cycling Kirkstone Pass - Hartsop

Tried this one from the North on a long loop heading back to Coniston. You can see the whole thing pretty much from the bottom - might psych you out a bit? Riding an optimistic 42 x 24 bottom gear on my old 501 Raleigh training bike (ca. 10.8Kg) and high pressures. Not a good idea, something went ""ping"" inside my left knee just about 80% of the way up near to the small car park on the right - Id already lost too much momentum to make it up in one go and had tried to grind in slow motion, but no, the body gave out and sadly my left knee has never been right since - arthroscopy managed to tidy up some loose bits of cartilage but its still painful once I get fit and give it full gas. Sad just thinking about it. But hey, hills are there to be climbed, so my advice is just make sure your bottom gear is low enough - obvious, now I know.

My personal climb rating: 4 stars