Now my head is back to normal, some of you asked for a quick write up.
I fully blame the STW collective as I think early on in 2011, there was a thread regarding targets for the coming year and can't remember why, but I suggested I'd hav a bash. So started lots a riding and looking at maps and bombaring other SDD riders with questions and information. I had two trips from North Wales to the South Coast to see the lay of the land and my plan was hatched for 6am 30th July. As some of you know tyre trouble saw what spare time I had evaporate, and by the 100 mile marker I knew I'd be outside the magic 24hrs. With lights picked up from wifey I set off on return leg. By 12:30am, 2 out of three lights had failed and by 1:30am, the last one was on half power. By mile 150 things were looking grim. But the thought of having to do it again was worse, so pushed on into the night. A crash around 2am saw what light I had fail, cue lots of groveling around the pitch dark to reconnect light cable. Day light couldn't come soon enough and without any navigation errors and avoiding suicidal rabbits, if I just kept moving forward, I'd complete it. The last hour was rather unpleasant, but with fallow deer in the fields next to me for company, I at last hit tarmac. Oh what bliss!
Crawled into Winchester city centre and past the statue of King Alfred at 7:55am. Done and done in! Honestly not bothered about being outside 24hrs. There seemed so many factors outside my control, that I'm just pleased to hav completed it. May have another go sometime, but there are too many other things to try first. If I can do it, anyone can, and if you are planning to have a go yourself feel free to pick my brains. Thanks to everyone who helped out with information wished me luck on the day. It really made the difference between bailing out and carrying on to the finish. If anyone would like to make a small donation to my chosen charity, then please visit http://www.justgiving.com/southdownsdouble. Let's see what 2012 brings 
Bike Forum
My South Downs Double attempt
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Posted 9 months ago #
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Jeeze, you nutter!
Fair play mate, fair play. Just the one way is a massive effort, the double is downright insane.
Well done. At least you now have to never, ever do it again....
Posted 9 months ago # -
Wow, good work!
I've ridden parts plenty of times, and the whole thing a ciple of times, but always over a weekend. I can imagine coming down to the finish post in eastbourne having done the whole thing in a day, pretty sure I've got the fitness.
I can't get my head around touching that post and heading back up that hill for the second half of a ride...
Hats off!
Posted 9 months ago # -
Congrats mate - I heard about your puncture woes, the flints on the downs can easily tear tyres, so even tubeless will suffer (both me and my mate punctured our tubeless on only a 50mile stretch not long ago).
The double is seriously impressive!I'm hopefully at last doing the SDW complete (thats enough for me) on 14Aug.. if its not pee'ing down!
Posted 9 months ago # -
Hey.. hahhaaa well done. It's always taken me two days to go one way.. with a Pub interlude of course..
Bonkers Mate.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Chapeau. That's a serious ride. Now have a beer...or 3.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Nice work!
Rode one way as a 15 year old on a 15 speed Peageot Alpina, but the thought of coming back again is really quite something else. Chapeau
Posted 9 months ago # -
As I said in the other thread, to do it properly, you need to to do it solo and unsupported
But big props for seeing it through
Superfi
I'm joining some fellow roadies for another day trip on the 13th if you want to move your trip forward a day? - Will be my 7th SDWiaD
Posted 9 months ago # -
That's an immense effort, well done! Took me 15 hours one-way and my body is still complaining: knees ache like hell and I'm contemplating having to buy a set-of braces this lunchtime to hold my trousers up, I've lost so much weight - and I wasn't a fat lad to start with. You must look like a famine victim!
Can't believe the number of flats you had. I've done 300-400 miles on the South Downs in recent months and had one slow puncture using standard Michelin MTB tubes and mid-range Specialized tyres. The trade-off for low rolling resistance/weight against robustness certainly needs to be worth it.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Nice one.. something i've always thought of doing too
so what was your total mileage?
Posted 9 months ago # -
Great effort DD - my every sympathy goes to you "not wanting to ever do it again" !!!
Hats off to you for trying it.
What lights were you using btw ? Sounds like the stuff of nightmares ?
I use the DX one and it's awesome, but I've protected it with silicone sealant. Backed up with a joystickPosted 9 months ago # -
m1kea, thanks for the offer but 13th is my sons birthday party. I cant miss that - someones got to dress as a Gruffalo
You clear the sharp stones from the path for me!Posted 9 months ago # -
Lots of things I change when/if I have another crack. I think unsupported is the way to go, seriously. I know my tyre choice left something to be desired. I was running Furious Fred on the back which was just pants. They seem just too lightweight to that event, and yes tubless would have helped loads. Just couldn't get hold of 29er rim kit in time. Lights were Lupine Wilmas of which I had 3. I charged them as normal and appeared to have charged fully but only lasted a couple of hours. It's not the first time this has happened :cry:. And lastly I need to sort out food. Couldn't eat from 3am due to stomach cramps. I need to find some savory food which i can tolerate during the night. Cheese and onion pasty tasted heavenly at the finish though!
Posted 9 months ago # -
MASSIVE congratulations mate, that's a huge achievement.
Posted 9 months ago # -
top stuff that is... many congrats!
Posted 9 months ago # -
fantastic
i would love to be able to do something like that one day.but at present am too slow/unfit/crap/lazy e.t.c Posted 9 months ago # -
HEREWell done Dasiy_Duke, a great achievement, the SDD is a great day out and I'd recommend it to anyone (maye with a one-way first though!)
These kinds of rides are so long, they always throw unexpected failures, punctures, eating issues at us, which is part of the reason for doing them. It's the "can I do it?" element rather than "I wonder how fast I can go?" that makes the ride special.
Anyone who finishes, overcomes theor own challenges be they eating, punctures, gears or just battling the inner demons of self doubt, is a proper hero.
Enjoy basking in your, well desrved, glory.
P.S. My double is HERE
Posted 9 months ago #
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