What type of bike do I need to cycle Wrynose Pass?

[rodgy-dodge]

we went over on the motorbike last year...pretty scary i should say many of my friends have done it on mountain bikes though and said it was great...go for it then you can cross it off your list

 

[rodgy-dodge]

hope this works
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJxa5B4LUvE&feature=related

 

[frances99]

Having looked at that website and done some figuring out myself as they seem to reluctant to actually provide a map I'm guessing it's from Ambleside or thereabouts at the end of Windermere to Wasdale Head for the Scafell Pike section. So that's Hard Knott as well though that's shorter.
Just thinking about it is unnerving.

Well I have bitten the bullet and bought the bike... so training will begin when it arrives.

I know it will be utterly exhausting (guess that's why it's called a challenge!) but I have seen on last year's video that even the fittest looking men get off and walk parts of it - I will have no shame in doing that too!

 

[aberal]

Well I have bitten the bullet and bought the bike... so training will begin when it arrives.

I know it will be utterly exhausting (guess that's why it's called a challenge!) but I have seen on last year's video that even the fittest looking men get off and walk parts of it - I will have no shame in doing that too!

Excellent. I'm sure that you will not only manage the challenge but get many years of enjoyment out of the bike - you will love it.

 

[Big John]

I take it you bought a Harley 883 then?

 

[fossyant]

Just a bit of advice, you'll probably need to change the rear cassette nearer the time of the event to one with larger sprockets - 34 x 25 isn't that 'easy' a gear.

Try as many steep hills as you can - those on the challenge are 1 in 4 territory so you need a bit of practice - you'll soon see why you may need a bigger rear cassette.

Get the miles in, but also the hills.

 

[PpPete]

Get as much practice as you can on steep hills.... and get used to going up them standing up, Hardknott and Wrynose are so steep it's almost impossible to climb them seated, as your front wheel tends to come off the ground.

Also bear in mind the descending such things can be seriously scary. You can have both brakes full on, tyres on the very limit of skidding, and still feel you are going too fast for the sharper bends.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Well I have bitten the bullet and bought the bike... so training will begin when it arrives.

I know it will be utterly exhausting (guess that's why it's called a challenge!) but I have seen on last year's video that even the fittest looking men get off and walk parts of it - I will have no shame in doing that too!

I suspect the fittest man simply ran out of gears long before he ran out of steam, or if he had enough gears simply, and sensibly, decided walking was faster than twiddling his granny.

Though for me at that point the ride becomes too much like golf.

 

[Garz]

Also bear in mind the descending such things can be seriously scary. You can have both brakes full on, tyres on the very limit of skidding, and still feel you are going too fast for the sharper bends.

This is so true. Descending Wrynose in the wet I came close to sh*tting my pants as cars ascended close towards me. The chunky boulders between you and the edge get scary and when I did reach the bottom my hands/forearms were cramping for having them locked on for minutes. I probably could have cooked an egg on the brake pads or rims after!

 

[frances99]

Just a bit of advice, you'll probably need to change the rear cassette nearer the time of the event to one with larger sprockets - 34 x 25 isn't that 'easy' a gear.

Try as many steep hills as you can - those on the challenge are 1 in 4 territory so you need a bit of practice - you'll soon see why you may need a bigger rear cassette.

Get the miles in, but also the hills.

Thanks for the advice - another guy on my team knows a bit about cycling and had said the same about the cassette.

And as for the going downhill part, duly noted - what goes up must come down. I can see why cycling uphill very slowly would be less scary than bombing downhill so will make sure I practise that too!

 

[Arch]

Well I have bitten the bullet and bought the bike... so training will begin when it arrives.

I know it will be utterly exhausting (guess that's why it's called a challenge!) but I have seen on last year's video that even the fittest looking men get off and walk parts of it - I will have no shame in doing that too!

Good on you, go for it.

If you want to sound experienced, remember to refer to walking as your 24" gear. Cycle gears can be referred to in terms of inches, and of course 24" is two feet...

I've been driven over Hardknott and Wrynose, and was terrified most of the time!

 

[PpPete]

I had to resort to Arch's 24" gear on both Hardknott and Wrynose (West to East) last year...... even though lowest gear on my bike was 23" !

Working hard on leg strength & stamina already in the hope of riding all the way this year.

 

[chriswoody]

I'm currently training for an attempt at the four seasons Fred Whitton, which climbs Hardknott and Wrynose amongst others! Despite being based in the South Lakes I've never actually ridden either of these hills. Though I have ridden Lynmouth hill in North Devon on an old 5 speed clunker back in the day! If your based in the South Lakes then there are some cracking rides on quiet roads which take in some big climbs, all good training for the ride your looking at. Feel free to ask for any advice if you want.

Good luck with it.

 

[frances99]

Good on you, go for it.

If you want to sound experienced, remember to refer to walking as your 24" gear. Cycle gears can be referred to in terms of inches, and of course 24" is two feet...

Ha ha - I like it.

Started working on strength and stamina hardcore already this week - and the bike should be arriving in the next few days!

Live in the Chilterns so there are plenty of nasty hills to get practising on...

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Kudos to anyone riding it

Last time I drove it (in a clapped out MkII transit with a bunch of knackered campers from a week of walking Wainwrights - myself included) was in a pea-souper at night - I felt like I was in a special episode of Ice Road Truckers: Deadliest Roads