I’m thinking wide grippy flats with a comfy pair of hiking shoes or 5tens as I’m expecting to be doing a fair bit of pushing up the bigger hills, but will I miss out on some ‘efficiency’ gains with the spd’s perhaps?

Waddayareckon STW? 😀

SPD’s, then you wont have to get off and push

Are you walking it or riding it?
Easy choice either way.
Nothing on the SDW that you can’t ride (assuming the weather is kind to you which looking out the window it isn’t being at present)

Are you walking it or riding it?

I’m guessing a mix, but not sure really… I mean, just how steep is it in sections?? I’m usually happy to spin up any long climb tbh, but the way some folk’ve been talking about this ride I’m envisaging near vertical climbs of epic & unending lengths that necessitate much hike-a-biking…

Nope, everything is do-able as long as you’ve got the legs for it. It’s Downland riding, no mountains but don’t expect it to be easy.

why not both? on my commuter i have a set of those shimano pedals that are spd one side and platform the other. I wear mtb spd shoes, but quite often unclip and ride on the platform side to rest my feet. They are brilliant.

just how steep is it in sections

not that steep.

the problem is really that you can get about 15 ‘not steep’ hills in the space of a couple of miles.

there’s a few long, long hills but other than being a slog they aren’t technical.

have a look at the route and profile on page 2 of this pdf;

http://www.journeyon.co.uk/newsite/uploads/NT%20south%20downs%20way%20mountain%20bike%281%29.pdf

i walked up a couple of the sdw hills. I’m perfectly able to ride up the same hills when I haven’t just ridden 90 miles 🙂

I did it in flats. On that kind of length ride, if youve got stiff sole’d shoes (which aren’t going to sap all your power), I don’t think it’d make much of a difference. If you’re not used to SPDs, I’d say go with flats, as SPDs can exacerbate knee problems (if not set up quite right) which is the last thing you want on a long ride

I have to admit to running out of gears/strength/energy/balance on the last little steep bit after Amberley, but that bit’s short and grass anyway, so not an issue with cleats.

If you’ve got more than one gear, you won’t be walking much, so go with what you prefer. The spds I’ve tried have messed bits of my hamstrings about, so I’m permanently on flats anyway.

anything other than nipping to the shops/pub = SPDs.
But if the event is very soon just ride with what you’re used to, don’t change anything especially contact points just before a big ride.

I’m used to my Time Atacs and Sidi Dragon 2’s combo, have ridden ’em on for long days in the saddle (most recently 140km from London to Brighton), so no worries there. It’s more that if I’m going to find myself pushing a fair bit, I was thinking flats and proper shoes might be the better option… I’m happy on either tbh (use flats on my ‘bigger riding’ orientated bikes for instance)

As with any question relating to a long ride, the answer is “what you usually use on long rides”.

I use flats, because I normally use flats.

I also ride in Inov-8 ‘minimal’ trainers. Trying to use this combination if you normally ride in SPDs and disco slippers wouldn’t be a good idea. And vice-versa for me.

Wouldn’t go out of my way to be comfy hiking on the SDW. The hills you might end up pushing your bike up are probably modest enough in terms of height and gradient – it was just the sheer number of them in relatively quick succession that saw me having to get off and push one or two of them.

Cool… shall stick with what I know then (Time Atacs)… cheers for the advice chaps 🙂

spds all the way

If you’re planning on walking a fair bit then make sure you give yourself plenty of time to do it all.

IMO I would say there are 4 hills that are really tough climbs.

Amberly mount, steep and a bit of a slog
A24 – Chanctonbury ring. Very steep in places and very long
The climb out of Alfriston, just horrible after that many miles
Jevington hill (?) again not too bad during a normal length ride, but pretty gruesome after 100 miles, but it’s pretty much the last climb.

I don’t really remember the climbs being too bad before Amberley, but it’s been a while since I’ve ridden that end of the SDW, so can’t be too sure.

flats unless its a road bike.

The climb out of Alfriston, just horrible after that many miles

Indeed, Windover Hill, is long, steep, chalky, flinty, windy, did I mention long? I wouldn’t walk it in spds, you could ride it though. I did it in 20mph + headwind the other week, I had to dig real deep.

There’s nothing so steep that you’re going slip back down, so just go SPD. It’s not like you can’t walk in them.

SPDs fo sho, extra incentive not to get off!

Not being funny or anything but you’re riding the South Downs Way, not attemtpting a small nation coup.
Give all the uber analyising a rest and just go and ride it, for **** sake.
You wouldn’t do to well in Oz mate, they just get on with stuff.

You wouldn’t do to well in Oz mate, they just get on with stuff.

I am from Australia guv… anyhoo, just asking questions and opinions, it’s the STW way innit? 😆

“I am from Australia guv..”

Get out of here 🙂

Strewth mate, I’m true blue through and through, crikey, stone the crows you flaming galah! Throw another prawn on the barbie and get me a tinny from the esky, she’ll be right cobber! 8)

Friend of mine, also called Simon as it happens, kept claiming to be Australian, despite being very english and going to Sandhurst. He was Australian though, I think he left Oz when he was 4, or something. Didn’t do much to dampen the piss taking:

“Helleew!! Ai’m Auwwstrayyylian, don’tchyou know?”

None of it’s too steep to ride, and I’d go with whatever pedals you normally use for long rides.

It’d be SPD’s for me.

Just got back from a cheeky lunchtime 10 miler along the SDW around the Dyke.

positives: It’s wet but not too muddy – bike looked like this. I’d wear waterproof shorts/fit a rear crud thingy if I were riding any distance unless it’s a lot warmer tomorrow.

negatives: When I stopped to take this the bike blew over.

However, wind’s from the West and I reckon a sail would be a good investment if you’re heading East…