I've ridden Hardknott and Wrynose back-to-back a few times - often doing them in both directions on the same ride! First time up I was on 39x21 and it was raining - slippy, uphill cattle grids aren't fun with no momentum.
At 60kg in racing-weight I can generally haul myself up most things but some of the hardest climbs I've ridden are in East Cornwall and would be my nominations for the 'hardest'.
Two come to mind - the 'road' from Talland Bay towards Polperro - it's rough tarmac, is covered in leaves / mud as it's closed to traffic and hurts on a 17lb cross-bike on 34x26. The other is the same road in the other direction from Polperro harbour towards Talland - it's only open to 'downhill' traffic as it's very narrow - it's in excess of 25% for about 800m by my reckoning - I ride a loop that ascends to no more than 200m but has about 1500m of ascent in about 40km, most of it in excess of 20%.
At 60kg in racing-weight I can generally haul myself up most things but some of the hardest climbs I've ridden are in East Cornwall and would be my nominations for the 'hardest'.
Two come to mind - the 'road' from Talland Bay towards Polperro - it's rough tarmac, is covered in leaves / mud as it's closed to traffic and hurts on a 17lb cross-bike on 34x26. The other is the same road in the other direction from Polperro harbour towards Talland - it's only open to 'downhill' traffic as it's very narrow - it's in excess of 25% for about 800m by my reckoning - I ride a loop that ascends to no more than 200m but has about 1500m of ascent in about 40km, most of it in excess of 20%.
