Fred Whitton 112 miler

[Dynamite_funk]

OK, biting the bullet and doing the challenge this week. I currently ride a 39 x 25 as lowest and regularly do Holme Moss, Norwood Edge, climb from patley bridge to coldstone's cut and others including plenty of 20%'ers with this.

I'm swapping to a 39 x 27 for the challenge, will this be enough or am I kidding myself??

[The Mechanic]

Only you can really tell what your climbing capability is but keep in mind that Hardknot, the steepest of the climbs on the FW, comes after approx 100 miles of very hilly terrain!

[sirmy]

There's a fanatic roadie at work who did this year. He's been up many alps, including Mont Ventou, went to do the Fred on his normal road bike and came back regretting it. He actually admitted he'd underestimated the course and wished he'd fitted a treble chainset before doing it!

I'll be intersted in your experience of the route as I'm thinking about trying to enter next year, although it's usually over subsribed if you volunteer as a marshall you get garunteed entry the following year, apparently (need a smilie for anticipating lots of pain!)

[Dynamite_funk]

I will let you know how it goes. Weather is not lookign great but there's a group of 6 of us and the support you get from each other is worth a lot. Hard Knott here we come!

[The Condor]

Be sure to wear MTB shoes if your'e using 39/27 - a classic route - enjoy

[Dynamite_funk]

Be sure to wear MTB shoes if your'e using 39/27 - a classic route - enjoy

MTB? wazzat?

May pick up some cleat covers but am determined to give it my best shot!!!

[The Condor]

Mountainbike shoes! - its easier to walk up Hardknott in MTB shoes - I've seen many try and fail to walk up wearing Look cleats.

[Dynamite_funk]

Mountainbike shoes!

I was only pulling your leg

Just got back from the lakes and WOW, what a ride it was! We took it at a steady speed as we had someone on a single speed and also someone on a 42x25(!) but even they did brilliantly and it was so much fun.

Sirmy - In terms of gearing. If you want to do the course without any breaks and not stop to catch your breath on some of the climbs - Fit a compact or a triple. If you want to really see what you can do on your normal road bike then give it a go like I did! Sure I had to stop once or twice due to pain from my back (misaligned facet joint issues) but I didn’t walk more than 20 metres which I am seriously proud of (at 2 points it was just too dangerous to re-mount on the section I stopped on).

The guys on compacts we're obviously able to get a higher cadence but we're slower than me but tended to make the climbs in one go and the guy on the triple simply flew up, I guess it just depends what kind of ride you want out of it (and your fitness levels!).

BTW - On Hardknott Pass I managed to get up the 33% section which I think is then followed by a 20% section. I was getting up fine (I'd challenged myself to get up this section especially) when a car came down the road. This gave me 2 or 3 feet of space in which to manoeuvre and there just happened to be a massive pot hole Queue a sideways fall down the hillside, thistles sticking in my back, a broken camera and the driver of the car asking me 'ere, you alriiiight mate?' to which I replied through gritted teeth 'yes mate, I'm bloody lovely'. What a memory

[Dynamite_funk]

I would like to add that we did 'The struggle' as part of the route which we werent suppoed to, that one nearly killed me! Oh and we didnt start at the usual start, we started at Glenn Ridding

[sirmy]

Good job you did it last week before the revenge of the badgers (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-19440448)

[Paulatic]

Reports of someone riding it on a Raleigh Chopper today.
Is Mick safely at home? [emoji3]