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fred whitton advice

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  • January 18, 2016 at 7:53 pm #25267
    snappyandrew

    just found that I have got in via the lottery. Gulp!

    Apart from start training now. Does anyone have any practical advice? thinking that I’ll get the train from London to Windermere and then cycle to anywhere I can get near the start. 

    Any one got any suggestions?  Losing 5 kg’s is not a useful suggestion

    ta in advance

    Andrew

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  • January 19, 2016 at 4:51 pm #865403
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    philhubbard

    HI Everyone. I took part last

    HI Everyone. I took part last year after starting to road bike in September 2014. You should be alright with some good hill training and some low gears (I used 34×30). Just try and get in a group if possible and try not to spend too much time on the front.

     

    Also, Hardknotts is very near the end so make sure you pace yourself. In the rain people were sliding and taking out others so take your time and try to find your own line and keep youre whits about you (no puns intended). Once you get over Wrynose it is a nice ride to the finish so just focus on that.

    January 19, 2016 at 4:51 pm #865401
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    Simon E

    From what seen and heard, it

    From what seen and heard, it’s how your body copes towards the end of the ride that’s the issue. Which means long, hilly rides are what is needed.

    But also training your brain (a hot topic the moment) can apparently make a big difference, possibly between whether you get round or climb off.

    January 19, 2016 at 4:17 pm #865399
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    Dnnnnnn

    I swapped my regular rings

    I swapped my regular rings for two MTB ones and ground (grinded?) my way up in 32×25. It was tough but not as tough as I’d dreaded. I wouldn’t have managed in 39×25 though! 

    As mentioned earlier, the descent is less fun :/

    On a different note, make sure to reserve your bike on the trains if possible. There’s limited space and it’s likely there will be more demand than supply. If you can’t get on the local train from Oxenholme to Windermere and have to ride it, there’s a pretty, quiet route to the North of the (pretty horrible) main road.

    January 19, 2016 at 3:43 pm #865397
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    peted76

    According to Strava it’s

    According to Strava it’s about a 15-20min climb with a reprive half way..

    Train for sustained climbs  on a turbo or rollers,  we call the following type of training ‘efforts’ although I’m sure there’s a better term for it. Basically it’s no recovery time between sprints. Warm up, then ride at 80% (80% being for me my ‘I can hold this for an hour’ heart rate) for 10 mins, then sprint 20secs (maybe 90-95% power), then straight back into 80% for a short while (60 seconds) then sprint, then 80%…rinse repeat. Do this until you fall off/faint/throwup – make sure you do proper warm downs also.

    Incrementally build up your sprint times and you’ll be laughing come the Fred with an improved lactic acid threshold.

    (I’m not a trainer, but this is what our club coach told me a while ago and it seems logical.)

     

    … and core work for out of the saddle efforts!

    January 19, 2016 at 3:29 pm #865395
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    700c

    On the subject of hardknott,

    On the subject of hardknott, I failed on a 34/29 when I tried it on a coast-to-coast route, but I wasn’t particularly expecting to manage it.

    You get a horrible descent following it, (particularly coming from the West) which I think is worse than the climb itself. take it really steady there’s no shame in stopping if you’re arms are getting tired. Wrynose after that is easy in comparison going in this direction.

    I’ve never done the Fred but I would assume its one of the hardest sportives you can do given the concentration of the 4000m of climbing and the inability to capitalise on many of the descents (road condition, weather etc)

    January 19, 2016 at 3:09 pm #865393
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    dave atkinson

    CXR94Di2 wrote:

    CXR94Di2 wrote:
    dave atkinson wrote:

    snappy: how fit are you? how much do you weigh?

    Hardknott and Wrynose (and Honister, to a lesser extent) are pretty brutal. When I rode the FW I was reasonably fit but overweight (98kg) – I got up Hardknott on a 34×32 but I reckon I’d have been walking on anything bigger.

    It’s a good idea to practice the technical skill of riding stuff that’s 25% plus. A lot of people are walking not because they’re not fit enough to climb it, but because they’ve stopped because they’ve spun out the rear wheel and it’s impossible to get going again. Fit grippy tyres 🙂

    I take it spinning the rear comes from getting out of the saddle and trying to muscle the pedals standing. I have done this on a mtb going up ridiculous steep inclines. Better to get ratios right, stay seated and no slipping of rear wheel

    yes, although hardknott is so steep that sitting down and trying to pedal normally just makes your front wheel rise up. you have to try and get over the front of the bike without actually standing and get your power as smooth as possible. it’s not something you normally have to do on the road (it’s a stock mountain bike technique for the steep stuff) so it’s a skill worth getting yourself acquainted with.

    January 19, 2016 at 1:50 pm #865391
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    Batchy

    To do the ” Fred ” in a

    To do the ” Fred ” in a reasonable time ,say under 7.5 hrs, you probably will need to be riding 250 miles per week during the month prior to the event. Gearing is a very personal choice, however I have trained up Hardknott on 39/27 in the past  without walking, though in the actual event  that 33% bend near the summit had me  off the bike. Incidentally the quickest and easiest way to walk up Hardknott is to shoulder your bike cyclo X style and take to the  grass verge, as cleats and steep tarmac don’t mix too well !

    Oh, and loose 3 kg. !

    January 19, 2016 at 12:55 pm #865389
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    Daveyraveygravey

    CXR94Di2 wrote:

    CXR94Di2 wrote:
    dave atkinson wrote:

    snappy: how fit are you? how much do you weigh?

    Hardknott and Wrynose (and Honister, to a lesser extent) are pretty brutal. When I rode the FW I was reasonably fit but overweight (98kg) – I got up Hardknott on a 34×32 but I reckon I’d have been walking on anything bigger.

    It’s a good idea to practice the technical skill of riding stuff that’s 25% plus. A lot of people are walking not because they’re not fit enough to climb it, but because they’ve stopped because they’ve spun out the rear wheel and it’s impossible to get going again. Fit grippy tyres 🙂

    I take it spinning the rear comes from getting out of the saddle and trying to muscle the pedals standing. I have done this on a mtb going up ridiculous steep inclines. Better to get ratios right, stay seated and no slipping of rear wheel

    Yes but if the weather is bad and you’re on 23/25cm tyres, and the hill is steep enough, you’re into the same situation.  Sit down and you can’t generate enough power for the slope, stand up and you unload the rear wheel so lose grip.  Once you unclip and put your foot down it is very hard to start up again – try leaning against a fence or sign to clip back in and give yourself a big shove, or if the road is clear go across it rather thanup.  I’ve spun the rear wheel in the Surrey Hills on my road bike, with older tyres.  
     

    I didn’t get in, and 95% of me is gutted.  The other 5% is feeling relief at not having to do all the long hard training rides in the next couple of months!  It seems a crap time of year to schedule this ride (and to a lesser extent the Etape du Dales) when there is a reasonable chance the weather could make it almost impossible.

    January 19, 2016 at 11:29 am #865387
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    CXR94Di2

    dave atkinson wrote:

    dave atkinson wrote:

    snappy: how fit are you? how much do you weigh?

    Hardknott and Wrynose (and Honister, to a lesser extent) are pretty brutal. When I rode the FW I was reasonably fit but overweight (98kg) – I got up Hardknott on a 34×32 but I reckon I’d have been walking on anything bigger.

    It’s a good idea to practice the technical skill of riding stuff that’s 25% plus. A lot of people are walking not because they’re not fit enough to climb it, but because they’ve stopped because they’ve spun out the rear wheel and it’s impossible to get going again. Fit grippy tyres 🙂

    I take it spinning the rear comes from getting out of the saddle and trying to muscle the pedals standing. I have done this on a mtb going up ridiculous steep inclines. Better to get ratios right, stay seated and no slipping of rear wheel

    January 19, 2016 at 10:56 am #865385
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    Marauder

    Gutted.

    Gutted.

    I was penciling this ride in as a training ride to see where I am at for the Etape in July indecision.

    Guess I will have to look at some other rides instead.

    As for advice, I would do as much climbing as possible.

    January 19, 2016 at 10:56 am #865383
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    snappyandrew

    Thanks all.

    Thanks all.

    Im grateful for the advice. 

    As a 50 yr old Cat 3 rider weighing 76kg I know this will be a tough day but I’m hoping to get round. The sheer inclines are not something I’m that used to but I’ll try to get some practice. 

    I’ve booked the youth hostel in Grasmere and am hoping to get the train from Windermere. 

    I thought about booking a 5-6pm train back. It’s 10miles so imagine that will take awhile with my knackered legs and a bit of baggage.  I don’t imagine there is transport to station.

    January 19, 2016 at 9:59 am #865381
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    dave atkinson

    snappy: how fit are you? how

    snappy: how fit are you? how much do you weigh?

    Hardknott and Wrynose (and Honister, to a lesser extent) are pretty brutal. When I rode the FW I was reasonably fit but overweight (98kg) – I got up Hardknott on a 34×32 but I reckon I’d have been walking on anything bigger.

    It’s a good idea to practice the technical skill of riding stuff that’s 25% plus. A lot of people are walking not because they’re not fit enough to climb it, but because they’ve stopped because they’ve spun out the rear wheel and it’s impossible to get going again. Fit grippy tyres 🙂

    January 19, 2016 at 8:29 am #865379
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    Greg L

    Gearing: Compact chainset

    Gearing: Compact chainset running 34-28 should be plenty, or possibly a 30, but anything bigger than that on the cassette will have you sliding the back wheel on the steep bits if they’re wet (Which they ususally are), and once your wheel slips, that’s a get-off and walk from there! 

    January 19, 2016 at 8:17 am #865377
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    Greg L

    Book your acommodation now,

    Book your acommodation now, Grasmere as first choice, but otherwise Ambleside as you don’t want to be riding back too far at the end.

    Register on the Saturday so that you can just pitch up  and ride on the Sunday.

    If you have a sub 8 hour time in mind, start an hour later than the mass start at 6….. the first main descent of Kirkstone always has a number of incidents where riders get it wrong, and the fewer people around to take you out, the better.

    Take it easy on all the descents if you’ve never ridden them before- you won’t lose too much time.

    Get plenty of hill work in beforehand.

    Take a selection of gear- summer down south can be winter up north (I’ve always found base layer, s/s jersey, gilet, sleeves, 3/4 bib & braces and waterproof overshoes to work well).

    Enjoy the scenery.

    And if you can’t make it, give me your number as i didn’t make the ballot selection this time indecision

    January 19, 2016 at 8:03 am #865375
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    Jharrison5

    CXR94Di2 wrote:

    CXR94Di2 wrote:
    Jharrison5 wrote:

    Hardknott had to be driven in 1st gear in our polo. It is steep.

    39×23 hahaha, you must weigh about 40kg

    I had 34×40 setup so could spin up. But to do those types of hills again and again over 100 miles . All the best, lucky lottery winner :D

    63kg. And I’m a Yorkshireman who moved to Scotland :D. Everything is lumpy in both. There’s nowt that steep here though: 40%?

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