I think it’s the same as your tap at home

It isn’t very heroic but the point above about pushing up hills and eating at the same time is a fair one if you’re not 100% sure you are ready for the full distance – you are going to want some proper food on the trip and as a result you will be stopping to eat, if you can keep slowly pushing up a climb while eating then you keep your average speed up, rest/stretch some of your muscles and get some ‘free’ elevation.

Haven’t done it but went from Lewes along SDW and up North Downs Link and to Haslemere in 7 and something hours and use parts of the SDW about twice a week. On a Tricross. With the right tyres and wheels a cross bike is the bike for this terrain.Cycling the whole SDW in a few weeks so will find out if my theory stands up.

Water’s always been fine for me. I’d say def take the hardtail, your speed on the downhills is limited by other bikes, walkers and gates at the bottom much more than what your bike can handle.

Having said that, there are plenty of places where wringing the most out of your downhill speed and carrying it up the other side is the quickest, funnest and least tiring way of making progress. Still nothing to swing the balance in favour of FS, though.

I’m looking forward to a SDW ride on the Peregrine with 2.0 Race Kings. I think that’d be an ace tool for the job.

Never done it in a day; I’ve always been keener to make it a fun weekend for a larger group than a less fun slog for the fewer people who’d fancy it. I’m sure it’ll happen at some point.

We did ride Winchester to Shoreham once, sat and watched the sunset over dinner and a few pints in town, then I decided I’d rather cycle back to Guildford along the Downs Link than take the train.

That turned out to be a Mistake.

Enjoy the ride, leave the beer till the end!