keeping enough weight on the back wheel.

Give it a go!!

Snaps from last years FWC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfleming/s ... 952983150/

howiejmidlands

I have done it twice, its a long walk in cleats, and then there is Wrynose after it. Very very tough climb/walk.

r3 guy

is it rideable when fresh?

I am tackling it in the lakeland loop and again in the fred, was thinking about breaking it when i was fresh as part of a training ride?

howiejmidlands

I have done the Lakeland Loop twice, and Hardknott and Wyrnose are at the end of the ride, and dont forget there is a 20% hill only 2 miles from the finish. When you get to the bottom of Wrynose, you will still need some climbing legs.

Good luck

Old Pedaller

Three of us did it a few years ago the day after a tour of C2C and back so it is not impossible.

The biggest problem was that the road had just had chips spread on it and if you stood up to pedal you lost wheelgrip. Only one of the party had low enough gearing to remain seated so the other two of us had to walk a wee bit. If the surface is OK then you will be able to stand up so no problem.

Still we were better off than the two guys coming the other way in an empty Transit minibus. One was driving while the other pushed with the wheels spinning.

sturmey

call me old-fashioned but I think climbs this tough (where the majority have to walk) actually spoil the event rather than improving it.
It's not as if it's a climb that tests cycling fitness alone- more like who's got the lowest granny gears. Sights of people falling off clipped in then walking and hobbling in cleats doesn't bolster morale or make people feel like accomplished athletes. The event can be challenging without being ridiculous .
Organisers,if you want to make it tough so you can laugh at everyone's inadequacies even more why not have a 2 mile 'underwater section' of the event -with no snorkels allowed-that should sort out the men from the buoys!

amaferanga

sturmey wrote:

call me old-fashioned but I think climbs this tough (where the majority have to walk) actually spoil the event rather than improving it.
It's not as if it's a climb that tests cycling fitness alone- more like who's got the lowest granny gears. Sights of people falling off clipped in then walking and hobbling in cleats doesn't bolster morale or make people feel like accomplished athletes. The event can be challenging without being ridiculous .
Organisers,if you want to make it tough so you can laugh at everyone's inadequacies even more why not have a 2 mile 'underwater section' of the event -with no snorkels allowed-that should sort out the men from the buoys!

I take it you can't make it up Hardknott then

I've been over Hardknott and Wrynose from both sides and find them manageable with a compact even at the end of a hard ride. But then I like hills....

AndyRubio

do-able, but only just

sturmey

I take it you can't make it up Hardknott then

Never been near it so I don't know.
Can get around the Goyt valley no problem.

Fom the clips I have seen of it Hardknott looks fairly extreme.

nasahapley

sturmey wrote:

call me old-fashioned but I think climbs this tough (where the majority have to walk) actually spoil the event rather than improving it.
It's not as if it's a climb that tests cycling fitness alone- more like who's got the lowest granny gears. Sights of people falling off clipped in then walking and hobbling in cleats doesn't bolster morale or make people feel like accomplished athletes. The event can be challenging without being ridiculous .
Organisers,if you want to make it tough so you can laugh at everyone's inadequacies even more why not have a 2 mile 'underwater section' of the event -with no snorkels allowed-that should sort out the men from the buoys!

Naah. Got to say I felt fairly accomplished and full of morale each time I've made it up Hardknott in the Fred, and it's not like anyone enters the Fred/Lakeland Loop without realising there's some silly hills involved (unless they're very silly themselves). Anyway, people can make their own minds up, and since the Fred is one of the most heavily over-subscribed sportives going, I'd say there's a big market for the more ridiculous cycling challenges.

Tom Butcher

Seems there is a market for it but yeah personally I think it spoils the event sticking a climb so hard that only a tiny minority can ride it on normal road gears - say 39*26 - 100 miles in.

Old Pedaller

Tom Butcher wrote:

Seems there is a market for it but yeah personally I think it spoils the event sticking a climb so hard that only a tiny minority can ride it on normal road gears - say 39*26 - 100 miles in.

Given that the event takes place on what might be considered by some as abnormal roads should one expect to ride it on "normal" gears?

howiejmidlands

Also, can i add, i am NOT a climber. Anyone who has seen me out on a bike will agree. In saying that, i have seen a fair few people go the whole lenght without stopping. It is hard, you know it is hard, but with the right gears, and strength you can do it.
Maybe next year for me when i lose another 20kg.

cumbriamike

Not doing the Lakeland Loop this year Howie?

cumbriamike

Chatted to you at Lorton last year, I have done the 'Loop' twice. First time after the cattle grid I just got off and walked up Hardknott, last year managed about a quarter of it before walking but got up Wrynose no problem. Having said that, its the descents that are the scary bit.

howiejmidlands

Hi Mike

No i am not doing it this year, giving it a miss. I thought i should other events around the country, spread myself a bit more!

My Cycling Plus chum Karen (Popette) is riding, i expect her to fly around the course she is going well by all accounts.

My year is as follows:
March 28th Milton Keynes Codebreaker
April 11th Essex Roads Spring Lambs
April 18th Wiggle Ride New Forest Spring Sportive
April 25th White Horse Challenge
May 1st to May 8th Majorca training camp
May 16th Midland Monster (as a volunteer)
May 23rd Pearson 150
May 30th Wiggle Ride The Sussex Surrey Scramble
June 6th Dragon Ride
June 20th Trossachs Ton
July 4th 1066 Ride
July 11th Bike Radar
July 24th Tour of the Black Mountains
August 7th Blackpool Sportive
August 22nd New Forest Rattler
September 6th The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride Stoke
September 19th The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride London
September 26th The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride Minehead
October 3rd The Autumn Epic (to be confirmed)
October 24th South Downs 100 Sportive
October 31st Exmoor Beast (to be confirmed)

I now write preview and review rides at cyclosport.org, so this will keep me busy and active.

Hope to see you at one of them.

Howie J

bobtbuilder

I got up Hardknott on 39/27 and I weigh 85kg!

IMO - it's about how much you want to get up it.

passout

Done it on my MTB - it's hard but at least it's not too long! I think it's fun.....

phippss

did the hardnott and the wrynose as part of the evans ride it. Managed to climb Hardnott until the final few hairpins then my legs failed. my legs were screaming and locking up. the wrynose afterwards was doable but only just. the descent was great, but a group of motorbikes kept gettingin the way

Rich-Ti

I tend to find an extra gear for Wrynose after taking on Hard Knott and can attack it really hard, even after 100 miles - guess Wrynose is just one of those climbs that suits me.

Anonymous

I reckon Hardknotts probably the toughest in the UK (but Bwlch Y Groes stands alongside it)...its utterly dreadful...On the Fred its so difficult...Ive did the Fred twice and I managed up the beast both times (with a triple 30 x 27) but it was so insanely hard that I'm never going to ride the fred again...

Ive a few accounts of what I've experienced:-

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... 310&page=3

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... 323&page=3

Here's a accurate profile with data:-

http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... =80&page=3

I've been up tons of brutal ascents in France & Italy and this mother still frightens me more?

Rich-Ti

Bwlch Y Groes is almost worse, purely because it just goes straight up!

DaveMoss

It's just a matter of gearing (and fresness/fitness) Its a doddle comparred to the scorpion on the Mabie forest red route, but thats an off road route and generally accomplished with very low MTB gears. With the same gears getting up Hardknott would just be a matter of patience.

I am old and overweight and I got by all the bends with 39X30 gearing, just failed to make the last steep bit on the straight before the top. On another occassion with moire normal road gears, I was off at the bottom.

When I was younger I did it on a butchers delivery bike wearing clogs having cycled up from a night shift in a Lancashire mill.(or was that in a dream?).
Here comes the nurse, goodnight.

John C.

There was a time when every one asked me, have you done Sutton Bank (that being the local hill every one knew) . The answer was no and I set out to Upsal and pushed. I finally rode up to Upsal, I then failed on White Horse for about two years, then conquered it and then the mighty Mr Boltby (Respect). I then set off for Sutton Bank and never again, Oil, diesel, cars, lorries all sorts of debris. Yes I made it to the top and when people ask me have you done Sutton Bank I answer yes. Hardknott is just the same, it's just a hill that every one asks about, so start off on the smaller hills, master them and then Hardknott will be like my Sutton Bank

onthefells

Richieboy...like the database...done a few of those and one of the hardest I did was the climb to Lecht ski centre...that was brutal!! if it is your database I'd love to see the Winnatts Pass and Mam Nick climbs on there between Edale and Castleton, the first one of those is partcularly hard

Re Hardknott never ridden up it but the flikr photos that show Robb Jebb (world sky running champion and multiple 3 peaks run and bike champion) struggling up it tell me everything I need to know :shock:

Anonymous

onthefells wrote:

Richieboy...like the database...done a few of those and one of the hardest I did was the climb to Lecht ski centre...that was brutal!! if it is your database I'd love to see the Winnatts Pass and Mam Nick climbs on there between Edale and Castleton, the first one of those is partcularly hard

Re Hardknott never ridden up it but the flikr photos that show Robb Jebb (world sky running champion and multiple 3 peaks run and bike champion) struggling up it tell me everything I need to know :shock:

I've actually got Winnats Pass and Mam Nick done....just have to add a few details then add to the database....I've did Winnats on the Polkadot Challenge and its one steep git....but beleive me Hardknott's in a whole different category.

The database is a little hobby thing...hopefully it will give any reader a better idea of what to expect from a climb...its just gonna get built up as it goes...many many more climbs to go...but we will start with the more infamous brutes.

P.s Lecht Ski Station is very tough to start off with

Variance

@ Richyboy,

I seem to have spent all afternoon reading your write ups!!

Great stuff

Anonymous

Variance wrote:

@ Richyboy,

I seem to have spent all afternoon reading your write ups!!

Great stuff

Thanks...but if any reader can retrieve good info to plan some runs, holidays,or even enter a sportive when they visit the site then that pleases us...our wee websites just a hobbie thing that has been entirely developed for the soul purpose of providing info and to share experiences with the budding UK cyclist.

And anyone who has read any of my experiences will know the utter respect I give to the name sake of this thread..I reckon I use it as a 'benchmark of suffering'

onthefells

Richie I echo the great website comments.

One of the difficult aspects of Winnats is at times ts actually quite a busy throughfare from Sheffield over to Cheshire. This means you can actually hold up a fair bit of traffic going up it and you are aware of engines screeching in first gear behind you waiting to get past. Also because its so narrow you can't weave around for fear of being killed!!

Your comments on it in comparison with Hardknott has put the fear of god into me!!

If the lecht really steep part had gone on much longer I would have been pushing!!

Stedman

Two years ago I got up at 5am to tackle Wrynose and Hard Knott and as it was wet I went back to bed. Got up again at 5 am the next day and with sunshine I approached it from the east tackling Wrynose - Hard Knott - Wrynose without a car in sight!
:oops:
At 52 I did this with a 30/28 triple. All I remember is my heart rate going off the scale, trying to balance the bike in four directions, I.E. ensuring that there was sufficient traction on the rear wheel without the front wheel leaving the ground whilst going fast enough to keeping the bike upright, the views along the valley from the top and proceeding very slowly downhill afterwards!