Them there passes in the Alps

[C-J]

I'm not too worried as I've ridden a lardy 1150RT up and down Hardknott and Wrynose.. Perfect road for finding out that the ABS would release all braking pressure when the back wheel skipped over the bumps on the down hill sections !! Great design !

Its only our second big tour, after our trip round Ireland last summer, so relatively inexperienced compared to hard core tossers.

Just hope her 600RR isn't too uncomfortable... Its the pefect touring bike apparently

 

[cutmorej]

re-alps

were heading out to the alps 10th june newcastle ferrydoind most of the passes have done the french alps and found no issues looking forward to this only 6 weeks 4days 23 minutes and 40 seconds but hey whos counting enjoy

 

[bsogri]

aps

Remember they drive on the right most of the time and they are all foreign

Johnn Rea wins Assen WSB

 

[bootlace]

Remember they drive on the right most of the time and they are all foreign

Johnn Rea wins Assen WSB

HEY! Thanks for that SPOILER! I WAS gunna enjoy watching Assen when I got home from work......

 

[zzrman]

If you feel like a little challenge try the Passo Di Mortirolo (1896m) if you can find it
It’s a tight, twisty, loose surfaced and dark road in places as the trees cover it. It’s a little sod. Mostly 1st & 2nd gear work. Watch out for the local lads racing their Fiat wrecks and push-bikes on a weekend.

John

http://www.bbot.co.uk/pass-reports/passo-di-mortirolo/

 

[thauma]

great roads - you'll have lots of fun, and the views (if you can spare the time) are fantastic.

Just watch out as one or two of the tunnels have turns / corners / cobbles in them, usually just where you're vision blind (going from bright sun to dark tunnel).

the other suggestion I would make is to try to ride the passes during the week and not at a weekend. That way the roads are quieter, and you don't have all the locals racing the passes (and they do at high speed and crazy lean angles) They will pass on the inside or the outside of you in hair pin bends - so you need to know what's ahead and what / who is behind.

A great place to ride bikes though. Highly recommended.

Cheers

Dave#...

 

[the beer hunter]

Hardnose & Wryknott superb passes with some loverly scenery...

..but for passes on a bigger scale you've gotta try The Alps.

 

[Balders1450]

Things like Stelvio, Grimsel, Furka and the like....

Are they any more technical to ride up and down than the passes in the lake district such as Hardknott, Wrynose, Honister etc... Just want a rough idea as to what to expect... I know theyre going to be much longer, but are they any tighter,steeper than we encounter over here...

Cheers

Stelvio Stelvio, it's ok, nothing special....The road from Davos to Stelvio... Mr Clarkson said was one of the best in the world...b****x there are much much better...

If you like tight hairpins we came across this road near Belluno last year gps 46.08046 12.51102 see photo, hairpins every 500 feet!

Try to avoid weekends when the locals go ape, watch for gravel and crazy Italian drivers coming round bends on your side of the road....

Just enjoy and don't panic, back brake down hill, front uphill. The Alps are a fantastic playground, we have been going over there for the last 10 years, there is always somewhere different..we're off for 11 days end of May and then 18 days in Sept, there is nowhere better on the planet......( watch now as I get both barrels from someone )

Smooth twistys are my favourites, the road from Stanzach to Namlos and Fern Pass is amazing gps 47.37348 10.69940

Have a top trip

 

[sven]

Stelvio Stelvio, it's ok, nothing special....The road from Davos to Stelvio... Mr Clarkson said was one of the best in the world...b****x there are much much better...

The Fluella Pass IS one of the great roads IMHO, but the Stelvio itself is spectacular to view but crap to ride.

Prefer the Grossglockner myself and the Spanish Pyrenees

 

[Balders1450]

The Fluella Pass IS one of the great roads IMHO, but the Stelvio itself is spectacular to view but crap to ride.

Prefer the Grossglockner myself and the Spanish Pyrenees

Flüela Pass is great, totally agree with your comment on Stelvio....Did Glock again last year, only as it was free when we stayed with Ross and John at http://www.hochalmspitze.com/index.htm otherwise it's €18!

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

as has been said, the main passes in the Alps are wider and better quality than the highest passes in the UK, and usually better than ANY roads in the UK. They are, after all, main roads and important for transport, trade and so on. The UK passes tend to be following the sheep trails and if you need to get to the other side of the pass with a big vehicle, it only takes an hour or two to drive the long way round. Why build a super-duper road when it won't achieve much?

However, if you venture off the main roads in the Alps (or the Pyrenees), you will find every variety of big road, minor road, gravel tracks and combinations of all three. Some passes have a nice new wide smooth road running alongside the small twisty old road. St Gotthard (I think) is the obvious example - either a fast road with tunnels, canopies and steady gradient, or the old road - extremely twisty, cobbles, some very steep bits and all in all, something of a challenge. Worth doing it though!

I've always found riding down hairpin passes much more worrying than riding up. Only advice is to take it slow and at your own pace, don't try and cut right-handers too tight or you'll end up on the near-vertical bit.

 

[Giles]

As already mentioned earlier, the trick to the hairpins on these passes, is to have a good hard look way back over your shoulder for oncoming traffic a good 50 metres or so before the corner. If there is traffic coming (esp coaches or caravans), and conditions allow (like theres not a queue of bikers up yer chuff..) stop and wait. Use the whole road on the bend if you can.
Look at the pics in the tvam look learn and roll in the training thread. You need to be looking like that !!!

 

[swissrob]

The Fluella Pass IS one of the great roads IMHO, but the Stelvio itself is spectacular to view but crap to ride.

Prefer the Grossglockner myself and the Spanish Pyrenees

all depends which side of the stelvio you come up/down, 1 side is really crap.

also the andermatt side of the furka is fairly narrow and has sections of bad road surface but there are ongoing road works to correct this, should be done by the summer

 

[sven]

I agree the south side of the Stelvio is a much nicer, but it's the more spectacular north side that everyone wants to see and ride. Quite like the sausage sandwiches too

Thanks for the heads up on the Furka - looking forward to riding it in July