[Closed] Fred Whitton 2018 thread.

I've stuck in an entry in the ballot, more as a training ride for goals later in the year. I'm not that fussed if I don't get an entry.

Yep, entered ballot - helps focus diet / training !

Have an entry in - stuck it in easy come / easy go, not sure I CBA with the bad weather training. But have lately been reminiscing how great last year's one was, so am now firmly fingers-crossed that I get a spot.

Entered the ballot, fingers crossed.

Ballot results are out and.....I'm out!

I also can't get the reserve list entry to work either???

I’m in! Whoop whoop.

I'm not. Will try again next year.

Will try again next year

Yeah me too. I guarantee I'll get in the year I've done no training and carrying an extra 10kg!

No email yet, but I'm not on the starters list on the website.
Oh well.

Just got an email that I've succeeded in the ballot for this.
I'm a good stone overweight and finding training motivation hard to come by at the moment. Will I die?!

No. It’s a great event and lots of fun

I got a place 🙂

Rode the CX bike last year and it was fine, but musing over buying a road bike this time round. Best make my mind up...

@StefMcDef no you wont die but you might want to at several stages along the route (weather dependent).

I'm a good stone overweight and finding training motivation hard to come by at the moment. Will I die?!

It's months away yet, you'll be fine. I think I found out less than 8 weeks before the event that I was in (shop entry) and I got round despite being a fatty 🙂

If you're not in the ballot what's to stop just you riding the course on the day? (with your own supplies of course)

Dammit - no joy this year.
Last year when things conspired against me so I couldn't ride I got in....

Oh well - time to look at what other similar events are on instead.

Re just doing it on the day - my view is that's rather against the spirit of the event - it would add to the numbers on the roads amongst other things.

I am thinking to go do the route, or maybe a variant*/** of it on a different day.

* Without the need to get 2,000+ riders around safely, are any other routes opened up - e.g. including "The Struggle"?

** Or - closer to reality - maybe breaking it into two / shortening it / wimping out of some bits

Well pervious to last year, nothing. But last year they had a closed road section from the bottom of hardknott to little Langdale so I’m not sure if it’s just people doing the sportif who can use it or any bikes can

Markwsf. It can be done as 2 100km loops. Both start and finish in Grasmere.
Loop 1 is Grasmere, Kirkstone, keswick, Honsiter, newlands, Keswick and then back to Grasmere round the back of thirlmere
Loop 2 Grasmere, round the back of thirlmere, whinatter pass. West coast, cold fell, hardknott, wrynose and back to Grasmere

markwsf - Member

Dammit - no joy this year.
Last year when things conspired against me so I couldn't ride I got in...

Well i’m lucky enough to be in; time to fit a humongous cassette!!!

I'm in!! Motivation is high. Would love to go faster than last year if the weather is good. If not will be happy to match last years time. Can't get another good weather day for the Fred can we??? 🙂

If you don't get in on the Fred console yourself and ride 100 miles of the lakes finest trails and support a great cause but be warned the route will have more climbing off road than the Fred Whitton.
#jennride its on the same weekend starting from Staveley

I'm in too. Woooh! Anyone got a gpx of the two 100km loops so I can get a feel for the climbs. I'm turning up trying to get as good a time as I can on the day so having ridden the passes before hand would be a mega bonus.

What times are people aiming for?

I'd really like sub 8 hours chip time personally.

Prob sub 8 here - did just under 9 last year but with a savage cramping out episode on Hardknott that was quite time-consuming.

Being fit enough to avoid that is probably my main aim! Started well last year but recall coming to the top of Winlatter [which is half way] and thinking [i]Damn am I glad to see the top of this[/i], and it's not a steep climb. Fatigue started to build from there and I was pretty shelled by the second feed station at Calder bridge. If I could push that fatigue back 10-15 miles or so that would see me right I reckon.

Thanks Rich. Jennride looks amazing. Now signed up and can’t wait!

@chilled76 if I can knock 9 minutes 34 seconds off last years time (6:09:33) I will be over the moon. To be honest to do that I will need a lot of stars to align. I will be happy to match last years time regardless of weather and a slightly higher finishing position would be nice.

I’m going for sub 8 this year. Did 8.34 and with less pie stops and 3 stone lighter (by then) should make that possible. Pete, you animal, under 6 hours is mental! But at least if I know you’re in a KCC top I can gasp a hello, plus the bike is a little more distinctive this year.
Got a gpx for one of the loops and I’ll build the other. Email in profile (they might be a little over 100km but not by a lot)

I find it hard to believe myself Pridds, yeah the bike should stand out a little better this year! Eliminating the stops and 3 stone lighter should see you well under 8hrs. Hope the training is going well 😀

What gearing are you guys running? I'm on a 50/39 with an 11-28 at the minute.

I'm thinking of either fitting a triple (and wearing a mask so I'm not seen), or banging one of the new 11-34 ultegra mech and cassettes on.

50-33 and 11-32 for me.

@Garry_lager I did the Etape du Dales five years ago off the back of not a lot of training - I broke my ankle about this time and then we had a lot of snow in March and April which curtailed getting any big hills done. I was just over 8hrs. The hard men apparently do both the Fred and the Etape.

One thing to consider with the Fred is that the named big climbs only add up to about half the total climbing, the rest of the route is quite lumpy as well 😥 I'd also go with SPDs rather than Looks, etc. as at least you can walk in them.

I'm on SERIOUS diet over the next few months. Hoping to drop 1kg per week for about 10 weeks. I'm not the best in the hills due to a past history of bodybuilding and still carrying some mass. i'm desperate to do 8 hours though, got family who have done it every year and not broken 8 hours so want to get the family record!

Fred / etape double - sounds large, although prob be OK for seasoned roadies [not me!]

Gearing last year was 38 single and 11-34 cassette - definitely right for me on the climbs but way too twiddly at the top end.

I'm thinking of lowering the tone and running a 50 single up front on the CX and a big XT cassette at the back, 44 or 46. This would be the perfect spread of gears (with the emphasis on spread), but not sure it would work smoothly on the bike without derailleur problems - need to check.

Compact 50/34 and 28 out back was enough to get me round, and I'm no climbing flea. My goals were to complete, and not put a foot down on the climbs. Managed both, the support is amazing and really helps with motivation on the climbs.

I ran 52/36 with a 12/28 cassette.

I made the decision to sacrifice the 11 tooth to get the 16 tooth which gets a lot more use. The jump from 17 to 15 is a bit of a pain otherwise as it lands right in the 20-22mph sweetspot for me.

I used my CX bike with slicks. The disc brakes were a big help on the descents!

34/48 chainset
11-36 cassette which was easily low enough, if fact I'm not even sure I used my lowest gear.

Passed loads of people on Hardknott though, all the people who weren't walking seemed to have a cadence of about 7rpm!

I swapped my 53/39 for a 50/34 and an 11/28 and got round ok. At over 14 stone at the time I'd have preferred a 32 but that would have meant spending money 🙂

I'm in on a deferred entry from last year. Did it last in 2014 and finished in 8hrs42mins which I was well pleased with.

Heart surgery in November 2016 put an end to my 2017 campaign and I wait to see what effect the beta blockers have on this years time.

In 2014 I rode most of the ride with a faster mate which really helped. To go any faster this year I'll need to ride as part of a group.

The training has started now with a few Zwift sessions under my belt - just waiting for the weather to improve so I can get out on some longer road rides.

The Fred is a top event. It can be quite daunting, but if you treat it as a good days ride out you wont go far wrong.

In 2014 I rode most of the ride with a faster mate which really helped. To go any faster this year I'll need to ride as part of a group.

Sounds like a top guy!! Get yourself in the club and get to a few rides. There are nearly 40 club riders doing it so I’m sure there will be people with similar aims Paul.

50/34 with 11-36 out back

Used every gear but cleared Hardknot and did not walk a single inch of the ride.

If it’s nice weather it’s a great day but I’ve also done it in miserable wet & hyperthermic conditions where I must have stayed in that last community centre stop for over 45mins just trying to get warm.

I’ll be back to beat 8hrs but not this year 🙂

How do you get an 11-36 out back on a road bike?

I'd like to do that and leave my current chainset on if possible.

11 speed 105 shifter.

No idea with 11spd but it’s easy on a 10

XT cassette
9 spd Rear mech (9spd mtb has same pull as 10spd road)

Ta Da!!

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Last year was superb. The weather was amazing unlike the previous two times I had done it. A 11/34 cassette is perfect paired with a compact chainset. Better to be looking at it than for it when hardknott appears.

How do you get an 11-36 out back on a road bike?

SRAM PG1170 11-36 cassette is £54 @ CRC

I run one with a Rival 1 medium cage mech on my CX/Gravel bike. I've no idea what Shimano you would need to make it work.

I run one with a Rival 1 medium cage mech on my CX/Gravel bike. I've no idea what Shimano you would need to make it work.

J-tech shiftmate and an MTB mech would be the 'correct' solution.

But the newer shimano groupsets have 11-34 options and I'd be surprised if an 11-36 didn't work with the same mech and a bit more tension.

Going over blea tarn at the end this year for those that missed it in the email.

Seems harsh, I think the only think that kept me moving over hardknott and wrynose was the knowledge it was an easy cruise to the finish after.

Seems harsh, I think the only think that kept me moving over hardknott and wrynose was the knowledge it was an easy cruise to the finish after.

Could be worse - the logical way back once you've reached Elterwater would be to go up and over Red Bank past High Close YH and then down the 25% drop into Grasmere!

I did a sort of knock-off FW Sportive one year that finished over Blea Tarn, it was a right bitch of a climb. Off Wrynose and then a dead left hander straight up.

Blea Tarn could get messy on the other side proper steep 🙂

Good luck all

So... having failed to get a place from the original application, it looks like I've lucked out and got a jammy entry from the reserve list, which gives me a whole week - and a bit - to hone my fitness. I've already fitted my maxed out, 11-27 Campag cassette for the steeps and found my road shoes under a book-shelf. I've prepared by riding my road bike once so far this year for around 50km.

What could possibly go wrong?

Is there anything else I should be doing other than praying and how are other people doing? Is anyone else as woefully ill prepared as I appear to be?

Yours mildly concerned, but quietly amused.

Congrats on getting a place. Early forecasts are looking good - cloudy but rel dry, so that is something. I would just take the week to make sure your bike worked, tbh, and rely on your base fitness to see you round OK. We're all going to be in the same boat come Eskdale anyhow (ie in pieces). Do you have somewhere to stay the night before - it must be pretty crowded up there next weekend?

Bit under-cooked here - didn't turn a pedal Feb into early March with illness and travelling and thought I'd have to bail on it. However, have pulled myself together and done a solid 7 / 8 weeks since so think I will be fine getting round. Could be a sedate one, though.

Yeah, amen to decent weather. I did it in, erm, 2013 I think, when people were dropping out with hypothermia and it was unrelentingly grim from Cold Fell onwards.

Joking aside, although I've not been on the road bike much, I've used the cross bike a bit and had a winter of Suffer-Zwifting, so I've emerged in pallid, Gollum-like form from the depths of the outhouse pain-cave. I'm pretty strong to be honest, but haven't ridden for more than three or four hours since last year, so it's the endurance I'm really concerned about.

On the accommodation front, I'm guessing we'll be looking at van-camping for the weekend. We've kept it free anyway as we were going to head up and laugh at, erm, sorry, support a mate through his suffering, but the plan was to stay somewhere in the northern lakes.

Ah well. Doing a 100k ride with mates in the Peak tomorrow - already planned - so that'll give me some idea of where my legs are at, then it's a gentle taper for the rest of the week and planning what to wear, obviously...

I got the same email.... 😳😬😬

Time to get the biggest possible cassette on- 28 in my case, it’s all very worrying, but no choice now I’ve  got to do it...

Good luck to all those attending be nice and cheery to the 200 bike packers doing the #jennride that weekend as they will have done around 15000ft of climbing 🙂

Popped my Fred cherry today. Perfect conditions - the forecast rain never showed up. Fabulous event - really well organised and it seemed like the entire population had been issued with cowbells and instructions to cheer the riders on. Got round in 10 hours which included dawdling at food stops and gawping at the view.

Nice one! 😁 I was 10.5 hours, including the delay due to the guy flying off the road

mate of mine did it in 6 hours 50m, don't think i'll be trying to keep up with him when he gets back out on the mtb.

My first attempt too.

Got in via the reserve list with 2 weeks notice so pleased with a 7:52 and managing to get up Hardknott, Wynrose and the bonus finale on a 28 cassette.

I'd echo the comments about it being a fabulous event. The crowds cheering on the grass bank with about 10 miles to go are the closest I'll ever get to feeling like a tour pro.

Tucked up in a motorhome I felt for all the jennriders bivvying in Saturday nights non-stop rain!