Hi

I believe there is a Yha about halfway along – which one is it?

Also have choice of salsa Fargo or a yeti 5 – anning in using Fargo unless it will rattle me teeth out

Cheers

Yes, its trueleigh YHA http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/truleigh-hill
Most of the SDW is smooth ish, but for the sake of a little weight, your yeti (assuming fairly light) might be more comfy

It’s less about the bike and more about the conditions, although I’d always choose the lightest bike.

And if it has been raining, do it another time.

Washington Camping is a 4 mile drive away and has all facilities – http://www.washcamp.connectfree.co.uk/

The White House, Steyning is closer but has only basic camping facilities – 01903 813737

Springwells Hotel, Steyning – http://www.springwells.co.uk/

The Chequers Inn, Steyning – http://www.chequerinnsteyning.co.uk/index.php

Best Western Old Tollgate in Bramber (1 mile) – http://www.oldtollgatehotel.com/

Get to Worthing, I’ll pick you up, the Mrs will cook you a meal, hot shower, night in the spare bedroom, wash your kit and drive you back to the trail for £50…

There might be something in this… hmmm

How well does the Yeti pedal? On one SDW ride, I swapped bikes with a mate on a Blur LT, it felt horribly draggy. Couldn’t wait to get back on my hardtail.

Biggest fast, light tyres, lowish pressure (toobless?) you can get in the Fargo would be my advice.

While it’s smooth in the sense that it’s not rocky, there are stretches which are ripply/bumpy (dried mud, flint cobbles in the chalk) which can get a bit fatiguing. Worth losing a bit of efficiency by dropping some pressure to take the sting out a bit. Yer big wheels will help too.

Edit – another vote for Truleigh Hill Hostel. It couldn’t be more convenient. You can order out for pizza, too.

I did the whole thing in a day on a loaded Fargo a couple of weeks ago. What little, if anything I lost on the descents I reckon I made up on the climbs. I was running the standard race kings tubeless at around 30psi.

I was on the BHF SDW event and we did see a fair few punctures along the way. I don’t know if that means its normally bad or just that if you get a load of riders on one route someone is bound to have problems! 😉

The BHF provided a .GPX file and downloadable map (better than the Harveys one I bought!) both of which can be downloaded here:

http://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/bike-rides/event-information/south-downs-way-off-road-bike.aspx

Hope you had good conditions like we did, there are a number of drinking water taps along the way (marked on the map) so if it’s a scorcher you’ll still be OK. 🙂