South Downs way, end-to-end, TBC

July and August looking pretty good for me, would have a preference for a Saturday, so as not to worry about rushing home to get turned around for work.

I've done the first 85miles on a MTB which was fine but maybe a touch boring cycling, if I was to do it again would probably use my cross bike to make it more fun.

(I did 30-odd miles of the SDW when I was a kid. On a racer. Don't do that, destroyed both wheels & bent the frame!)

How "off-road" is this? Would it be doable on an LHT with chunky tyres?

How "off-road" is this? Would it be doable on an LHT with chunky tyres?

It's doable on LHT, flat bars better?... I've done the Brighton to Eastbourne section on one.... but given a choice take another bike, going down the downs on the drops was scary!

Any thoughts on a date for this?

Potentially interested. If anyone's up for spreading this over two days I'd be up for that too.

Ive just come back from doing it last weekend. Absolutely fantastic. We were a group of 12 with very mixed abilities and so started late friday did 20 miles, then 40 on saturday and 40 on sunday.
The terrain was maybe a bit harder than i thought it would be, no really technical stuff but a great mix of terrain and surfaces. Some very steep shortish pitches probably over 30% but all just about rideable on my 36/30. The second day was wet after heavy thunderstorms and some of the flinty white clay was very slippy.
I was riding my Boardman cx bike with heavy but reliable Schwalbe land cruisers (no punctures) and had no problems although it was a little jaring in places. There was a fantastic descent down, i think Buster hill which was like a grass ski run, perfectly smooth and i hit 45 mph.
Loads of lovely pubs on the way which we took full advantage of but i would love to do it again in one go. Maybe next year!

I think July is our best bet, and the BHF ride is the 19th, whilst the Oxfam Trailwalk is the 26th/27th, therefore I am going to do this on the 12th.

Sunrise is 04:48 and sunset is 21:14 on the 12th.

If we budget 10 hours (10 miles an hour average speed), and to finish in daylight, we therefore need to set off at 9am.

However, to build in a margin for delay, I would prefer 8am.

This would mean getting the 06:30 train from London Waterloo, which arrives in Winchester at 07:33, giving 27 minutes to grab a coffee and then cycle the couple of miles to the start.

How does this sound to everyone?

Sounds good!

Dunwich Dynamo & DJ's BBQ init. :(

I'm afraid that there are only a certain number of weekends in July!

Could do 19th. But yeah I guess if the BHF ride is on that's not a goer.

August?

By the 12th of August the day is almost an hour shorter, depressingly.

Ride faster and / or bring lights :)

If we budget 10 hours (10 miles an hour average speed), and to finish in daylight, we therefore need to set off at 9am.

10hrs is quite fast for 3,500m, 80 gates and 96m esp with a group?

Boo, at a wedding that w/e

If we budget 10 hours (10 miles an hour average speed), and to finish in daylight, we therefore need to set off at 9am.

10hrs is quite fast for 3,500m, 80 gates and 96m esp with a group?

Quite possibly, we would need to push I think.

That said, everyone should bring lights.

We could leave earlier- what do people think?

Already dropped out of the DD. Going to have to bedwet on this one too :-/

1. Dammit
   
2. 
   
3. danstuff (subject to availability, timing, being in the right country etc)
   
4. danb
   
5. Eyebrows (standard caveats)
   
6. lhl
   
7. Dumps
   
8. Sparky
   
9. KDense
   
10. Howard
    

Yep, and I can't make the proposed date.

1. Dammit
   
2. 
   
3. danstuff (subject to availability, timing, being in the right country etc)
   
4. danb
   
5. Eyebrows (standard caveats)
   
6. lhl
   
7. Dumps
   
8. Sparky
   
9. KDense
   

I'm going to ride my CX bike, as this will be mainly bridal way type riding, with some road (warning: Assumption!)

There's a few small bits of road, mainly short crossings. I have done the whole thing on a 'cross bike, though the descents are hard on the forearms. I would recommend disc brakes. Without front sus, you are braking constantly down every descent. The descents are just as tiring as the climbs, though in a different way.

The advantages of a cross bike is of course more direct power transfer on the climbs– I was flying past my cousin on his hardtail on every climb. But the descents evened us out, infact he was more often ahead of me than behind.

I should be OK for the 12th, but need to sort out child care. Will be on CX bike.

How muddy is it out there at the moment and what sort of tyres would be best: full on knobblies or something a bit less pronounced (e.g. speedkings)?

Was thinking recently that the South Downs looked nice for a ride. Could be interested, depending on the date. MTB or CX only, right? Would need to get the old Stumpjumper finished then. Would be up for camping half way, too. 100 miles off road might be a bit much for one day.

Checked my diary. My next free weekend's in November. Arse.

What would people prefer to do - whole thing in one day or camp on Saturday night and finish on Sunday?

I'd only really thought of doing it in one, but it would certainly be more relaxing over both days.