South Downs way, end-to-end, TBC

I rode Butser > Old Winchester Hill on Sunday, but then my freehub seized leaving me with a 10spd fixed wheel which was great fun.

We did a short section of the downs from Brighton, then the Downs Link to Guildford on Sunday.

YetiDamo - great work, great photographs.

I'll probably go to Swinley on Saturday to play for a few hours, then might do some SDW on Sunday if anyone is up for it?

We did a short section of the downs from Brighton, then the Downs Link to Guildford on Sunday.

Nice section, that.
Did you refill at the water trough under the tree by the Adur?

It's in the post!

Literally, my dad is posting out my old MTB

Need forks now

And brakes, right? ;)

The Manitou Magnum forks on CRC are absurdly good for the money

my dad is posting out my old MTB

Less than 140mm travel >>>>>>>

smelliest part of the sdw at the bottom. woe the person who walks

i loled :(

You can extend them to 140mm with basic tools

Thread hijack:

I am planning a mini adventure on Sunday, riding the SDW from Petersfield (Buriton) to Chanctonbury Ring, just after Washington. Plan to wild camp there and then ride back to Amberley in the morning for the train home.

I'm doing it single speed on a Charge Plug with knobbly tyres, using panniers for kit carrying.

I think that the main ride will be about 35 miles, with an early dinner stop in Amberley.

I have never ridden on the SDW before and don't really know how much time to allow. (I've also never bike camped before - I am excited).

Can anyone with experience give me a bit of a heads up on how hard this will be and how long it might take? Is it an all day kind of thing or a few hours in the afternoon?

Also, are stiles or kissing gates likely to be a massive pain on this part of the SDW?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Well there are no stiles or kissing gates, just plenty of farm gates, so that's fine.

Chanctonbury ring is a nice place to bivvy. The doggy folk come pretty early though.

I'm doing it single speed on a Charge Plug with knobbly tyres, using panniers for kit carrying.

You might be walking a lot...

Thanks.

Is the walking mainly in the longer inclines, like out of Amberley and Washington or are there a lot of steep short ups and downs?

I am beginning to think this might be a bit ambitious and that I could change plans to start and finish at Amberley.

That way I could ride as far past Chanctonbury as my legs felt like and then turn around and head back. That does scupper the dinner plans a bit though.

I mean, if the walking is two main, longish slogs and a couple of hop offs and push up an incline, that is fine.

If I am getting off every ten minutes and spending more time off the bike than on, it's another matter ...

Most likely the latter. The section between Winchester and Petersfield is more SSCX frient than what comes after but it's still not great.

Ah. Poo.

What's your gear inch ratio?

54"

Got anything with gears? You'd pretty much be walking up the ups, and rolling down the downs.

That said if you don't mind a bit of walking it would be OK. Expect it to take a good 5-6 hours excluding stopping for punctures and whatnot.

I'd say go for it. A bunch of forum choppers did nearly this exact route in the summer, and they were on like bikes like £80 MTBs (although geared) and had stoves and danglemugs etc etc. It's only 35 miles, and if it's not going the way you want it, just leave the SDW (exit points everywhere) and jump onto lanes to make the campsite you had in mind.

IMO there is a middle ground with the SDW. On the one hand it's just a rocky trail along a ridge, it's not Peaslake with 4 ft drops with collarbone shattering radness (at least this section). So go and enjoy it. But all the sufferchat comes from trying to do too much of the SDW on an ill-suited bike - this is guaranteed to suck the fun out of the ride very quickly.

The weather looks great for it so I'm inclined to agree.

Yes good point, the weather looks good and that is important.

Yep. Nice day for a walk!

Got anything with gears?

Neo-retro road bike or an 80s TT Lo Pro?

Do it! 35 miles is not a lot even if you do walk some.
SDW is beautiful and if the weather is on your side it will be sweet.
As said before you can always drop down the north side and get on the B roads or just enjoy the walking.