Fred Whitton 2023: Part 2 - Hardknott

Fred Whitton cycle sportive, 7 May 2023. This Part 2 video covers from the first feed station to the finish, taking in: Newlands, Whinlatter, Cold Fell, Hardknott, Wrynose and Blea Tarn. But mainly Hardknott.
Part 1: • Fred Whitton 2023: Par...
Scenes from the FW: • The beautiful Lake Dis...

[@williamstevenson2649]

Fantastic, and very evocative for those of us who failed to keep riding on Hardknott and Wrynose! Excellent descending!

[@Millerbike01]

It was a day for making memories, that's for sure.

[@MrPilberg]

Wow, I’m featured in the first part of your video at the bottom of hard knot. That was truly awful climb, great job making it round 💪🏼💪🏼

[@oisin_lol]

The deep drone sound with the cow bells hit 😎

[@roybooth7904]

Perhaps the most immersive on-bike footage I have ever watched. The fore-and-aft picture-in-picture work was brilliant. As for Hardknott itself, the microphone captured the only appropriate comment. When you strain your way up to a 4x4 mountain rescue ambulance, then you know you are really in the hills. I hope the collapsed rider was OK. It's extra-difficult doing an extremely demanding event like this for the first time. You must be very satisfied with your bike set-up - maybe some technical notes on Miller_bike's bike?

[@Millerbike01]

Thanks! I understand the collapsed rider was held in hospital for one night but was basically ok. As for gearing, it was Ekar 1x13 with a lowest ratio, greatly used on the day, of 38x42.

[@goonzjav]

Loving the ominous music over hardknotts 😂. Definitely felt like that !

[@Saladh_Olivier]

hahaha! love that acid change in the video where people were dancing!

[@stevenfreeman7798]

Now I understand why gravel bikes are becoming so popular lol!. Brilliant vid showing just how difficult the climb is for people!.would definitely need a 30/36 for that it's horrible lol!!.

[@TheMoodyedge]

Ah, the anticipation leading to Hardknott 😵‍💫Top footage. Not a lot of people manage to capture just how steep it is so this is a great angle. Just spotted myself . 2 mins 20 all in black with leg warmers 😎Turns out it wasn't a dream / nightmare 😆

[@Millerbike01]

It was kind of an out-of-body experience though.

[@TheMoodyedge]

@@Millerbike01 it was. Very strangely quiet too.

[@PW-CreakySaddle]

great footage. A very reaistic Hardknott descent, retaining quality of graphics an d no wobble. And a great effort yourself for how far up before you dabbed.

[@simonworsley8631]

Great video. You put your foot down on Hardknott just before the steep left hander where I did the same. Decent descending too

[@petethepeg2]

Horror movie background music : Deadly hush Front view : Fear and loathing: Rear view : valley of despair and desbondency

[@Millerbike01]

Yeah... I think everyone there felt like that.

[@edscoble]

My favourite parts? being able to tell whom got a cassette smaller than 32t.

[@ramsden35]

This is both brilliant but terrifying! If you don’t mind? Which monstrosity of a climb is it at 9:27? Thanks for the video the Lake District is so beautiful. I love going every year and especially love seeing bikes flying around the windy roads.

[@Millerbike01]

Brilliant but terrifying, yep, no disagreement. The sequence from 09:27 to just after 12 minutes is the descent of the East side of Hardknott Pass. The Lakes were absolutely beautiful on the day of the event.

[@markmitchell2282]

I do that on my mountain bike. I take that back I made that comment at three minutes 26. I’m now at nine minutes and something.😂😂

[@christopherfisher7805]

All he has to do is finish, and he goes to Paris in the Mountains jersey. He's done it!! He won the King of the Mountains against some of the best climbers in the world!!! And he's come in 9th on GC!!! Well done!!

[@Millerbike01]

Haha, excellent. I wish!

[@marcus_velo_9970]

well done mate, love that climb ... grueling - the blue/white sprinter early on, just wasn't going to hold that pace, perfect guy to pace off lol, would love to come over from AU and do event in 2024, what's it like accommodation wise etc?

[@TheMoodyedge]

Book early would be my advice.

[@Millerbike01]

Cheers! The Lake District is a tourist hotspot so yes, booking early is necessary. First you need a place in the event. FW website says 'If you would like an overseas entry please email [e-mail] and we will add you to the list.' Would be awesome to come from Oz to do it!

[@forstem]

Which was harder: the Fred or Dirty Reiver 200k? I’m doing both in 2024 and found your videos very helpful, if not daunting. I did the 130k DR last year and spotted myself in your footage.

[@Millerbike01]

Very glad to hear you found my videos helpful and that you even saw yourself. This year you can turn left at the DR 130km cutoff point and do the full distance! The DR is harder than the FW is the answer. It's longer, it's got even more climbing, it's off-road, in 2023 it had much worse weather, and it gets quite lonely at the back end as the field thins out. In the FW you always have company, the Lake District scenery is amazing (DR's Kielder forest is kinda bleak) and there is a lot of roadside support. Against that the tourist traffic in the afternoon got a bit annoying. FW did have the single hardest stretch of cycling in my 2023 though - Hardknott - and make sure your descending is on point. Good luck in both of them! You did well to even get in.

[@forstem]

Thanks for the swift reply. Fingers crossed for good weather at both events.

[@vipulramjiani2433]

Managed to catch me going up hard knott out the saddle 9:00. Much easier watching it than doing it.

[@Millerbike01]

You were looking good.

[@PW-CreakySaddle]

great effort

[@-M-2-K-]

You can see a foot peeping out of the green tent on Hardknott. Is that the rider that got airlifted later on?

[@Millerbike01]

I looked at that foot on my video. I think it belongs to a kneeling medic as it's a trainer not a cycling shoe. I'd say the casualty was the other end of the tent.

[@-M-2-K-]

@@Millerbike01 that makes sense. Can’t see any cleats on the foot, so must be a medic. That corner is difficult to navigate with the heavy gradient.

[@Millerbike01]

Well, it was too difficult for me!

[@fLowKnows]

Walkers should get out the way. Why would you decide to walk with your bike, two a breast in the middle of the road?

[@Millerbike01]

You're right, of course, but by that stage of the course everyone is fatigued and maybe not thinking too clearly.

[@fLowKnows]

@@Millerbike01 there should be advice, even a rule or a drawn yellow line for walkers to take

[@stevenfreeman7798]

That is horrible lol!!

[@Millerbike01]

and they're all facing that today (FW 2024).