Hey,

just wondered if any of you guys have done it or are doing it?

Any tips on training for the event? Bearing in mind my knee isn't up to a lot of weight baring activities as its recovering from a sports injury.

Did a 60 mile ride this weekend in NZ in 6 hours. Wasn't exactly going as fast as I could so could defo reduce that time a bit. Just wondering if there is a bit of a wall like a running marathon? Not that I have done one of them 😉

Cheers in advance

Rob

Average of 10mph not bad, the only thing is with the SDW you are going to spend something like 75% of the time climbing and if riding Winchester to Eastbourne most of the up is in the last 35 miles.

If you want to get a good indication ride Brighton to Eastbourne and back (about 60 miles) in a day, there are lots of bail out options if requirsd, as this is pretty close to the sort of endurance you need for the whole trail in one day.

It's not overly technical and the people traffic at the various 'honeypots' can slow you down.

Ah, sweet 🙂

Will be moving to Brighton so can practice that run knowing it's the hardest part.

The ride in NZ was hills and stupid head winds so used to some rubbish weather to contend with! Most tracks over here are more technical than the uk so that won't be a problem 😉

Just got to get someone to do that last 30 miles to keep me going 🙂

Cheers

Most people do west to east to benefit from the prevailing wind but if it's a still day or the wind is from the east then I'd start in Eastbourne. it's worth looking at a weekly forecast because an easterly can last for a few days. It gets the hardest climbing done early and avoids the climb out of Alfriston to above Jevington which seems to go on forever.

And avoid the weekend if you can as it does get very busy anywhere where it crosses a road.

Hey,

thanks for the reply, but I'm doing the event in June so I don't think there is an option for going the other way 😉

Cheers

Rob

Well you could meet in the middle. Just smile and remind them they've still got the hardest bit to do and you'll be in the pub in Winchester while they're crawling up to Eastbourne.

Just think of that nice cup'o'tea and game of bingo in Eastbourne and the last bit will be a breeze.

Dan

There's actually as much per mile in the eastern 50miles as in the western 50 miles according my, and other people's GPS files, so there's no benefit in starting in Eastbourrne to "get the climbing over with", to make it as easy as possible it is much more important to have a tail wind as there's a lot of time exposed on the ridge. The last 30miles to Eastbourne only feels like the worst as you've got 70miles in your legs by that point 😉

FWIW, in my experience the worst climb on the SDW is heading west, towards Winchester, climbing up Butser Hill out of QECP

As stated above, Winchester to Eastbourne has the tailwind most days so this is the normal way to do the SDW when doing it one way, and avoids this climb.

And, as for hitting a wall, for a ride of that length it'll happen not long after the time when you forget to keep eating and drinking regularly as you're not hungry/thirsty.

Hmmmmm,

that's the bit I'm not sure about. Wonder if there will be loads of feeding and water stations. Don't fancy filling the camelbak to 3 litres of water. Tried that trick on my first long distant event! Think I was carrying about 4 litres on me. Bit of overkill to say the least!

mmmmmmmmmmmmm, lots of food without the guilt! Great stuff!

Think the warden will have put Eastbourne to bed unless I get it done by about 5pm! Not very likely!

For water, there's taps along the way, have a look at southdownsdoubke.net to see more details. They are at:

QECP visitor centre
Cocking by farm/road crossing
Amberley
A24 crossing/Washington
Adur crossing
Truleigh Hill Youth Hostel
Saddllescombe Farm
A27 crossing
Seaford Station/Farm
Alfriston (shops)
Jevington Church

Basically, there's plenty of water en route. Not much scope for buying food though, just QECP very near Winchester, an ice cream van and Ditchling Beacon (there 12 months of the year) and shops in Alfriston, very near Eastbourne. You'll need to start with most of the food you want on you.

but robdeanhove you have to figure in the vandals – the tap at the A24 Crossing was not working the last time I needed it…

but robdeanhove you have to figure in the vandals – the tap at the A24 Crossing was not working the last time I needed it…

Was okay 4 weeks ago

I'm signed up for the BHF Randonee in July and managed 70 miles of it a couple of years back. Haven't yet had a go at the last section tho and it sounds like this is the hilliest… For me making sure I ate regularly along the way and drinking a carb supplement was helpful, although this did mean carrying a heavy tub of pasta, flapjacks etc…

as for training; just hours on the bike.

as you say you don't want too much water /weight on your back. saddle bag is a good idea for tools if you don't already.

Tiger6791, yes sometimes one or other isn't working, but there's so many that you can do without half of them and still make it just fine. 11 taps in 100miles, plus the ability to drinking at the start and finish from a shop, is an average of one every 7.8miles while you're on the trail (yes, I know in reality they're not evenly spaced), which seems like enough to me 😉

squeekybrakes, no, read my earlier post, the last section is not the hilliest, the climbing is evenly spaced in terms of feet of climbing per miles ridden in actual fact (GPS verified). I believe the reason people say the end is the hilliest is that they're attempting the final climbs with 80-odd miles in their legs!

Firle beacon, the climb out of Alfriston and Jevington are probably the hardest climbs, but they are made much worse by the distance already covered. I've done the climb out of Alfriston many times after 20 miles of riding and it's still a bastid.
Amberley mount, and the climb from the A24 to chanctonbury ring are killers too. I don't really remember any tough climbs prior to Amberley mount. It just seemed a real slog as it felt like I was constantly pedalling. no climbs then descents, just a slight incline for what felt like 50 miles!

Looks hilly all the way along to me!

As I said, measured data (not rider perception) has the climbing pretty constant throughout, with a slightly smoother first 10km out of Winchester, with just the one significant climb. In fact the most climbing per mile is in miles 22-34!

Miles Ascent Avg. Ascent/mile
—————————————-
Win to Pet 21.6 2223 103
Pet to Cok 12.8 1891 148
Cok to Amb 11.6 1584 137
Amb to Pye 20.1 2808 140
Pye to Soe 14.5 2054 142
SoE to EaB 14.7 2138 145

Not much scope for buying food though, just QECP very near Winchester, an ice cream van and Ditchling Beacon (there 12 months of the year) and shops in Alfriston, very near Eastbourne. You'll need to start with most of the food you want on you.

Don't forget the Petrol Station near where the SDW crosses the A27 just outside of Lewes. Also, has the garage at Pyecombe reopened? I thought I saw something there when I passed through in January but I could be wrong.

"the Petrol Station near where the SDW crosses the A27 just outside of Lewes"

pretty sure that's shut now.

There's a nice little 'tea room' opened up at Seddlescombe Farm (just east of the Dyke) that's open daytime during the summer.

Yes, the Pyceombe garage has re-opened and is an M&S store too so l;ots of proper food available.

I don't really remember any tough climbs prior to Amberley mount. It just seemed a real slog as it felt like I was constantly pedalling.

Looks about right to me. the reason Peterfield to cocking down averages highest is because there is no real mileage gained from any descents. Which is the part of the SDW i was referring to when I mentioned the constant incline.

Looking forward to doing it again this year. Might have to find myself a 29er to do it on though. think the remedy might be just a bit too much like hard work.

Just a quick update on this – I saw a sign on one of the SDW markers near Devils Dyke last night saying that the bridge at Southease is being closed for 'at least 6 months' from the beginning of April.

It said there would be an alternative foot bridge (with steps) available but as it was peeing down I didn't read the whole notice so I'm not sure how far 'off route' this would be.

Info here on Bridge closure.
Southease bridge closure

"the Petrol Station near where the SDW crosses the A27 just outside of Lewes"

pretty sure that's shut now.

I drove past it on Monday and it's still open. It's on the eastbound side of the A27 dual carraigeway just north of the SDW crossing if that's any help to any epic SDW riders in urgent need of nutrition 🙂