Down the Stelvio Pass

[Sideways Tim]

As part of a road trip I'll be going down the Stelvio early June in my Spitfire. I'm a bit scared that the brakes will fade and I'll plummet off the side and explode in a fireball - is this likely?

Edited by Sideways Tim on Tuesday 19th March 11:12

[Jurgen]

No you'll be fine, there are plenty of walls or other traffic to crash into when the brakes fail

[Magic919]

Purity14 said:

No, you wont gain enough speed for brake fade imo.

This in spades.

[Sideways Tim]

Cool. What about the Grimsel?

[Yell_M3]

It's nowhere near as bad as it looks. You'll be very disappointed when you find yourself behind a convoy of campers, caravans, and ford fiesta B regs doing 5 miles per hour.

There's some less congested and frankly much more fun passes within 50 mins drive. Or just head to Applecross in Scotland!

[Yell_M3]

Oh Furka, was my fav...

[Robert Elise]

they're all good and worth doing in a loop. having driven all the way there i suggest you start the passes around 6am and take a siesta afterwoods. i'm serious, you'll have great memories rather than the frustration of what could have been.

[AdiT]

Just for balance... I'd read all the stories of gridlock, campervans, etc on the Stelvio. Then when I got there it was deserted. We saw an E type near the bottom and a road work crew van near the top. Did the whole thing full-gas and sideways. The secret was to get there late in the day.

Didn't get any brake fade but at 500kg and Wilwoods alround they're a bit better than the Spitfires brakes I suspect.

[Sideways Tim]

You might be right there

To be honest our route goes Calais to Riems and on to Nancy for an overnight stop. Then via Friedrichshafen to Nauders for another overnight. Down the Stelvio on day three to Lake Garda. Five nights there and then up the Grimsel to Lucerne for another night then one night in Bascharage before returning to Calais.

After seven hundred miles, I might just want the Stelvio over and done with. We'll see

[AdiT]

I'd be inclined to nail it on the up hill bits, when gravity is on your side and the brakes don't have to work as hard; Then take it easy/cruise gong down and enjoy the views (usually better on the decents).

Get it wrong 1/2way around a hairpin going up and can stop pretty quick, plus you're pointing at the mountainside. Get it wrong coming down and Issac Newton wants to help you into the abyss!

[Hooli]

Which way are you doing it? We went west(ish) last summer & found it great. The side we went up was a lot tighter & nagery so we got to rush down the open side with decent sightlines etc

[Sideways Tim]

No idea to be honest. I think as we're doing it on the way to Lake Garda that it'll be whatever way works out.
The more I think about it, the more I think we're going to be struggling for time. We'll see.

Any suggestions for good roads - I really don't want to be taking motorways at all, but free flowing A roads would be most welcome.

[Johno]

I'd always recommend going SW to NE and tackling the real hairpin section going down rather than up as per link below, there's 100's on YT, this was from our trip 3yrs ago ... You're unlikely to cook the brakes unless you drag them on the way down and even then you'd be unlucky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MUkXlBmdkw&fea...

Everyone should do Stelvio at least once, however I would echo comments on here that it's far from the best pass to have fun on in the Alps . . . Furka, Grimsel and Sustenpasse as a days driving is hard to beat . . .

Edited by Johno on Sunday 31st March 10:07

[Hooli]

Groshglockner or however it's spelt has been the best for me so far, proper hairpin bits & lots of faster flowing smooth tarmac with stunning views.

[dcb]

Hooli said:

Groshglockner or however it's spelt has been the best for me so far, proper hairpin bits & lots of faster flowing smooth tarmac with stunning views.

Gross Glockner Hoch Alpen Strasse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grossglockner_High_Al...

I've seen British registered Caterfields up there.

One or two of the side roads are cobbled, which is more interesting in
the rain & snow.

A lot more fun than the Stelvio, in my view.

[bad company]

Sounds like you are in for some great driving, those passes are awesome.

As for your brakes you will see several very hardy cyclists climbing and descending. If thier brakes can cope I'm sure yours will be fine.

ENJOY.

[AdiT]

bad company said:

Sounds like you are in for some great driving, those passes are awesome.

As for your brakes you will see several very hardy cyclists climbing and descending. If thier brakes can cope I'm sure yours will be fine.

ENJOY.

Having done plenty of high passes on the bike... Cycists brakes cope by just not using them. It is a different problem though. Cars boil the fluid through over heating but bikes have problems with heat affecting the tyres/iner tubes. Worst case, the inner tubes melt and blow (seen it happen). With no engine braking as in a car you just have to let them run.

[Tannedbaldhead]

If you're there during the tourist season you wont being going that fast. When I was there too many coaches and bikes were making their way up and down the pass to allow any kind of spirited driving.
Scenery is nice mind you.

[Sideways Tim]

We'll be coming round the mountain 3rd June. But, after two days of nine hour drives, just a look at the scenery will be fine

[whirligig]

We're just back from a road trip (from Belgium) to Lake Garda (Sirmione) - sadly Stelvio not open yet so went the Brenner Pass instead (after overnighting near Garmisch). I know it's one of the lower passes and all motorway but still stunning coming down into Italy. Came back through Switzerland (overnighted at Lucerne in the former jail!) then a bit of a tedious slog home via Germ/France/Lux. Long days in the car but with 3 "tweenagers" we stayed on the easy and quicker roads rather than the more interesting ones. Switz certainly the most scenic country. Enjoy!