The Definition Of Suffering | Fred Whitton Challenge | Cycling Weekly

[@cameronhill3414]

I did the fred for the first time this year. I was the 2nd youngest rider at the age of 16 and took a time of 9 hour 3 minutes. It is an incredible day with many highs and lows. I am going to have to beat my time next year

[@ryantaylor841]

Well done. I am 17 I know how much commitment u need and 9hours is good

[@Volvo5200]

From Malaysia. Been there and done it. Half way freezing rainy storm. Wrapped in aluminium in a community centre with warm tea and shivering. However, finished the whole route and without walking uphill strong. Would highly recommend cyclists to attempt Fred Whitton.

[@ChrisHallRides]

'Are you wearing a skinsuit?' HAHA! Good to see you bud!

[@mikebilton6421]

Utter RESPECT, Ollie. 5:58 on Fred is an insane time ! Good luck at GCN !

[@terrydavidson5052]

No wonder if you’ve got domestiques

[@alastairkeith8566]

What a legend! These videos are made even better by how honest and relatable you are!

[@BikeItUK]

Thanks for another informative and honest video! Nice sharing exactly what you will be eating and the preparation for the event. Really good heads up for anyone considering nearly killing themselves on this event. All the best, thanks and well done. Andy

[@willmorgan6867]

Chapeau. You guys were storming up Kirkstone (that's me in the blue jersey you were passing). Thought there was something happening when I saw the moto!

[@DavidCulshawmer-r]

love your enthusiasm Ollie :) and a big well done on completing one of the hardest rides in the UK , not sure if I could do it

[@MidtownSkyport]

I've driven over Hardknott and that was hard. granted it was in a 50 horse power 80s Golf :D

[@andywalford7544]

MidtownSkyport My Dad overheated his prewar Austin 7 on Hardknott in the 1950s. Got to the top though in 1st gear all the way!

[@MrBlowfish78]

Great Insight into one of the toughest Sportives around. I did it in 2017 and can concur its brutal. But 100% worth doing. Put the training in and you`ll love every mile.

[@mikethornton2497]

Awesome video!! Looks like a great event - will have to give it a go one day!! Content excellent as always - really enjoy the longer videos!!

[@lifelong5425]

Well done son.....keep it up, always give real stuff to watch and listen to

[@TheGazavman]

There are not better guys than other just guys with different level/training. We can all be proud of ourself and enjoy experiences and performances.

[@joedransfield]

Awesome content yet again, definitely the best cycling yt channel! Well done Ollie and all finishers :)

[@jimmythelips]

Hope to do this ride, I'm just back from well organised ride in Scotland. 3 pistes 102m 8nhalf 000ft climbing including 3 ski stations. Pitlochry to Cairngorm. Fantastic ride worth doing amazing scenery. It's part of a 3 day tour of the Highlands ride. Do all 3 or just 1. Couldn't recommend more highly

[@dickmartino9933]

Setting off later is always a good boost to the morale to pass those starting off earlier.

[@tobortine]

Great video and even greater achievement. Well done and thanks for sharing.

[@Queenmania2007]

This has inspired me to go and do the challenge, if not just for Hardknott Pass. Phwoar.

[@trick700]

Ollie ...very very good vid. You tell it like it is and in a very natural way that most folks can relate to. Really enjoyed content

[@peter_smyth]

I really want to cycle in the Lakes. If I got round to planning it, the main barrier would be the six hour train journey, negotiating two or three changes with the bike.

[@ilikelampshades6]

For those wondering about hardknott it's that steep and nearly always wet due to rain that the hardest part is maintaining traction on the back wheel while you're licking the front

[@eddarell9474]

Wow！awesome job Oliver!! Congrats!!

[@elisgomer7164]

Ollie, this is a lovely video - your passion and enthusiasm for the event is the best possible advert (with the footage of the Lakes being the second best). I did the event this year - considerably slower than you - and this video reminds me of how special it feels to be a participant, and how proud I was that I’d finished it. Even if I did have to walk Hardknott.

[@timbrownallsaints]

Having completed this year in just under 8hrs, this is a great motivator that I can get quicker! Thanks.

[@DarenC]

That moment when your mate and his cheesy grin turns up in a CW video (5:13). Three of us rode it that day - that was at the first feed stop if I'm not mistaken. The free protein flapjack bars were awesome. I took about 6. :D

[@hartmutfeil4870]

now on my bucket list. thx for the inspiring video

[@charliecooper7655]

That 56! What a baller.

[@urby1720]

Badass bike, and beautiful country on that ride!!!!

[@jasonyates100]

Some good content. Well done on the FW effort! Smashed it. You guys need to pay more attention on the sound on your vids. Drives me mental 😖 levels everywhere, too high. This is the case with most of the channels on KZbin though.

[@pawellapinski2885]

Great stuff that Fred Whitton! You should come up to the Northern Irish coast in autumn and ride our Giant Causewey Coast Soprtive! ;)

[@petersteel9455]

Great effort Ollie, I'm doing my 1st 100 mile sportive in a few weeks and you've given me some inspiration! Would love to borrow your Scott foil to see if aero bikes are really faster? 😜

[@waqidj]

Peter Steel just find a group that rides at your pace and don’t work too hard. It’s allot easier with a good group and make sure you eat plenty of sugar and solids midway :)

[@RelentlessC2C]

Did the Etape du Dales last weekend as a stepping stone to the Fred. Guys who have done both said there wasn’t much in it, but Hardknott is the difference.

[@nigelwood6242]

RelentlessC2C would agree with that I doubled up this Yr. Mind you roads are much quieter in Yorkshire cars & bikes, Fred was over busy with bikes this Yr 👎 but closed roads on Hardknott, Wrynose & blea tarn was a bonus. 👍

[@RelentlessC2C]

Nigel Wood The roads were beautifully quiet in Yorkshire, and in much better condition than my local roads, which was a nice surprise.

[@leeutting4003]

I also rode the Etape Du Dales, gorgeous weather and route, but nothing I've ever done (including Haute Route Pyrenees) compares to Hardnott 98 miles in. Brutal, heinous and bloody scary coming down too

[@stevestretton4354]

Fantastic video. Thank you.

[@matthewbaird830]

That looks amazing... Challenge for next year I think..

[@martywild8200]

Thought I recognised Dr Bartlett, he did my bike fit at Bespoke back in the day. Awesome ride, gents!

[@147AndyH]

Yahoo☺️, I'm in for this year😎, it will be fun!! Awesome video.

[@keithmorel2964]

My two buddies and myself will be making the trip next year from Ireland cause of the video.

[@mrjonnylowes]

Do the Yorkshire Beast next year Ollie and a similar video please. Would like to see you really suffer, ahem, I mean “see how you get on” ☺️ Great content, thanks.

[@garymartin557]

inspired me to ride the route, but not the event. I would rather do it as a solo/with a few friends on a different day.

[@gedrooney9305]

Hope to do this next year, already done a few centuries, some rides over 120 miles..I’m a sucker for endurance and some savage hills, Wrynose Pass and Hardknott have already been ticked so it’s rude to not take on the Fred 👍

[@robbchastain3036]

Thank you, Ollie, that ride is beautiful and a beautiful labor of love. And please tell us about those flame-resistant tires you were using--how did they not smoke and burst into flames, considering how fast you and your mates were rolling through the countryside. And why o why were so many participants not using either triples up front or pie plates in back? There is no shame in walking, and I'm not tossing pebbles, but nobody needs to hike if they have smaller gears on their bike?

[@AC-wq7fo]

Type 2 fun! Thanks for this, and well done.

[@mrslunker]

Wonder how much time difference there would be for people doing it on there own?? Any thoughts?

[@samarthur1847]

At 57, I doubt I will try the Fred, but for reference, driving over Hard Knot is difficult enough, Chapeau to you who do it on sinew and strength of mind.

[@SwedishHouseFifa]

HYPE!! Best sportive in the country!

[@mosca3289]

Ollie, great ride and beautiful video. I think you said you were using 36/32 gears. Looking at your average cadence of 67 and 60 for the hardest climbs would you consider going shorter next time?

[@MrBHerzberg]

But compact cranks are dead 😂

[@OllieBridgewood]

I would be curious to try a 34 rear, but I would want to keep a 52 or 53 at the front for fast bits! 👍🏼

[@mosca3289]

Oliver Bridgewood thanks for the reply. Love your videos.

[@TezTezTezTezTez]

I got up hardknott.. so proud to have made it 🤗

[@eastlamb9949]

Me too. Great feeling. In the club 👍

[@fcz]

Excellent video. Looks a great challenge. How was the comfort on the aero bike for that sort of hilly epic ride? I know you're probably used to the Scott now, but wondering how it compares to a climbing/endurance bike?

[@ricric9521]

No mention of advantage and faster times because of group or team mates providing pace line benefits. Great job, but a solo would have much harder time of it resulting in longer event time.

[@stephenmorris6202]

An excellent and compelling video. Thank you.

[@simonrussell2642]

Great effort that looked amazing 😎

[@lmankj]

Looks like an epic ride

[@Pratalax]

The Adam Buxton impression worked.

[@mrwicksy]

Yay for Dr Buckles!

[@rosserd1234]

Another great video and now the fred is on my bucket list,be a few years before I'm ready 😅

[@gordonharker4705]

Well done pal .🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@dickmartino9933]

3rd overall. Great effort. Simon Yates take the same advice perhaps.

[@nigelwood6242]

5.58 Chapeau Oliver 👍 for the Record Rob Jebb did 5.30 (ish) from the old Coniston start with a guy called Paul Dobin arguably a tougher route as it started with Hawkshead hill straight out of Coniston. Rob did 5.47 from the newer Grassmere Start In 2016

[@OllieBridgewood]

Nigel Wood no blea tarn Climb and slightly shorter!

[@nigelwood6242]

Oliver Bridgewood yep in 2016. blea tarn only adds a little bit 1 - 1.5 mi tops & it's only 25% for 200 yrds faster roads through Langdale than little langdale.

[@OllieBridgewood]

Nigel Wood I do remember that run in to coniston at the end being especially grippy! Having ridden the different route changes over the years, the new one is my favorite yet.

[@nigelwood6242]

Oliver Bridgewood I'm with you on that. Great event, glad you enjoy riding in my back yard 👍

[@DarenC]

Haha, just seen myself in the video too. Background at 6:45 as he rolls out of the start, taking a photo of him. \o/

[@sureshchinnappa2290]

Love the clog. Well done Ollie

[@yltsrc]

the slower you go uphill the faster you go downhill, guy with 56 actually well prepared ;)

[@gamma_dablam]

😂 56/34 with a 40T cassette would be my choice of set up for this ride 😅

[@JamesBoz]

I'm curious about the haircut/styling at the beginning of your montage. Was that to match your shiny new skin suit? Great vid, keep them coming.

[@margallanti7195]

One thing was dead on the money.... about doing something that makes you feel good about your self and having accomplished something you will always remember. i can tell you a short story: Lance Armstrong did a demonstration race with his Tour d'France team in a military base and I had to take part of it, those guys had state of the art bikes some of the military brothers and sisters had nice bikes but nothing that would compare, the champion team took first as expected. One thing I remember was seeing the world champ climbing a hill that made him stand up on his bike to climb it, to us in the military the hill was nothing because we ran the hill every day for physical fitness but it took the champion team by surprise that was when all the military fellows took advantage to catch up then on the downhill they again left us way behind all over again perhaps they all had the 60+ chainrings but one thing can never be forgotten..... We all were in a bike race with Lance Armstrong. Back to the good point you made, is all about having fun and feeling good about yourself.

[@isaidgooddaysir2585]

Hah! Little bit of "Chris Hall Rides" at 6:41. Nice! Should've interviewed said chap!

[@christopherreid6972]

How do you train for those inclines? There’s an incline near me that’s only 20% and can’t climb up without stopping, it’s getting mental now

[@usmcmsgt5487]

Suffering for me was after open heart surgery I went from 165 pounds to 199 Due to all the blood products pushed in my body and then trying to walk and my legs touching each other because I’m so bloated and a week later getting on my bicycle just to see if I could do it. Wasn’t the smartest thing because it hurt I was suffering but after only 3 miles I had to get off my bike and let my body heal. Oh and yes I lost all the water weight.

[@angusross7922]

Hey Oli, great video, very inspiring! Would you recommend the D2Z Roadsuit? Is the chamois comparable to Assos/Rapha ones? (Not sure whether to get the roadsuit or the Standalone jersey...) ✌🏻

[@OllieBridgewood]

Angus Ross I would. Chris in the video has just bought one upon my recommendation. Was comfy during the fred and chamois is excellent - choice of 3 widths! It’s proper tight tho!

[@angusross7922]

Thanks Oli!

[@greyhound0z]

Awesome 😁 I'm asking for some advice..after riding a MTB for the past 2 year I'm looking to buy my first road bike my budget is about £900...what do you at the channel suggest? There's one bike that keeps coming up on my budget and it's the Trivandrum 540.thank you

[@peterwelsh3380]

I've just got back from Struggle event in tbe Yorkshire Dale's. 108 miles and 10500 ft of climbing. Have you tried it, or are you considering it? Would be interesting to see how the two compare? Great video as always, thanks for the food for thought.

[@OllieBridgewood]

I haven't tried it, sounds wicked though! will check it out

[@peterwelsh3380]

Good man, you won't be disappointed. ridethestruggle.com

[@CJC94]

Is that a mistake @9:21 for the averages of honister pass? 7km at 10% avg is a 700m climb but it says 240m?

[@gamma_dablam]

7km is from one end to the other end with the summit in the middle. The climb itself is 2.2km

[@jascollinscork]

Hi Ollie I’m a keen cyclist from Ireland and I’ve only been watching your blogs lately BUT watching this video was Very enjoyable not just because it makes want to do this challenging cycle but It wants me to bring club mates too. I also like the fact that you point out the effort it takes to organize it and that anyone can do it one way or another!😁 I just have 2 questions what is accommodation like around there.... like is there plenty And what about their weather🤔 is it usually good for this time of the year or just unpredictable like all weather🤣

[@OllieBridgewood]

cheers jason! q.1 - there is loads of accom in the lakes. book early though to be nearer the event start. best value option is the yha youth hostels - they are great in the lakes. q.2 seatoller, the village at the bottom of honister pass has the highest annual rainfall of anywhere in england! it can rain lots, so be prepared for mixed weather. Don't let that put you off though.

[@gearhigher2027]

Been following your review of the SCOTT FOIL, I am interested in the SCOTT FOIL10 DI2...What are your thoughts of this bikes overall comfort?

[@andrewdoig4034]

I'm still not sold on the weight Vs aero thing, yes your aero bike worked well but it's a 7.2kg bike, you've almost gone weight and aero with that setup?

[@ryantaylor841]

I will be doing man to Blackpool and Cheshire 100 miles. But when i get older I might do this challenge too.

[@Chrisb286]

Great video, wonderful scenery, keep them coming.

[@KSBrennan]

Was that Chris Hall taking a shot at your skinsuit?

[@thomasclayton7636]

Hopefully someone sees this comment 😂, until tips on how to train for hardknott? I live on the south coast and just got accepted into the Fred and it’s pretty flat around here ! Are low gear efforts good or high gear? I’m fairly light weighing in at the moment at 10 stone 6 hoping to lose the 6 by the Fred! Any tips are super useful thanks guys

[@ketjuariittaa]

I Fin. Country of 1000 lakes. ☝🏻Your Lake district have 1000 hills. So it shall now on be Hill district🙂🤴🏼

[@LachlanHS]

I have finished this ride with such low blood sugar that I couldn't talk and gave a woman my bank card to hold as a deposit for a mars bar and a coke, before collapsing on the grass unable to move. and that was in lovely weather!

[@Grant-bu4nj]

Ollie, what gearing were you using?

[@danmaku88]

We have a longer version of hardknott pass at 5.8kms with an average grade of 11%. But that's with a short descent and a few small flat areas. It has a max gradient of 35% and is pure agony climbing in tropical 36 degree heat with almost 100% humidity..

[@cumbrianrider8903]

where abouts is this?? have you ridden Hardknott?????????

[@danmaku88]

@@cumbrianrider8903 never ridden hardknott pass but id gladly ride it twice than ride this one monster we have. What makes it even worse is that it comes after 40kms of headwindy false flats and an 8km climb averaging 7%.. Well from where we usually start though Here's the segment: www.strava.com/segments/18729425

[@gamma_dablam]

@@danmaku88 Angliru maxes at 25 or so pretty sure.

[@gamma_dablam]

@@danmaku88 alto d'Angliru ... pretty insane

[@leejefferson7011]

Brilliant 👍🏼

[@mattwatts24]

Great Vid and made me want to do the Fred again! ... nerdy question what oversocks were you wearing? Cheers

[@OllieBridgewood]

Velotoze (on inside out to hide the logos)

[@allthingsTechrelated]

Bravo to you for that epic ride. I did a 100 miles ride on Friday in flat London so I have no experience of those 30/25 percentages. Must be brutal.

[@SPN-78]

Awesome stuff Ollie! Where do I sign up!!!?

[@alexfulton375]

Love me the nakd Cocoa Orange bars.

[@JC-un4bg]

Are you aloud to do this on a Ebike ?

[@litespeed65]

Do you have 4-cylinder engines as well??

[@ZOB4]

Looks like you had an absolutely beautiful day.

[@OllieBridgewood]

z.browning unfortunately I think that means biblical rain for the next 10 years! 😂

[@DarenC]

Haha, probably so. The past three years have all be smashing weather. I did it in 2016 and this year, so have been spoilt. Next time it'll probably be hail and gale.

[@LegSpinna]

When a camera is pointed towards someone on a bike, why does the rider feel the need to give a thumbs up?

[@trick700]

CnE 👍

[@darrennixon1986]

Ollie I challenge you to the North Wales challenge. I'll set the route and North Wales has got a harder climb than the hardknott pass!!

[@AlejandroRodriguez-hm2et]

Probably wrong video to ask this on, but do you guys have any suggestions on gravel bikes between 900-1200 USD im looking at specialized diverge E5 right now, dont want to settle on anything just yet you know..

[@trick700]

Alejandro Rodriguez Diverge is good bike for that price, get it and go!

[@kieronemmett9601]

@cycling weekly, What shoe covers do you wear they look awesome

[@OllieBridgewood]

cheers! Velotoze (on inside out to hide the logos)

[@TurneyUK]

Such a great event 👍

[@markovich88]

That was a cracking day

[@JT-fn4eu]

Bro that helmet is absolutely woeful !! 😆

[@gibfear]

Monster ride that!!!

[@wilhelmquenzert4250]

Great video!👍👍

[@steezymtb5876]

How did Joe do on the Hardknott?

[@rivergladesgardenrailroad8834]

any ebikes allowed ?

[@waynemaman7418]

Very cool video!