Deadly KOM chasing.
- Thread starter Milzy
- Start date
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Sea of vapours
Guru
- Location
- Clapham, Yorkshire Dales
To me, as a road user, the more alarming thing about the leaderboard for that segment, as well as others down the north side of the Kirkstone, is that they are mostly days in May which look very much like Fred Whitton sportive days. So plenty of people go down there at not far short of his speed, but surrounded by other people doing the same. And the road is *not* closed. Most locals wouldn't go near the Fred Whitton route in a car on the day of the event, but unwitting visitors do. As a third party, whether in a car or on a bike, I'm much more concerned by people in sportives - "not a road race; honest ..." racing down it than one person on a normal day.
Dogtrousers
Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
Are the roads closed for the FW? (Edit. I've googled. I think the answer is "partially")
I've heard of it, but don't know much about it. A few years ago it was near the bottom of page 2 of my to-do list. These days I'm more realistic about my capabilities and it's not on the list at all.
Sea of vapours
Guru
- Location
- Clapham, Yorkshire Dales
Partially is correct. The Hardknott / Wrynose / Blea Tarn section is closed for most of the day, though possibly not all of it. EDIT: that's about 20km, about 30km from the end. Those roads are single track, very sinuous and very steep. It would be near-impossible to hold it without closing them; certainly hugely dangerous, in that plenty of people crash entirely without the assistance of cars.
I'd not wish to descend Kirkstone Pass with a multitude of other cyclists, particularly not when some subset of them see it as a race. The cars would be a minor concern in comparison.
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- Location
- Inside my skull
Anyone want to post on his video, that they have gone down it faster, but are not on Strava?
- Location
- Inside my skull
Anyway never mind downhill. What can he do up it?
ivegotabike
Active Member
Indeed. Does being 15 seconds slower make it so safe that there was no real fuss about the previous KOM?
dan_bo
How much does it cost to Oldham?
Oh that bloody idiot aye
because the majority of their user base arent insane enough to care about getting some completely imaginary vapour ware achievement in cyberspace to risk their life over, you can also report segments that are hazardous, or even report the user if you feel their behaviour at riding like this is breaking Stravas guidelines, also Strava now dont provide live updates on downhill segments so that people cant chase times riding them.
fwiw I dont have a problem with downhill segments or leaderboards on them, and I kind of think people like this guy would be riding downhill like that even without strava because well he's making videos on it, so he's happy to boast about it, even though carrying the camera probably cost him some time.
I also am local to that Road. I have ridden down it more than a few times, but it was never one to go all out on, indeed it has x’es in all the “don’t do it“ boxes, walls close to the Road edge, bad bends, tourist traffic including coaches, walkers… In the days when I did enjoy a bit of down hill speed there were far better roads for a bit of early morning silliness, but as they don’t have … pass names the Fred Whitton doesn’t bother them.
midlandsgrimpeur
Über Member
I saw this video when he posted it. The fact he maintains he is "safe" and experienced is pointless. Any cyclist that travels at 60mph down that particular road is completely at risk; one bit of road debris/pothole, a car, a sheep, a momentary lapse in concentration, gust of wind. There is an endless range of things that, at 60mph, are impossible to counteract. As soon as any cyclist gets beyond about 20-25pmh on a descent, your facility to stop as safely as you can has evaporated.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
I've cycled up & down that a few times, and also driven up & down it.
Aside from everything else, the risk of a sheep getting in the way is far too great for such high speed. You wouldn't spot it until you were right on it.
Aside from everything else, the risk of a sheep getting in the way is far too great for such high speed. You wouldn't spot it until you were right on it.
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
In which case you should realise that your sharing his videos, which he will be using as an income stream, is exactly the wrong thing to do.
Suggest you delete your post.
rogerzilla
Squire
I've gone almost as fast (57mph/92km/h). I thought he was riding ok, and it looks like a decent surface with no sharp bends. If you come off at this speed, you're dead, but that's the risk you choose to take*. The sheep risk depends whether you're the right side of a cattle grid, of course.
The fastest I've heard of was 72mph down the B3357 into Tavistock, soneone from St Budeaux CC. I only managed 56mph but that's because (despite leaving what I thought was a decent margin) I caught up with a Land Rover and had to brake. I can believe mid-60s - maybe over 70mph with a tailwind.
*I was in my 20s with no dependants when I did this sort of thing a lot
The fastest I've heard of was 72mph down the B3357 into Tavistock, soneone from St Budeaux CC. I only managed 56mph but that's because (despite leaving what I thought was a decent margin) I caught up with a Land Rover and had to brake. I can believe mid-60s - maybe over 70mph with a tailwind.
*I was in my 20s with no dependants when I did this sort of thing a lot
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