2013-07-07 - London to Brighton - 99% Traffic Free

I'll be riding a 38 on the front, 35 on the back. Fat tire time.

On your bike that currently has a tagalong?

Yep.

Boss

We did this last year: https://www.lfgss.com/thread80258.html as a group starting from Dorking, and I rode the whole thing again a little later in the summer.

The whole way is a very long day... and there are very few places in which you can get food and drink, so you will need to carry most of it with you.

Once you get to the South Downs Way it's a piece of piss... fairly smooth and flat, and even with Marathons at ~70 psi on a road bike you'd be fine.

The problem is that bit before Guildford. Parts of that were inaccessible when I did it, and little detours were necessary, and you'd find yourself doing this semi-technical sections down the sides of fields and across little brooks. Absolutely beautiful stuff, but really time consuming.

May well join you all, but if I do I'm just going to put Marathons on my super-light road bike. I've done the bulk of this a couple of times, and each time I did it was on a single-speed 29er with only 54 gear inches. I'm not making that mistake again... by the time you reach South Downs Way, you'll want to notch the speed up to at least 15km/h for the entire rest of the journey otherwise it takes way too long.

I heartily recommend the Fortune of War ( http://www.drinkinbrighton.co.uk/fortune-of-war ) on the beach at Brighton as the destination. It's impossible to get lost because you're following a train line, and the going along the coast with the sea on your right... so if you're above a few people you should just fragment a little on the South Downs Way and then meet at the pub on the beach for beer and chips.

refers to GI spreadsheet My SS29er is 66 gear inches... I reckon that'll be fine. Did not have in mind carrying everything though... gonna need a bigger bag.

refers to GI spreadsheet My SS29er is 66 gear inches... I reckon that'll be fine. Did not have in mind carrying everything though... gonna need a bigger bag.

Don't take loads and loads though! High density carbs like energy bars/muesli bars/cake are ideal. There should still be places to pick up a refill of water and peanuts...

There should still be places to pick up a refill of water and peanuts...

Once you are on the South Downs Way... there isn't.

It's an old train line, things like petrol stations are not around when you're steering clear of roads.

Sure, no need to go overboard... but certainly no betting on re-supplying from Guildford until you hit the coast. Which is fine, that's the fast section... half the distance a third of the time. There are newsagents and petrol stations the moment you hit the coast. But if you've bonked 10 miles before, you'll be limping to that point.

Sure. I did DD last year, I got pockets for some bars and gels.

Tempted to try the route and maybe the single speed kona lava dome as I'd like to give it a run.

^^ cheese & pickle sarnies ftw!

got my 32c tryes/tubes now so defo in - though i haven't actually tried the tyres on yet so hope they do actually fit!! if not, anybody wanna buy some 700 x 32c Bont's?

Lets talk, what kind of cheese?

cheddar if with pickle, though if I'm feeling a bit continental it could be brie % white grapes - sans pickle...

... now I'm getting a bit peckish, and it's only 3am

cheddar if with pickle, though if I'm feeling a bit continental it could be brie % white grapes - sans pickle...

... now I'm getting a bit peckish, and it's only 3am

is this ok, or are the 700x32c tyres I got just too big?
had to drop the wheel in the forks about 5mm. Also the brake blocks. There's only about 2mm clearance and I can hear all the bits of twig, grit etc brushing between tyre and fork crown.

2 Attachments

I don't think that's going to be much fun if it gets bumpy or there's a lot of debris on the surface... I mean people ride around on track bikes with that kind of clearance but they're not taking them offroad for 80 miles.

is this ok, or are the 700x32c tyres I got just too big?
had to drop the wheel in the forks about 5mm. Also the brake blocks. There's only about 2mm clearance and I can hear all the bits of twig, grit etc brushing between tyre and fork crown.

I'd go down to a 28c if you can, best to be on the safe side.

I don't think that's going to be much fun if it gets bumpy or there's a lot of debris on the surface... I mean people ride around on track bikes with that kind of clearance but they're not taking them offroad for 80 miles.

Really looking forward to this ride :)

is this ok, or are the 700x32c tyres I got just too big?
had to drop the wheel in the forks about 5mm. Also the brake blocks. There's only about 2mm clearance and I can hear all the bits of twig, grit etc brushing between tyre and fork crown.

That isn't going to work.
Sorry.
We have a 28 Randonneur you are welcome to.

anyone want to buy a pair of 700x32c Bonts on the cheap?

I had a bad time with tight clearances on a similar path to this one. Soon as there's a sniff of mud you spend the ride picking it out of various nooks and crannies. Even worse when you add mud guards, ironically.

I have wanted to do this route to Brighton for a while. count me in.

1. |³|MA3K
   
2. Eamesy
   dimi3.
   
3. Indr4Ripper
   
4. Sweats
   
5. Jake
   
6. shinkuu kiss
   
7. Dan-himself
   
8. mattioats
   
9. dave4
   
10. Big Dave
    
11. apollo
    
12. Hairnet
    14.atbeard
    
13. Booga
    
14. Tanya g
    
15. Hesa
    
16. heavisides
    
17. What?ok!
    
18. Ok123
    21: Andrew
    
19. Hispanic Mechanic
    
20. Luckyskull
    

This will be epic and ideal on my cyclocross, so hopefully I won't turn into a cry baby...

1. |³|MA3K
   
2. Eamesy
   dimi3.
   
3. Indr4Ripper
   
4. Sweats
   
5. Jake
   
6. shinkuu kiss
   
7. Dan-himself
   
8. mattioats
   
9. dave4
   
10. Big Dave
    
11. apollo
    
12. Hairnet
    14.atbeard
    
13. Booga
    
14. Tanya g
    
15. Hesa
    
16. heavisides
    
17. What?ok!
    
18. Ok123
    21: Andrew
    
19. Hispanic Mechanic
    
20. Luckyskull
    
21. torker
    

1. |³|MA3K
   
2. Eamesy
   dimi3.
   
3. Indr4Ripper
   
4. Sweats
   
5. Jake
   
6. shinkuu kiss
   
7. Dan-himself
   
8. mattioats
   
9. dave4
   
10. Big Dave
    
11. apollo
    
12. Hairnet
    14.atbeard
    
13. Booga
    
14. Tanya g
    
15. Hesa
    
16. heavisides
    
17. What?ok!
    
18. Ok123
    21: Andrew
    
19. Hispanic Mechanic
    
20. Luckyskull
    
21. torker
    
22. eyebrows
    
    

In, and then will have to rush off all the way back to Nottingham.

There isn't much by way of facitilies on this ride so if you are are planning to come try this one first..

N/E/S/Whatever

The distance and pace are similar but there are train stations, tubes and bike/food shops everywhere.

this needed a BUMP anyway.
I'm in trouble with the missus now - forgot to put this on the "official kitchen calendar"

IN!

1. |³|MA3K
   
2. Eamesy
   dimi3.
   
3. Indr4Ripper
   
4. Sweats
   
5. Jake
   
6. shinkuu kiss
   
7. Dan-himself
   
8. mattioats
   
9. dave4
   
10. Big Dave
    
11. apollo
    
12. Hairnet
    14.atbeard
    
13. Booga
    
14. Tanya g
    
15. Hesa
    
16. heavisides
    
17. What?ok!
    
18. Ok123
    21: Andrew
    
19. Hispanic Mechanic
    
20. Luckyskull
    
21. torker
    
22. eyebrows
    
23. cnkr