Boards Hill Challenge anyone?

LDB

I challenge anyone to a TT up this road!! (Raam will be on my team!)

http://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/hardknottpass.htm

A friend of mine went biking (the motorised kind) around here a couple of weeks ago. I would seriously be scared to even drive up this

Chips Lovell

That one looks like a lot of fun

NeilMcEoigheann

we have to go... or get the council to steepen the gap.

LDB

It'd be a good candidate for a 'boards on tour'
I think coming back down would be the worst part :eek:

redmenace1

A friend of mine went biking (the motorised kind) around here a couple of weeks ago. I would seriously be scared to even drive up this[/quote]

I know the climb its a killer. I did my gearbox in on it drving over it before. Its part of Fred Whitton challange. There are some massive climbs over there, Honister is another killer.:cool:

jwshooter

what type of drugs would work best for that spin.

LDB

I know the climb its a killer. I did my gearbox in on it drving over it before. Its part of Fred Whitton challange. There are some massive climbs over there, Honister is another killer.:cool:

Just looked this challenge up ... sounds savage




http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk/gallery.html

The tax man

LOL look at the size of the block on the first bike. Someone came prepared.:D

Esroh

redmenace1 wrote: »

A friend of mine went biking (the motorised kind) around here a couple of weeks ago. I would seriously be scared to even drive up this

I know the climb its a killer. I did my gearbox in on it drving over it before. Its part of Fred Whitton challange. There are some massive climbs over there, Honister is another killer.:cool:[/quote]
Re a Boardies trip away
They have set up a timing system and marked the whole route so that you can ride the Fred Whitton foute anytime of the year http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk

9th May 2010. Interesting.

Raam

I've been having convulsions since seeing this.

Esroh

Dónal wrote: »

9th May 2010. Interesting.

It sells out in Hours

redmenace1

LDB wrote: »

Just looked this challenge up ... sounds savage



yhihf:cool:

think I'll do course next year rather than event

Hermy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAHfpXFH8PY

Jawgap

We were in Cumbria for the hols and drove up Hardknott - there's a very impressive Roman fort at the top and great views down the Esk valley.

While I was there I didn't do that pass - I'm not that mad - but I did Kirkstone - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkstone_Pass - to get from where we were staying to Windermere - took me about two days to recover!!!

Edit:-
There's great cycling in the Lakes but any time I've been there roadies have been few and far between compared to the number of truffle hunters cluttering up the place and making a general spectacle of themselves :-) - there's a very well developed MTB network of trails all over the place - it's truffle hunter heaven for some!

Jumpy

*sings* Itstha hardknott pass for us ...

ednwireland

did that on the MTB many moons ago when i was fit ( also nearly crashed a car on a corner in the dark as well, cracking bridleway further down)
this is near my parents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holme_Moss 4.5km and its a busy a road used to do it on an old raleigh with 42/52 fromt chainrings

Esroh

Check out the Fred Whitton Ride video on http://www.cyclosport.org.

BeerNut

Jawgap wrote: »

there's a very impressive Roman fort at the top and great views down the Esk valley.

Last week I met the guy who runs the pub and brewery up there. Nice bloke. Tell 'im BeerNut sent yer.

Esroh

The Cumbrian Killer Sportive on Sept 20th could suit for an overseas trip. Takes in all the Lake District Climbs
www.davelloydmegachallenge.com and click on the link

Greyspoke

If you look at the Hardknott Pass on the map you'll see that very soon after it (or before it depending on which way you're going) is another almost equally tough climb over Wrynose Pass. I rode over them a few years ago and they are REALLY steep! You need to have the road to yourself, free of cars, as weaving backwards across the road is virtually unavoidable. Having the Fred Whitton route available with electronic timing all through the year is a great idea.

LDB

Greyspoke wrote: »

If you look at the Hardknott Pass on the map you'll see that very soon after it (or before it depending on which way you're going) is another almost equally tough climb over Wrynose Pass. I rode over them a few years ago and they are REALLY steep! You need to have the road to yourself, free of cars, as weaving backwards across the road is virtually unavoidable. Having the Fred Whitton route available with electronic timing all through the year is a great idea.

What gearing did you have going over them?

Greyspoke

Honestly can't remember what gearing I used as it was more than 10 years ago and that bike has long gone. If it was the bike I'm thinking it was, an old steel Ribble, then it would have had a, standard for the time, 52-42 chainset and I've no idea what cassette but knowing me I was grinding up there in as hard a gear as I could manage!

seve65

am thinking about doing the fred whitton, but having checked the gradients in detail, not sure I like the idea that its highly probable some sections would need to be walked !

Check it out, theres a 2.6k section there at an average of just under 13%, which is ok, except for the 33% plus bits....

check out this inhuman performance:
http://app.strava.com/rides/1669179

anybody done this ride ?

fat bloke

Wasn't there a Giant's causeway sportive earlier this year that featured some series of comic-percentage gradients towards the end. Apparently the majority ended up dismounting and walking up 'em.

Just saying, if you're looking for pain, there might be some a little closer to home, and a drive rather than a ferry.

Hardknott pass is legendary though. One to have on the cv.

Keep_Her_Lit

seve65 wrote: »

am thinking about doing the fred whitton, but having checked the gradients in detail, not sure I like the idea that its highly probable some sections would need to be walked !

Never! Go for it seve65!

check out this inhuman performance:
http://app.strava.com/rides/1669179

Tip - do NOT go on a training spin with anyone capable of recording a VAM of 6,819m/h

CramCycle

fat bloke wrote: »

Wasn't there a Giant's causeway sportive earlier this year that featured some series of comic-percentage gradients towards the end. Apparently the majority ended up dismounting and walking up 'em.

Just saying, if you're looking for pain, there might be some a little closer to home, and a drive rather than a ferry.

Hardknott pass is legendary though. One to have on the cv.

Mick Byrne 200 anyone

On a separate note, red lane just south of Bray, if we are having a boards climbing challenge, this gets my vote, i'll put up a picture when i get near my laptop,

daragh_

CramCycle wrote: »

Mick Byrne 200 anyone

On a separate note, red lane just south of Bray, if we are having a boards climbing challenge, this gets my vote, i'll put up a picture when i get near my laptop,

Here it is on Strava.

Plastik can tell us how easy it is

Never done it, but I'm in if we are voting. A Sunday morning soonish?

on_the_nickel

Meh, it's only 4 times as long as Temple Hill......

CramCycle

daragh_ wrote: »

Here it is on Strava.

Plastik can tell us how easy it is

Never done it, but I'm in if we are voting. A Sunday morning soonish?

Sounds good, to give context to how tough it is, going down it is phenomenonally tough, I nearly destroyed my shoulders the last time, squeezing the brakes so hard.

Fair play to Plastik.

Beasty

Maybe start a new thread suggesting route & possible dates? You might want to include the Bank Holiday as an option, as a lot of club spins take place on Sundays

daragh_

Beasty wrote: »

Maybe start a new thread suggesting route & possible dates? You might want to include the Bank Holiday as an option, as a lot of club spins take place on Sundays

If I start a thread it will end badly, with me standing in the cold, fumbling with a stopwatch for hours on end. Any other takers?

seve65

daragh_ wrote: »

Here it is on Strava.

Plastik can tell us how easy it is

Never done it, but I'm in if we are voting. A Sunday morning soonish?

pah thats just a bump in the road, ya need to head south for some bigger bumps:

http://app.strava.com/rides/1899774#31000405

Plastik

Red Lane is ok, very steep at the bottom but it's only a short section, the rest really is fine.

Easier going up than down, I found. Coming down it's fast, bumpy, blind and narrow. Feels like you'll go over the bars on the steep bit at the end!

Morrisseeee

If we are doing a challenge, then it should be something worthy, like the toughest climb in Ireland, ie. the Mt. Leinster climb (to the mast), let's put it in perspective:
National Hill climb > Length: 2.3km Elevation gain: 221m
Hardknott Pass > Length: 2.5km Elevation gain: 315m
Mt Leinster > Length: 2.6km Elevation gain: 365m

Of course you could make the pain last longer by adding in the section from Borris to the base of the climb and then it becomes: 11km @ 6.9% !!

Of course 'what goes up, must come down', and that descent from the mast back to the car park is pretty daunting, I think it's customary to kiss your brakes when you reach the car park, if there's any left !!!

g0g

daragh_ wrote: »

Here it is on Strava.

Plastik can tell us how easy it is

Never done it, but I'm in if we are voting. A Sunday morning soonish?

This post motivated me to give it a bash this morning! I've come down it once and was of similar opinion that you felt like you might fly over the handlebars towards the bottom. It's a tough climb but not the worst I've ever done. Think the Garmin said 20% for a bit at the start of it. Sadly my embarrassing performance puts me last on Strava, so hopefully someone else slower will do it soon!

cdaly_

g0g wrote: »

This post motivated me to give it a bash this morning! I've come down it once and was of similar opinion that you felt like you might fly over the handlebars towards the bottom. It's a tough climb but not the worst I've ever done. Think the Garmin said 20% for a bit at the start of it. Sadly my embarrassing performance puts me last on Strava, so hopefully someone else slower will do it soon!

I'm open to offers...

seve65

Morrisseeee wrote: »

If we are doing a challenge, then it should be something worthy, like the toughest climb in Ireland, ie. the Mt. Leinster climb (to the mast), let's put it in perspective:
National Hill climb > Length: 2.3km Elevation gain: 221m
Hardknott Pass > Length: 2.5km Elevation gain: 315m
Mt Leinster > Length: 2.6km Elevation gain: 365m

Of course you could make the pain last longer by adding in the section from Borris to the base of the climb and then it becomes: 11km @ 6.9% !!

How about a nice little winter loop, up and around mt leinster ?
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/782782

Beasty

seve65 wrote: »

How about a nice little winter loop, up and around mt leinster ?
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/782782

You want to do that as a Time Trial?:eek:

seve65

ah no, I think I lost sight of the idea of this thread (more than once...just call me Mr O.T.), and drifted off into the thought of getting a bunch together to do mt Leinster as part of a spin. Never having cycled around there myself, there is a small chance I might sneak over there this winter and plough my lonely furrow anyway

Morrisseeee

Let this be a teaser, if you look closely there's a steepish road loading to the mast.................go on go on go on :pac:



I've made the top (twice this year), but.............I've yet to do it one go, so it's a goal for next year, and using the same gearing, 34-26.

daragh_

Wasn't there a Boards Kippure climb/challenge a few years ago?

Could be fun if we had the weather for it.

Planet X

Photos by Jimm, thanks.

Sr. Assumpta

Great photos!!! Some familiar faces looking younger and....... hairier!!!!!
I look forward to the next running of this event, when is it? Daragh?

CramCycle

Seperate thread created for route suggestions:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75094845

I'll stick a poll onto it once a decision has been made.

Plastik

daragh_ wrote: »

Here it is on Strava.

Plastik can tell us how easy it is

Never done it, but I'm in if we are voting. A Sunday morning soonish?

There's a few times posted on Red Lane now and my KOM has been taken from me in a very disconcerting fashion. It seems I've been beaten by someone on a MTB!

daragh_

Plastik wrote: »

There's a few times posted on Red Lane now and my KOM has been taken from me in a very disconcerting fashion. It seems I've been beaten by someone on a MTB!

7 seconds!

You must claim it back for the glory and honour of Boards.

Plastik

I've been keeping away from ze hills on doctors orders for the past while, but I'll certainly give it another shot when I'm right again. Roadies need to be KOM on the road!