I rode up it the first time at age 61 years. It was tough, but really enjoyable and rewarding. I have done it again since. It is iconic, but I would never even consider a city bike. Chapeaux, Hank.
I’ve always said to my family, if I’m on the way out with no quality of life, take me to the top of the Alpe, strap me to the cheapest heaviest bike you can find, then give me a good push….
I did Alpe d’Huez back in 1988, about halfway up my rear derailleur cable came loose and I didn’t have a 5mm Allen key so i continued to climb in my 39/12 and ask anyone that passed me if they had an Allen key. One rider said yes, I said if you want to continue I could catch up to him and give it back. He replied that it was a good time to stop. I secured the cable made it to the finish line. I can’t imagine Hank’s suffering, chapeau!
That's a great lesson learned today: On average you will climb faster carrying a 5 mm Allen key. Or in general: a couple hundred grams in tools and spare parts. :)
It’s one of the great things about cycling. You can ride the same epic climbs as the pros for free. Rode up Mont Semnoz near Annecy and watched a guy in polo shirt, cargo shorts and boat shoes plus straw hat, power up the climb on a rental bike like this. Stood and applauded him at the roadside.
Absolutely Hanktastic! Never seen anything so MAD and at the same time so inspiring! (…and let’s not forget that Manon actually rode up it too, on her first attempt) Great video guys Hankyou very much 👏👏👏
I think we all knew it would be ‘near impossible’ - the funniest part was seeing him remember use the kick-stand just before collapsing on the pavement. But surely the ride down would have been brilliant! 🤩
If you've ever riden one of these bikes on hills, they usually have pretty mediocre brakes for their weight, so on steeper hills they are really not confidence inspiring.
Big respect. I did this as part of the marmotte a few weeks ago. Video and zwift just don’t accurately portray how steep some of the ramps are. When you turn that first corner out of bourg it’s like being faced with a wall. Kudos!
Hank you are a superstar! I did this climb on Zwift with a 90+ kg body disadvantage, the composition of which is mostly head (my nick name is "El Sombrero - the stoper of light" also "snipers dream"), how you still maintain your humour in the hardest of challenges, I do no know. Stay strong and thank you for some brilliant vids!!
He handled Megavalanche exceedingly well. If that didn't break him, nothing else could. It's funny how a city bike on Alpe d'Huez could prove deadlier than plunging down a mountain, snow, boulders, and all.
Hank!! I love the way your voice changes from a tone of enthusiastic expectation to one of resigned despair! But an INCREDIBLY effort, as one who can't even get up Crouch Hill, I'm in awe of your climbing prowess!
About 20 years ago, I rode up AdZ as my first real mountain, on a full suspesion mountainbike (with no lockout), that weighed about 20 kilo's. This video brings back a lot of memories, especially the hurting of riding it upwards on a DREADFUL bike! Go Hank, Gooooo!!!
What a hero! For anyone on a more suitable bike, I suggest to add the Col de Sarenne (1999m) after reaching Alpe d'Huez. Stunning scenery, did the combo twice now and loved it!
Chapeau Hank....that was seriously crazy, but well done for sticking at it. I rode up Alpe d’Huez ten years ago, loved it, but wouldn't want to face it on that monstrosity!
Hank, you da man 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 … perhaps slightly mad 😂 but always giving off a likable vibe. It was great of Manon to give him a little push. Thanks to both of you for this hilarious and entertaining video. 😊
2 месяца назад
"Hank the tank", what an effort. I think nobody could do that on this crappy bike than Hank. Kudos! And congrats to Manon also!
I must say, i find it VERY merciful of Manon for not using an e-bike to accompany Hank. Nothing is worse than struggling up a climb, while your partner rides along one handed with a smile on their face as if they have no care for the world, while a 250w motor does all the work. edit: also .. wow, it weighs 25 kg?! .. this mobike is heavier than my e-bike!
"Why on earth would you do that" springs to mind but hats off on the effort you put into that, Hank. Hope that was a bikeshare and you left it at the top for the retrieval people.
The man! The legend! Hank is like the Halley's comet - comes around every 72-80 years! We are lucky to be living in the period of his presence. Chapeau!
Entertaining to watch. It's not often we see Hank forced to get off the bike and walk. Well done on your effort Hank 👍. Well filmed also, some great drone shots.
Hank is an 'animal' I got tired many times, and all I was doing was watching him....😮 You're the GCN 'GOAT' Bro. Love the vids. You guys are truly an inspiration to lots of folks like me.... ❤❤
Have done Alpe d'Huez twice. Once from Bourg d'Oisans early on a sunday morning, was long but apart from that no particular problems. The second time was as the final climb of the Marmotte, and it does make a differnce to have 160km and 4000m in your legs already at the base of the climb. It's a classic though, love the wide hairpins. A tip of the helmet to Hank, a monstrous effort.
Wow, over 2 hours and you did not give up, that's a kind of victory. I remember to this day my suffering on the climb. I had my road bike but I started the climb when I already lost my legs in previous climbs. All the way up on my lowest gear, often out of the saddle.
Well done Hank!!! Amazing effort. Some years ago 4 British postie's did it on pashley mailstar aka post bike but they had 3 speeds. Spectacular effort👍👍👍
Just came back from a trip where we climbed alpe d'huez twice, I used gcn indoor training videos during winter training, to prepare for the epic climb. So I was hearing Hanks and Matt Stephens' voices up the climb, telling me to "crystal crank" and "keep up the souplesse." Chapeau to Manon for her first time on the Alpe! And to Hank, you're a true Legend mate.
Brings back fun memories. I lived in Shanghai when MoBikes came out in 2015 and we did some awesome Crit Races and short ITTs on them in the Shanghai Expo Area, even had MoBike as Race Sponsor, good old times.
Hank is definitely made of different Hankstuff...that was a genuine effort that only a few would have the resiliance to work through. Highly entertaining to watch 🤣💪🏼
Hero Hank! Well done! Even the Pog wouldn't manage to do that on a city bike......which must make Hank the best cyclist in the world at the moment. The Alpe is hellishly hard on a good road bike ....I did it last year (just sayin'!) and it took every ounce of strength left in my 61 yr old body. Surely no one could disagree, it's a beautiful climb but it's not as if there's anything there once you get to the top except more heat ........although it's a whizz of a ride back down again for a cold beer once you arrive back in Le Bourg D'Oisans which makes the day even more worthwhile!
You’re amazing Hank! And well done Manon for your first ever go at that iconic climb. I am in awe- going up “rue de Montrose” (Montrose Street) in Glasgow is enough of a city bike challenge for me ;)
I've bought puncture proof solid 700 23 tires and I only did 10 km on them before I chucked them aside due to how sluggish they are. And I had them on a light weight urban 3x8 bike. Hank is built different.
@@doctorscoot Usually city bikes has no gears - because this is easier to maintain and last longer in service. For short "hop on - hop off" journeys on relatively flat terrain with slow pace - they are ideal. But, some cities upgraded their fleet to electric assist version. Ususally there is small (36V 10Ah) battery and hub motor and no gears - for same reason: simplicity and reliability :)
Haha. Nice one Hank. I remember in my youth riding (and walking) up Kidds Hill on the Ashdown Forest on my Raleigh Grifter XL. A bike that weighed so much it was allegedly forged out of a collapsed Neutron star.
I can totally relate. I did Nice Eze Monaco and back on a holland bike last year. A 1000 meters. Occasionally I pushed the thing on some slopes well above 15 %. Up AND down, because those shoddy breaks just were not up for the job.
Every year on July 3rd in Virginia there is a ride called Neptunes challenge. It starts on the West Virginia border and finishes in Virginia beach on 4 July before the fireworks is the challenge. 316 miles or 480km roughly. Come on Hank you have a year to train. It's self supported and starts at midnight so you can ride in the cooler temps for most of the day.
I already respected Hank before this (as I do many GCN presenters). This puts him at the top of the list. Like Manon said, Hank is made of different stuff. Rest well, Hank. You deserve a recharge. And a beer. Or five.
imagine the speeds a 50lb bike can reach on the descent though! I hope it has good brakes. As always, Hank is a super sport who takes one for the team, and unique GCN content. What a guy.
I tried a valenbisi bike in Valencia Spain and fully understand how difficult these bikes are to ride on flat surfaces. Way to go Hank! Looked incredibly hard.
I rode up Alpe d'Huez (slowly!) in 2004. I had driven 10 to 12 hours the day before to get to Bourg d'Oisans, and then slept in my rental car overnight. I was on the side road at the first turn, right where Hank and Manon started riding. I rode up the day before the Tour de France time trial up Alpe d'Huez. As you would expect, the road was crowded with fans in various stages of drinking, painting the road, drinking, singing, and drinking. After seeing the Alpe only on TV and in magazines for the past 20 years, I felt like I was finally coming home! As an American, it was a significant pilgrimage. I have no idea what my riding time was, but I don't care. I had a 39 x 26 low gear, but enjoying the atmosphere and experience was more important than the finishing time. I stopped occasionally to take pictures and to stuff my lungs back into my chest. The descent was also quite entertaining, but that's another story! It's hard to believe that 20 years have passed since then. It simultaneously seems so long ago, and not that long.
Would love to climb Alpe d’Huez (on my Orbea Orca😜)!!!! Still on my wishlist! You could also watch videos from Tour de Tietema on youtube. They climb mountains with the most ridiculous bikes!
I've been up all three routes; if you're there for the iconic front climb stay an extra day or two in the area and go up the other two routes. Different scenery but just as much fun....
