# When I were a lad-the Horseshoe Pass!



## Dave7 (11 Jan 2012)

I remember as a lad (only 50 years ago) on my 3 gear sturmy archer......cycling up the Horshoe Pass nar Llangollen..........anyone else done this (on any bike)


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## TheDoctor (17 Jan 2012)

Did it about 4 years ago, on my Carbon Uberbike. I subsequently worked out that Horseshoe Pass 4 times on the trot added up to Mont Ventoux, and my fate was sealed...


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## ColinJ (17 Jan 2012)

I've never ridden it. I always thought it was supposed to be a monstrous climb, but I've just plotted it with my mapping software and it turns out to be virtually identical in profile to the climb out of Hebden Bridge on the Keighley Road which is very steady, averaging 5%.

I must be thinking of some other famous Welsh climb?

Ha. I've found it - Bwlch y Groes! That's a nasty-looking climb gaining 375 metres in 2.9 km, an average of 12.9%!


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## dodgy (17 Jan 2012)

The Horseshoe Pass features on many of my rides into Wales. It's not *that* bad. A reasonably constant 5% or so, with a steepish ramp near the start at the Britannia Inn, followed by another steep bit on the actual corners of the shoe itself. If you want a real challenge, ride up the 'old shoe' which is a tarmac track that goes behind the cafe at the top....


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## Dave7 (17 Jan 2012)

dodgy said:


> The Horseshoe Pass features on many of my rides into Wales. It's not *that* bad. A reasonably constant 5% or so, with a steepish ramp near the start at the Britannia Inn, followed by another steep bit on the actual corners of the shoe itself. If you want a real challenge, ride up the 'old shoe' which is a tarmac track that goes behind the cafe at the top....


 Ah! but did you do it on a 1963 steel wheeled Sturmy Archer 3 gear


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## mr_hippo (17 Jan 2012)

Dave7 said:


> Ah! but did you do it on a 1963 steel wheeled Sturmy Archer 3 gear


Went there many times om a 3 speed around that time. I remember one memorable ride when we de3cided to visit Castell Dinas Bran, nice ride up there but the descent....! I had replaced the brake blocks the night before but had made one slight mistake. Ever had four brake blocks go 'ping' and shoot off like machine gun bullets? Fortunately there were three of us so i borrowed two brake blocks from John and both of us rode home om front brake only.
Last time I climbed the Horseshoe, it was on a club ride and our oldest member Bill Murphy (late 70s) climbed it on a 3 speed - it was on his new bile as he called it; it was a new bike - well it was in 1937!


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## ColinJ (17 Jan 2012)

mr_hippo said:


> I had replaced the brake blocks the night before but had made one slight mistake. Ever had four brake blocks go 'ping' and shoot off like machine gun bullets?


You accidentally swapped the left and right brake block holders so the pads were ejected on braking rather than being forced further into the holders?

If so, how come you didn't destroy your wheel rims?


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## Alun (17 Jan 2012)

ColinJ said:


> You accidentally swapped the left and right brake block holders so the pads were ejected on braking rather than being forced further into the holders?
> 
> If so, how come you didn't destroy your wheel rims?


 Steel wheels Colin, real metal !


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## mr_hippo (17 Jan 2012)

ColinJ said:


> You accidentally swapped the left and right brake block holders so the pads were ejected on braking rather than being forced further into the holders?
> 
> If so, how come you didn't destroy your wheel rims?


No just put them in backwards with open end forward.
As Alun said - steel wheels and shoes possibly did not touch rims


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## dodgy (17 Jan 2012)

Dave7 said:


> Ah! but did you do it on a 1963 steel wheeled Sturmy Archer 3 gear


 
Did it once on a 3 speed shopping bike that belonged to my sister, I'd forgotten all about it until your post! I was on holiday with some mates in a nearby caravan and we all rode up it on borrowed bikes! None of us were 'cyclists' back then.
Admittedly, I had to stop a few times.


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## ColinJ (17 Jan 2012)

mr_hippo said:


> No just put them in backwards with open end forward.
> As Alun said - steel wheels and shoes possibly did not touch rims


That's what I meant! Mine have to be swapped L-R to do that (unless you put them in upside down with the wheel guides facing upwards instead of downwards).

If the blocks were out and the shoes didn't touch the rims, how did you stop?

I wrecked an alloy rim when my front blocks wore through on a fast descent!


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## Holdsworth (17 Jan 2012)

I went up the "easy" way from the Ruthin side last year, still I had to stop once before reaching the top. The descent down into Llangollen on the other side was well worth it though


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## TheDoctor (18 Jan 2012)

It is a _brilliant_ descent into Llangollen.
I was once persuaded not to try it on a Brompton, which I happened to have in the car.
I resolved not to tell her until afterwards next time!!!


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## mr_hippo (18 Jan 2012)

My normal route took me - Frodsham, Helsby, Queensferry, Ewloe. First part was OK especially that nice bend as you approached RAF Sealand but then the Ewloe - always hated that hill. Nice on the way back down it to go home but... Through Sealand to the lights and turn right onto what we used to call the 'Shell Road' where the oil refineries are. try that on a cold wet night; appeared to be straight, slightly uphill and the wind and rain was always in your face. Always a relief to get to Helsby but the 'pain' was not over yet! Another hill that used to get me was from the Bear's Paw pub lights at Frodshan - always had a mental block there and my last hill of the day was at Clifton, Runcorn - either the old Clifton Road pre new town or the Clifton Expressway. Yes I know there is a cycle path at the riding school that leads to Beechwood but that's another 'hill from hell' Still it's all part of the joys of cycling!


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## Ian H (19 Jan 2012)

Something like 26 years ago on the tandem, with our daughter swaddled in the childseat. It was a time of snow, ice and icicles.


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## Dave7 (19 Jan 2012)

Holdsworth said:


> I went up the "easy" way from the Ruthin side last year, still I had to stop once before reaching the top. The descent down into Llangollen on the other side was well worth it though


 I did it the opposite way and although it was some 50 years ago I still remember the slight fear as we 'flew' down. I seem to remember my mate having an old speedometer of some sort and I recall it read 40mph.....is my memory correct ? did they exist then ?


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## MacB (19 Jan 2012)

I ride it most weekends as a bit of a warm up, to make it hard enough I need to go SS at around 100 gear inches. Throw in a rucksack with some bricks, panniers with more bricks and I sometimes drag the brakes for that extra resistance.

None of this namby pamby multiple gears nonsense, the pleasure is in the pain.


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## Moss (22 Jan 2012)

MacB said:


> I ride it most weekends as a bit of a warm up, to make it hard enough I need to go SS at around 100 gear inches. Throw in a rucksack with some bricks, panniers with more bricks and I sometimes drag the brakes for that extra resistance.
> 
> None of this namby pamby multiple gears nonsense, the pleasure is in the pain.


 
Like your style Mac, I'll meet up with you if you wish? you can tow me to the top! You have the pain I'll take the pleasure!
A5, is a nice road to ride though. The A470 throws in a few testing climbs also!


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## MacB (22 Jan 2012)

Moss said:


> Like your style Mac, I'll meet up with you if you wish? you can tow me to the top! You have the pain I'll take the pleasure!
> A5, is a nice road to ride though. The A470 throws in a few testing climbs also!


 
You'd think it would be easy for me to oblige but when you travel at warp speed all the time meetings are hard. It would be like you trying to step up and hitch a ride on the back of a speeding express train. Blink and you'd miss me, I'm sorry that's just the way it is!!!


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## Moss (23 Jan 2012)

MacB said:


> You'd think it would be easy for me to oblige but when you travel at warp speed all the time meetings are hard. It would be like you trying to step up and hitch a ride on the back of a speeding express train. Blink and you'd miss me, I'm sorry that's just the way it is!!!


 
No chance of getting on your wheel then! Not if the Force is with you?


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## MacB (23 Jan 2012)

Moss said:


> No chance of getting on your wheel then! Not if the Force is with you?


 
The Force would be with me if it could keep up


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## Dave7 (23 Jan 2012)

MacB said:


> I ride it most weekends as a bit of a warm up, to make it hard enough I need to go SS at around 100 gear inches. Throw in a rucksack with some bricks, panniers with more bricks and I sometimes drag the brakes for that extra resistance.
> 
> None of this namby pamby multiple gears nonsense, the pleasure is in the pain.


 
For just a moment I thought you were kidding!


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