Wish me luck!

rolf_f

I'm scared! :oops:

Weather permitting, I'm doing this tomorrow:



Taking the mountain bike as a precaution - lower gears and flat pedals. This maybe my last thread

davis

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&hl=en&cd=1&geocode=FUs2PQMddSHR_w&split=0&hq=&hnear=Coniston+Water&layer=c&cbll=54.419559,-3.083575&panoid=cYb03q-A04Fx7g26sFweXg&cbp=12,260.78,,0,6.07&ll=54.419579,-3.083382&spn=0,359.91168&z=14

Now that's a hill. With a lumpy bit on top.

You, sir, are bonkers in the noggin. Good luck.

Edit: What a view though. Bring a camera, eh?

itboffin

Very nice but were in London is that? :roll: :P

Agent57

Good luck! There are some bitch climbs in the Lake District.

One day, I'd like to be fit enough (and light enough) to make it round the Fred Whitton Challenge. That one takes in a few of the Lake District passes, such as Hardknott, Wrynose Kirkstone and Whinlatter. Not one for lardy boys like me.

sharm1969ca

hiya mate, I'm from millom originaly but moved to leeds and i know the area your travelling very well, be carefull on them hills buddy not just steep but not very wide so be carefull on the decent. so good luck on that.

spasypaddy

Agent57 wrote:

Good luck! There are some ***** climbs in the Lake District.

One day, I'd like to be fit enough (and light enough) to make it round the Fred Whitton Challenge. That one takes in a few of the Lake District passes, such as Hardknott, Wrynose Kirkstone and Whinlatter. Not one for lardy boys like me.

i know some lads that do it on steel rigid mountain bikes every year. they live in the lakes though so its not an issue but i also know some guys who take it on 3-4K road bikes that they deservedly ride and are great riders and they struggle around it.

i hate hills

Kieran_Burns

Errr.... that's Wrynose that is. :?


Are you out of your cotton-picking mind????? :shock:

Would you like me to prepare a search party for your knee caps? Or shall we just get you the crutches now???


Mad fecker.

rolf_f

itboffin wrote:

Very nice but were in London is that? :roll: :P

Just to the left of Muswell hill

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Errr.... that's Wrynose that is. :?
Are you out of your cotton-picking mind????? :shock:

Naaah, it's Wrynose and Hardnott (Wrynose, from the West, is a bit easy though......)


@Sharm - I'll be taking a precautionary approach - leaving slightly later now for the brighter afternoon weather. Done lots of walking in the Lakes so I know the landscape and the discs should keep things under control on the descents.

I'm working on the theory that it won't be as bad as I think it will be

Kieran_Burns

I meant the bit on the 2nd link... I hadn't realised you were insane enough to turn right at the Cockley Beck farmhouse :shock:

Gawd.....

rolf_f

I'm doing it the other way round - so I'll be turning left at the Cockley Beck farmhouse and going up the short side of Wrynose. Otherside just looks like a slog! Mind, looking at the gradient profile, the East side of Wrynose looks a lot like Hardnott from the West and I've ridden down that and it didn't seem so terrible. I'll try and use that as a comfort.......

Maybe it will be fun.......

Buckled_Rims

Oh dear, is this the Wrynose that I drove many years ago when the bonnet of my car rose way above my eye level because it's over 33% in gradient?

Yeah, I've a good fun idea, have try doing it on a single speed bike!

rolf_f

Buckled_Rims wrote:

Yeah, I've a good fun idea, have try doing it on a single speed bike!

It effectively will be single speed! I don't think there'll be many gear changes once I've started........

Kieran_Burns

Are you alive / able to walk?

sharm1969ca

C'mon Rolf, How'd it go mate?

UndercoverElephant

You reckon he's still up there? :shock:

The Running Man

Holy Mother!!

Make sure you take crampons, rope, ice pick ..........

andy83

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You reckon he's still up there? :shock:

maybe he realises he needs more miles to go up the table so is still going round the course like a trooper

hope all is ok rolf

rolf_f

I live!!!

It was brilliant! Set off a bit late as the forecast suggested weather would be nicer after lunch - which it was as far as the sunshine went but the winds were pretty harsh. Set off about half 11 from Broughton in Furness. Almost immediately there is a bugger of a cliff of a climb (see gradient profile) - passed a girl on a nice Cannondale triple on that one and she then passed me on the descent to Ulpha. At that point I realised my attempt to sort the indexing out on my gears the day before hadn't entirely worked - the rear derailleur was clattering all over the place on some of the lower gears which meant I could only safely use the lowest two on climbs. After Ulpha, there is another insane evil climb and I followed the girl up that and we had a bit of a chat (some welcome encouragement from her!) heading across the moors towards Eskdale into a nasty headwind. Nice fast run down into Eskdale and a pleasant run up the valley spoiled only by knowledge of what was obviously coming next!

The first section through the trees after the gate is one of the worst - must be 1 in 4 with the knowledge that once you've done that bit, you've still got another 1000 feet to go. That said, even with a 28lb Mountain bike (albeit with soft MTB gearing) it is just a case of plodding on.....until you get to the ramp of death! (It's not really called that!). You can see it in this close up with contrast turned up - the white car is pointing towards it - a sharp left turn up to the following right at a good 1 in 3.

That really is a bit bonkers - a kindly soul in a Saab waited at the top for me to wobble up it - despite wobbles, I didn't have to resort to tacking! On the outside of the hairpin at the top of the ramp I hit a section where the road surface was broken and the wheelslip stopped me instantly. This is the ramp from Google Climbs of Death View - makes the climb below the ramp look almost easy......

After that it was easier - funny how you get a different perspective of climbs like this: 'Oh great, only a 1 in 5 now - I can have a breather!' Only other problem was a Discovery heading down who thought I should stop for him. Got to the top - took a photo.... Total time for the climb 20 minutes and 38 seconds.

This is looking towards Wrynose. Nice descent (if you have disc brakes) followed by what now seems a doddle of a climb to Wrynose summit - only about 500 feet to climb. The only difficult bit are two near 1 in 3 ramps at the top but they are easy to get to and beating them is more psychology than strength. This is Wrynose looking East.

Then follows a spectacular descent where you need to give time for cars ahead of you as you can be way faster than them - I topped out about 37 mph and nearly got some air at one point.
At Coniston, I stopped at a bench for an energy bar. Looking at all the tourists wandering around I actually (seriously!) basked in my awesomeness! I've never done it before but the sense of achievement I had is hard to describe; I was, at that point, owner of all the worlds awesomeness! Lucky I did stop though as the final run to Broughton was hell. Yet again I had a headwind and the route was just a continual sequence of steep ups and downs - not helped by me deciding I needed to bring my average speed up to 11mph (not a lot but I was making 3mph on parts of Hardknott!). Eventually, just short of Broughton, the Av speed indicator clicked over from 10.9 and final average was 11.1. Distances = 37 miles and 4500 feet.

Apologies for the waffle but Sundays ride really was a bit of a glory day. Ultimately, the climb was tougher psychologically than physically and I got to the top less tired than I used to arrive home after my commute from the 5 minute climb up into my village. I now think that the Fred Whitton next year is on the cards and that I really do deserve my new bike (if it ever arrives).

For comparison - below is my best effort at putting Ditchling Beacon on the same scale as Hardknott for those of you from down South who might be tempted to have a bash at Hardknott. Interestingly, it didn't take me much more than twice as long to do Hardknott.....

Cafewanda

Rolf F you did that ride for pleasure or a bet? :shock: :shock:

I admire you but I still think you nuts

Kieran_Burns

It's an ambition of mine to do the same ride... at least now I know where to start from

(although I think I need some SERIOUS hill training first!!!)


Absolute respect to you Sir. (although I do still think you are clinically insane)

Radioactiveman

Well done. That is a nice route. Meaning to do those 2 climbs at some point when I can shake off perpetual man flu and actually get some time in the saddle. I get up the lakes most weeks mountain biking but have a taste for tarmac this year for some reason.

Agent57

Great effort, Rolf F. I like the juxtaposition of metric and imperial on your graph's scale (1.3kft).

The Running Man

Frankly I'm surprised the nurse let you out long enough to complete the ride but I guess that's where care in the community gets you ....

Chapeau fella!!

Buckled_Rims

Great TR, Rolf.

I might pencil in your exact route for later in the year....I'm going to have to try it ...or die on it

rolf_f

It is a good route for Hardknott and Wrynose. You can get from Coniston to Ulpha via a shortcut (which the Evans Ride It route takes) but that adds an extra climb in which you might not want. Besides, if you are coming from the South, you only end up driving further on roads you could otherwise cycle and Broughton is a good place to start from.

So, anyone thinking of giving it a go - just do! The sense of achievement is hard to beat. Now I'm off to book this: http://www.keswickmountainfestival.co.u ... /sportive/

PS to all of you who have been questioning my sanity, I have one thing to say to you:

Wibble!