Fred Whitton Challenge 2016, the big thread
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I might enter the ballot for this as I will be living back in Manchester by then and it looks a good event
I did the 3 Pistes this year which depending on who you talk to is supposedly of a similar order of difficulty, but I'll need to do a lot of work to get as fit as I was for that...
Who says it's not as tough?
Were you lucky enough to get on the telly? http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06sq2cw/the-adventure-show-20152016-episode-5
Well, one of the guys I was sitting by on the coach had also done the Fred and he said the 3 Pistes might be a touch easier... I think it really depends on the weather though. I thought the 3 Pistes was an absolutely fantastic route, despite the weather. I'd done all the climbs separately before but never all at once - you don't normally get the chance.
Anyway I would definitely recommend the 3 Pistes for anyone who enjoys the Fred as they seem to be of a similar order.
Good reminder about the Adventure Show - I haven't got around to watching the episode yet! My mate is in it on the Glenshee climb, he sent me a screenshot. I wasn't with him at that point as I'd blazed on ahead
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Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.0 -
Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.
Should be plenty if you are a decent rider and good on hills.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.
People used to climb those roads when 39 x 27 was the most you could fit to a bike, so definitively possible.
Would I want to run 39 x 27? No thanks. 36 x 28 is a useful gear, but if you've got 20 mph wind in the face, it might be less useful. Basically down to weatherleft the forum March 20230 -
Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.
Impossible to say. What's the longest hilly ride you've done (i.e. 100ft ascent per mile) with steep climbs (20%+)?0 -
If it is anything like the 3 Pistes (or harder!) I'd want to run a compact personally. I'm not too bad on the hills, but I do prefer to spin rather than grind so if you prefer a lower cadence you might be fine with 36 x 28. AIUI some of the hills are extremely steep though... And as Ugo says if the weather is really bad you might be grateful for it.0
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Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.
I did the Fred 2 years ago on 36x28 and also the Marmotte last year on the same. Sub 7 for the Fred. If you train on that gear and can get up everything comfortably then I'd stick with it.0 -
Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.
Impossible to say. What's the longest hilly ride you've done (i.e. 100ft ascent per mile) with steep climbs (20%+)?
Ive done a 80 mile route with 7000ft of climbing. Not a patch on the Fred i know, and the steepest gradiant had to be around 30%. No way could i spin up the hill even in the lowest gear. No doubt i will have to grind my way up Hardknott pass.0 -
Signed up and i hope i get a place as it will be my first time.
I run a 52/36 chainset and 11-28 cassette. Is there anyone with experience that can tell me if this will be suitable? Im a fairly decent rider and pretty good on hills.
Impossible to say. What's the longest hilly ride you've done (i.e. 100ft ascent per mile) with steep climbs (20%+)?
Ive done a 80 mile route with 7000ft of climbing. Not a patch on the Fred i know, and the steepest gradiant had to be around 30%. No way could i spin up the hill even in the lowest gear. No doubt i will have to grind my way up Hardknott pass.
Don't worry about that - nobody 'spins' up Hardknott (or Wrynose and Honister either for that matter). I can't even do it seated, I keep feeling the front end lifting off, so I always get out of the saddle and pick my route carefully (on a 34/28).
It's pretty much the 'headline' climb of the FW, but it shouldn't fill you with fear - yes it's 30% I places, but I'd say only on the (very) tight switchbacks, I'm not really - I've only done it about 4 times. The only time I've climbed off was due to being almost forced off the road due to motorised traffic struggling with the gradient...ahh, the smell of burning gearboxes!!
One piece of advice I'd give (having done a grand total of ONE FW!) is take full advantage of the last feed stop in Calder Bridge. It's about 8 miles from the foot of Hardknott, so a good place to take in plenty of food and drink (sweet tea!).0 -
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One piece of advice I'd give (having done a grand total of ONE FW!) is take full advantage of the last feed stop in Calder Bridge. It's about 8 miles from the foot of Hardknott, so a good place to take in plenty of food and drink (sweet tea!).
^^^ this
The 2 times I have done it, I have skipped the first food stop but have had 5 minutes at the second. Definitely needed before you enter Eskdale valley.
Ref gearing, highly personal, but I had a 39/28 on mine. Think last time I did it was when I was experimenting with using QXLs.0 -
[quote="
One piece of advice I'd give (having done a grand total of ONE FW!) is take full advantage of the last feed stop in Calder Bridge. It's about 8 miles from the foot of Hardknott, so a good place to take in plenty of food and drink (sweet tea!).
^^^ this
The 2 times I have done it, I have skipped the first food stop but have had 5 minutes at the second. Definitely needed before you enter Eskdale valley.
Ref gearing, highly personal, but I had a 39/28 on mine. Think last time I did it was when I was experimenting with using QXLs.
I have never skipped a food stop in my lifeleft the forum March 20230 -
[quote="
One piece of advice I'd give (having done a grand total of ONE FW!) is take full advantage of the last feed stop in Calder Bridge. It's about 8 miles from the foot of Hardknott, so a good place to take in plenty of food and drink (sweet tea!).
^^^ this
The 2 times I have done it, I have skipped the first food stop but have had 5 minutes at the second. Definitely needed before you enter Eskdale valley.
Ref gearing, highly personal, but I had a 39/28 on mine. Think last time I did it was when I was experimenting with using QXLs.
I have never skipped a food stop in my life
The problem with the first stop is that it's literally at the foot of the Newlands Pass, so no warm up after a stop. Otherwise I would be the same.0 -
The problem with the first stop is that it's literally at the foot of the Newlands Pass, so no warm up after a stop. Otherwise I would be the same.
I have no problems with that... at the Eroica the stop in Asciano is at the foot of Monte Sante Marie, a slab of gravel that climbs at 15-20%... needless to say they offer bean and cabbage soup, eggs, cured salami and Chianti... never missed it!left the forum March 20230 -
The problem with the first stop is that it's literally at the foot of the Newlands Pass, so no warm up after a stop. Otherwise I would be the same.
I have no problems with that... at the Eroica the stop in Asciano is at the foot of Monte Sante Marie, a slab of gravel that climbs at 15-20%... needless to say they offer bean and cabbage soup, eggs, cured salami and Chianti... never missed it!
That sounds pretty brutal, so I guess you will be just fine with the Freds food stops then
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The problem with the first stop is that it's literally at the foot of the Newlands Pass, so no warm up after a stop. Otherwise I would be the same.
I have no problems with that... at the Eroica the stop in Asciano is at the foot of Monte Sante Marie, a slab of gravel that climbs at 15-20%... needless to say they offer bean and cabbage soup, eggs, cured salami and Chianti... never missed it!
I'd ride that for the food stop alone.Advocate of disc brakes.0 -
Ugo, would you be able to recommend tyres for Paris-Roubaix? I was thinking some 27-28 mm clinchers, even though i have pacenti 25 rims, not sure i'd go through faff of learning to go tubeless; Also my current saddle - post combo ( i think ) makes me bounce/rock like 3 times after hitting average bump, would there be a benefit from a stiffer combo? I hear there could be quite a few bumps there. It's Paradigm 138 on PMP 27mm.
To remain on topic here, i signed up for Fred W. Challenge. Yep. My fat self is going up there.
*haha, what am i doing*0 -
Ugo, would you be able to recommend tyres for Paris-Roubaix? I was thinking some 27-28 mm clinchers, even though i have pacenti 25 rims, not sure i'd go through faff of learning to go tubeless; Also my current saddle - post combo ( i think ) makes me bounce/rock like 3 times after hitting average bump, would there be a benefit from a stiffer combo? I hear there could be quite a few bumps there. It's Paradigm 138 on PMP 27mm.
To remain on topic here, i signed up for Fred W. Challenge. Yep. My fat self is going up there.
*haha, what am i doing*
Last time I have used Vittoria XN 32 mm at 60 PSI, if you can fit them, they are a good betleft the forum March 20230 -
Thanks for the reply, this is interesting, i was expecting Randonneur or Pave or such; i would have thought 32mm would sap too much power on asphalt parts of the event.0
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Thanks for the reply, this is interesting, i was expecting Randonneur or Pave or such; i would have thought 32mm would sap too much power on asphalt parts of the event.
Not really, the XN have a very shallow file pattern, it's almost a slick. The tyre is very supple, soft and grippy, much more than many road tyres and of course you can run low pressure, given the size.
If it's 100% dry, then you can go for something smaller and with more pressure, but road tyres struggle with grip if it's moist or wet and that is regardless of the bold claims. I don't find Pave' any better than an average tyre. Remember the non televised first half of the race is not that flat and grip when going down a pave' slope is essential.
I have always found most of the secteurs wet, even when it wasn't raining... not sure why the PROs always find them dry, it might have to do with the fact they start at 11 AM and we start at 6 AMleft the forum March 20230 -
I'm in... :roll: :? :shock: left the forum March 20230
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I'm in... :roll: :? :shock:
me too. :shock: :shock: :shock:
Just a tip for people expecting a reply. Check your junk mail!
never done anything of this magnitude so i better get training0 -
Cripes, I'm in too0
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I'm in... :roll: :? :shock:
Congrats!ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
I'm in again for the second year on the bounce. My advice for training? Endurance with a few of the biggest hill reps you can find. There's a lot of climbing on this one!0
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Unsuccessful for me...
Good luck to everyone who got in!0 -
I'm in too... We'll have to compare training progress notes...0
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Walk?! I'm a cyclist not a ****ing walker.
Anyway i'm in target <7hrs which will end up being 8hrs on the day. Biggest advice I can give is wheelsuck like a mother on the day 0 -
Good luck to you all, I'll be sat here wishing I was riding with you.Advocate of disc brakes.0
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I'm in aswell This'll be my third and probably last time for me. Really want to break the sub 6:30 time if I can, it'll be hard for me to do though because I normally ride solo. Although the last two times I managed to share the load along the A66 into Keswick. Weather plays a massive part if you want to post a good time though. Cold fell last year destroyed me, especially on my own
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