How on earth do folks get up hardknott pass. Just how difficult is it?

BWD

The machismo seems to be mostly in your head. Just saying.

You know what… you’re probably right. I think I was responding to stuff I’ve heard/read before, as opposed to what people had actually written this time round.

Soz

The one time I did it I walked so bollocks to the lot of you!

(Last year. Did the FW in just over 8 hours which I was happy with given I’d not really trained, getting an entry with under three weeks to go having earlier had the ‘you’re not in’ email. Whatever, rode with mainly faster mates, destroyed myself on the rolling stuff before Cold Fell pulling a couple of us back to the group then slipping away on every hill. Hate rolling. Then relaxed as I thought a couple of guys with the same club shirt were my mates (had they been a bit faster they would have been my new mates. But they weren’t…) Ended up having to go v hard over CF passing scores of folk -we’d started v late- to get back to the group at the feed station at the base where I nearly lost my bike (I was in an altered state of consciousness at this point). My goal became to hang on to the base of HP and stop for a bit more of a sit-down, break and a gell, look at the view etc. I’d decided I was always going to walk the steep corners, and I did. So there. Regret it a bit but hey I’ve zero honor to lose. This was on what I’m told is a standard road double. If walking’s the same speed as riding, but easier, why not walk?)

The best thing about hardknott on the Fred is that every rider going up it is suffering. Some going quicker than others. It’s brilliant and horrific at the same time. Everytime ive passed that phonebox at the bottom I’ve thought what am I doing here again?

If walking’s the same speed as riding, but easier, why not walk?)

I did a sportif earlier in the year. Two brutes of a climb on it. I walked, and was going faster than guys who were riding it. They didn’t like being passed!!!

If walking’s the same speed as riding, but easier, why not walk?)

I did a sportif earlier in the year. Two brutes of a climb on it. I walked, and was going faster than guys who were riding it. They didn’t like being passed!!!

Reason doesn’t come into it: you’re most likely riding in a big circle. Walking may be faster than riding, but not-riding-at-all would get you to the pub even faster. If I’m there to ride, I’ll ride if I can.

It’s rare that walking is faster, and when walking you have a bike to push! That said, it does use the muscles rather differently, and while off road (especially touring) walking isn’t unknown. But riding! Better if I can!

The guys were zig zagging across the road making hardly any upwards progress whereas I walkd straight uphill. Yes it was hard pushing but I was determined to beat them!

I have damaged two discs in my lower back so there’s no way I can handle those climbs on a bike. Just can’t get the power down, but I can push with the best of them!

Sounds like the sort of thing that would be fun to ride down. Riding down things is brilliant.

Video – Average Man vs Englands Toughest Climb on Eurosport homepage…

That was a good effort, not sure what his FTP was though :)

You immediately knew what was going to happen on the cattle grid first time around though…

Rumour has it that only FW entrants will be allowed on HK on Sunday. No cars of course, but no bikes either.

Fair play to him on the 2nd effort, massive improvement.

https://video.eurosport.co.uk/cycling/giro-d-italia/2019/average-man-vs-englands-toughest-climb_vid1194823/video.shtml

So the participants must leave their bikes at the bottom and walk up the hill then if bikes are not allowed ;)

Fine effort from Average Man in that clip – most non-cyclists would fold at the sight of that steep hairpin toward the top. Still a bit to go after that, though, as he found out.

Sounds like the sort of thing that would be fun to ride down. Riding down things is brilliant.

Descending to the east (FW direction) isn’t anything special tbh, tight steep hairpins. It’s better heading back west but you still need to take off a load of speed now and again for the turns.
Wrynose immediately afterwards (heading E) is the one where you can properly open things up, just as long as you have the brakes for the turn at the bottom or it’ll be an argument with a dry stone wall.

I’ll be going up Hardknott on Sunday as part of the Fred. Barely rode any of it last year. I’ve put a mtb cassette on my CX bike this year, so got a 40 tooth gear. :)

Coming down the other side is so much fun. You get the impression Roadies aren’t so good at going down hills.

Coming down the other side is so much fun. You get the impression Roadies aren’t so good at going down hills.

They’re bloody terrifying. Awful road surface, steep gradient, sharp corners. The descent is worse than the climb. It’s very easy for your speed to run away with you down there.

Disc brakes and a CX bike with the ability to absorb some of the rough road surface is OK, road bikes are scary down there.

It’s a shit descent (and I properly love descending on the road)

Closed roads over Hardknot on Sunday unless you’ve got FW numberboard on…

It’s causing some angst…

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2286810164729921&id=327848947292729&anchor_composer=false

Closed roads over Hardknot on Sunday unless you’ve got FW numberboard on…

I mentioned that 3 hours ago and @trailrat took the piss out of me. But then he’s a no bed.

Presumably they’re trying to stop ‘unofficial’ attempts…

Shame if you’ve picked that day for your C2C without realising! They should probably let cyclists come through up until a cut-off time.

I’d imagine it won’t be enforced that strongly. They’d struggle to without police there. Must be more about cars than anything else.

The main thing about the descent is that a lot of the corners are blind and unless you’ve done it before then it’s easy to mess up.

You get the impression Roadies aren’t so good at going down hills.

My recollection from the FW (a few years ago) was that the road condition was pretty poor, and it wasn’t a descent for setting any records on.

Presumably they’re trying to stop ‘unofficial’ attempts…

Shame if you’ve picked that day for your C2C without realising! They should probably let cyclists come through up until a cut-off time.

Most Sportives have an element of “piracy” about them – people who’ll turn up and ride the signposted route on the day of the event. It’s tacitly tolerated mostly becasue there is absolutely nothing the organisers can do to prevent it unless it’s something like RideLondon with a full road closure (and even then it’s incredibly difficult to enforce). So long as the pirates aren’t using the official feed stations or event parking then generally it’ll be OK.

The FW is worse though – far more people pirate that because their mate got in on the ballot but they didn’t or similar. That and it’s one of the “iconic” Sportives so there’s a certain atmosphere to riding it on the day. Problem is a route that is risk assessed for 1000 riders in and amongst normal tourist traffic suddenly becomes a route that has 1200 riders on it.

There are always going to be genuine riders caught up in it, people who really didn’t know the event was going on but the FW usually has about a 20% piracy rate. Compared to most Sportives of about 2% if that. It is a big problem, you can see why they’re trying to part close the route.

Perfect conditions for tomorrow, best of luck all. I’ll be the lazy git in the garden after Whinlatter Pass – I may just be the last smile you see before the top of Cold Fell…….

Descents on Honister and Hardknott – let’s hope no air ambulances this year. Take it easy.

Road closures can’t be enforced for pedestrians and cyclists – check the detail on the facebook link above.

As above, this is the official closure order. Note the last paragraph.

THE COUNTY OF CUMBRIA (U40S9, U5032 AND U5527 HARDKNOTT PASS AND WRYNOSE PASS)(FRED WHITTON CYCLE SPORTIVE) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF MOTOR VEHICLES) ORDER 2019
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to facilitate the holding of the Fred Whitton Cycle Sportive (“the Event”) along Hardknott Pass and Wrynose Pass, the Count/ Council of Cumbria intends to make an Order the effect of which is to prohibit any motor vehicle from proceeding along the following lengths of road;
1. U4059 Hardknott Pass, from a point approx.5.2km east of its junction with the C4026, extending in a north easterly direction approx.4.5km; and
2. U5032 Wrynose Pass, from its junction with the U4059 to its junction with the U5527, a distance of approxi.2km; and
3. U5527, from its junction with the U5032, extending in an overall north westerly direction for approx. 2420m.
A way for pedestrians and cyclists will be maintained at all times. A suitable alternative route for motor vehicles will be signed and available via the unrestricted section of the U4059, C4026, C4028 (through Ulpha), C5007 (Broughton Mills), A593 (Broughton-in-Furness and Coniston), C5004 and the unrestricted section of the U5527.

Can’t imagine the poor marshalls will be well-briefed on the actual legality of the closure they’ve been asked to enforce. :)

If they’re not they’re being put in a very unfortunate position by the organisers.