Any locals been out today/yesterday?
Rained quite hard here in Surrey overnight on already fairly wet ground.
Doing the SDW in a day on saturday. Just concerned if it might be a total mudfest!
Was out Sat and Sun, the SDW was ok on exposed areas was around Jevington, the chalk dry outs in the wind pretty quickly, it was a total mudfest in Friston Forest so the trails under tree cover maybe muddy, you'll be fine, should be dry all week. I take it you're riding from Winchester, you'll have a bit of [url= http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/bn24 ]wind[/url] behind you then.
Did SDW Devil's Dyke to Lewes on my cross bike yesterday. Dry but with a bit of welcome 'give' in the non-flinty bits.
Forecast for the week shows weather looking good mid-week but deteriorating towards the w/e. Sorry!
Great stuff. From winchester yes.
thursday does look wet 👿
but hopefully drying on friday...
Saturday looks perfect currently.
Westerly and not to hot 😛
I think there's a riding event that weekend, goodwood area?
this one:
[url= http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/wiggle-south-downs-epic-mtb-ride-2012/ ]http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/wiggle-south-downs-epic-mtb-ride-2012/[/url]
I rode it last year and there's not congestion or anything from the riders. You might be able to get a sneaky flapjack and a drink top up at one of the food stops too 🙂
looks to be on the sunday anyway.
ah, didn't check what day the 24th was 😳
semi slicks on - ready for the off..
I was out between storrington and Beeding section of the SDW over the weekend. Absolutely fine up there.
I would imagine the bit through Graffham down might still be a bit boggy, but in the main I would think it'd be in pretty good nick even with the rain forecast for later in the week.
The wind will have dried any exposed areas very quickly. Any areas under trees will still be muddy, so definately not a day for race tyres unless you like to keep it interesting!! SDW mud is VERY claggy too, so something that sheds mud well would be a bonus. Nobby Nics are my SDW tyre of choice, or my X-kings if its dry.
Was surpised how dry the area was given the rain we've been having
Nick - I'm also doing this on Saturday with 2 mates. 3 hardtails, red Rock Lobster, blue who-knows-what-cos-the-decals-have-rubbed-off, and a Kona Asomethingorotherha.
I'm sure we'll see each other at some point - unless you're setting off at 5 and going for sub 9 hours!
Fingers firmly crossed for the the weather...
Great stuff.
Yes, 3 of us. 6.45am start winchester. hoping for circa 12 hours...
Giant NRS vintage 2003!
Prince albert
Cannondale FS thingy.
see you out there!! can discuss splitboarding to make the day go quicker 8)
not sure if we decided which train to get. I have a feeling we were aiming for the train after that one. Thinking that an hour extra in bed might be worth having, and starting at 7:45, even a 14 hour ride would finish in the daylight.
Would be nice to finish earlier, though, so we'll see. And we haven't decided whether we're staying in Eastbourne and lolling about on the Sunday, or getting the train back into That London after a recovery beer or two by the sea.
Have you booked anywhere to stay, or are you winging it?
Blimey, its going to be crowded!! There's four of us doing SDW leaving Winchester at 7am on Sat to Eastbourne YHA, then return on Sunday. We are Yeti hardtail, Specialized hardtail and Specialized epic!! See you out there...anyone know of a good cafe about halfway along for massive carb upload to keep us going??
anyone know of a good cafe about halfway
further than half way, pub at devils dyke, and a cafe at alfriston by the monument in town, just before two big big climbs windover hill and the last climb out of jevington. Good luck, I hope the wind behaves for you.
If you stopover I recommend heading over to Friston Forest for a play, if you're up to it? 😉
"semi slicks on - ready for the off.."
How prophetic if the chalks wet. 😆
Amberley is near as damnit half way.
(Disclaimer: I haven't been in any of these places in yonks)
You have a transport / biker cafe at [url= https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=50.888639,-0.576514&spn=0.002843,0.006185&sll=50.897956,-0.57331&sspn=0.011368,0.024741&t=h&mra=mr&z=18 ]Whiteways on the A29[/url], just over 1/2 mile from the SDW.
Then there's a couple of riverside cafes in Amberley, which will cost considerably more but have a much nicer aspect.
The [url= https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=50.904821,-0.404922&spn=0.001421,0.003093&sll=50.897956,-0.57331&sspn=0.011368,0.024741&t=h&mra=mr&z=19 ]Frankland Arms[/url] in Washington is a bit further on and would have a 'gentle' road climb to get you back to the SDW
Around the 60 mile point you could also [url= https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Annington+Rd&daddr=High+St&hl=en&ll=50.881918,-0.324054&spn=0.022744,0.049481&sll=50.886589,-0.327573&sspn=0.005685,0.01237&geocode=FfBDCAMd3i_7_w%3BFch_CAMdvvj6_w&t=h&mra=me&mrsp=1,0&sz=17&z=15 ]detour in to Steyning[/url].
(You also get there with a nice little run down from Chanctonbury Ring :wink:but that's a little more complicated to show on a map)
Fantombiker - Member
Blimey, its going to be crowded!! There's four of us doing SDW leaving Winchester at 7am on Sat to Eastbourne YHA, then return on Sunday
return on Sunday? To Winchester, along the SDW?
There is (certainly was) a good deli in Alfriston for pastry goods etc. bit further than halfway, but well worth a stop.
return on Sunday? To Winchester, along the SDW?
Yep, attempting the 'double' over 2 days! Should be fun.......
Have you seen sundays weather!
Blimey, good luck fantom!
We've plumped for an extra hour in bed on Saturday morning, so we'll be getting into Winchester station at 7:33.
See you guys at some stage, maybe a rest stop, maybe on the beach with tinnies afterwards?
[url] http://goo.gl/maps/DoJR [/url]
Today would be a really good day to be riding the sdw.
and I'm sat in my office looking wistfully out the window towards it 🙁
Much rain that way? Pretty heavy over surrey hills in hte night. Doesn't look great for the next 24 hours..... 😈
@ nedrapier: I wouldn't meet at king Edwards parade, if you're finishing at the actual start.end at paradise drive then keep going downhill on Carlisle road towards the wish tower/seafront, you could end up going back up hill otherwise.
Yup, rain around Worthing/Washington, due to continue into next week....
DrP
Attempting the SDW tomorrow and I reckon it might be a bit slippy in places after last nights rain. Any updates from locals would be appreciated.
Good luck piha. Weather looks like its improved for Friday since a few days ago. Decent breeze in your favour as well.
Saturday's weather is currently looking pretty good for a wet lap. Bring it on 😀
[i]Attempting the SDW tomorrow[/i]
fit a sail, travel the right way and you won't have to pedal much.
it's really blowy out there today.
spinaker fitted for tomorrow!
I may see you out there, I'm attempting to complete the SDW tomorrow too. Arrive in Winchester approx 7.30am. If the wind is still like this tomorrow, after my ride to work this morning I won't get out of breath til at least Devil's Dyke!!
I wonder how many groups are doing this tomorrow. The obvious choice of day for anyone thinking about it. 4 off here, and how many others? Not quite bhf busyness, happily!
Wee change of plan here, we're training back the same evening. Forecast for Eastbourne looks pretty miserable for Sunday. I'd be bang up for mooching around on Sunday morning in the sunshine, finding a pavement cafe for a fry up then a swim and a snooze on the beach. But frying to find a caff in gusty, horizontal misty drizzle and wondering what to do with the bikes could be massively anti-climactic!
A wise choice. I'm training back home to Angmering afterwards, fully caked in mud (not dust unfortunately) so I hope I don't get kicked off or refused entry!
Here are the conditions for [url= http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:00000.1.03876&MR=1 ]Shoreham and environs[/url]
Make sure you're going W to E!
Much rain today over the SDW ?, lots here in Dorking on and off all day 😈
currently tipping it down
Dry so far in Brighton.
We are doing the Sundowner
An overnight ride from Steyning to QECP and then back again. Supposed to be chasing the sun as it sets and then picking it up as it rises on the way back. Weather forecast looks wall to wall rain overnight. Ho hum.
Downs had managed to keep pretty good and hard overall but are starting to soften up now.
sounds kind of positive, thanks!
Am about 12 miles north of the SDW (Haslemere). Very wet roads tonight and rain has dumped it down on and off today. Not sure what tyres grip well, I have not been able to find anything that does well on the chalk in the wet or the dry!
Good luck to all of you doing it - tried 2 years back and got rained off half way through on 2nd day at Lewes (Winchester to Eastbourne direction).
Good luck with the ride, I hope the weather works out ok !
Rode the SDW in a day in May. Got lucky with the weather as it had been sunny / dry for a week before we went and there was hardly any wind either. Hope to have a go at the double next, just waiting on a few days of dry weather.. may be a while!
Well my prep's not going well won't be in bed much before 12 at this rate (quick browse and bite to eat between jobs, if you're thinking I shouldn't be on here!)
Jim's not finishing work before 12, so it could be worse...
Well, that was the hardest ride I've ever done but got there 15hrs later! 😆
Weather was absolutely shite, the wind was blowing all day and unbelievably strong and gusty in places, it made for extremely testing riding conditions. The SDW from Winchester to QECP was a bogfest in many places but after that the trails just consisted of big puddles as the wind dried the surface water out very quickly. We didn't see anyone out on their bikes but did see an Adder (wouldn't be surprised if he had hypothermia) on the trail.
Cheers Nuke and for anyone doing it on Saturday good luck and watch the wind.
well done Piha.
I am up and just about to leave for winchester. sun is shining in dorking and not a breath of wind.
How did it go?
They were intending starting at 6:45 so not scheduled to have finished yet ?
What a great day.
10 hours 50 - with about and hour and a half of stops on top. First bit to QECP was slippy, but beyond was dry...wind worked in our favour
feel suprisingly OK today!
Raining now so you picked right day 🙂
Congratulations to all.
Was a good ride. We certainly did pick the right day.
Feel alright today although my knees were feeling a bit achey on a slooooow dog walk this morning.
Good riding with you and Mike. Hope Will's feeling better soon. Big thanks to Dan as well.
Well done Nick! Good speed!
Congratulations to all.
erm...
Our effort wasn't to be, unfortunately. Jim called at midnight saying he'd been called into work on Saturday. So it was just Sion and me. Punctures and some navigation confusion sucked a bit of time early on, and Sion found that 100 miles with plenty of climbing on a road bike isn't quite the same off road. Phone call from Sion at the top of the descent into Cocking (I was at the bottom) saying he'd punctured, and he'd pinched a whole in his last inner tube with the lever getting it in. And he didn't have any patches. Back up the hill...
I had a bit of a strop while we fixed his tubes because I realised our pace was off where it needed to be, and we wouldn't get to Eastbourne before 10 cut-off (dark and trains) ummed and ahhed to Amberley about whether to be a **** and drop Sion, trying to work out how much pace I had, how much time I was losing waiting for him - I'd been lucky with punctures and feeling pretty strong. Sion said he'd get off at Devils Dyke as he was done in.
But with all the wondering and introspection (Sion had been a late invite and I was wondering whether I should have been clearer about the challenges, asked more about his fitness...) I started to have bit less fun on the hills, realised I was slowing down, did some more maths, figured Eastbourne was too far and it was too late, and I wasn't confident enough in my fitness to know I could pin it for the last 40 miles.
So I pulled the plug too, we stopped lots, looked at the views, walked up the steep bits, and after a longing look at the trail past Devil's Dyke, rolled down the hill into Brighton.
Pretty disappointed, because the last part of the SDW is my favourite, and I was really looking forward to the sense of accomplishment and fulfilment rolling down the hill into Eastbourne.
Still, not been on the mountain bike since January, just been riding to work, 5 miles pretty much flat, so I'm not beating myself up too much!
And it's still there...
Ned - yep they aren't going anyway.
Nuke - thanks for setting a great tempo 8)
Time to get back on a proper bike for some trail riding though!
Epic day out on Saturday....Beautiful route, sublime riding!
Couple of observations...A good GPS file does help, even if you have maps....although it's well signposted too.
Knowing where the taps are is also important. Despite warnings only one puncture..1 mile from Eastbourne!
Got to Eastbourne quite late on Saturday evening. Decided the return route on Sunday was a bridge too far bearing in mind the wind and we trained it back to Winchester. Now wondering when I can do it again!
I went it alone. Met a guy on the train at Eastleigh. Met another bearded guy at Winchester station, then saw him again with a puncture a few miles in. I did have to chuckle at the group of 3 who I met at by the old naval base who were 4 hours in and were ****ed. I doubt they made it. Saw one group of 3 around the A27 then again at Alfriston, one had a purple top on, they were still going well. I was flagging near the end, just made it for bang on 12 hours. Good fun day out, now planning to go quicker next time 🙂
Hi tommo, I was riding (standing) with the bearded puncture guy. Glad you had a good time. And a good time.
I've got another couple of dates in the diary for next month for another pop
we met an early group, 2 with no lids looking in real trouble early on on old winchester hill.
tommo, that was me in purple!
were you on a commencal, we passed a chap on one several times later in the day.
Nick - Yeah I was on the Commencal, muttering how tired I was out of Alfriston! You boys were looking strong at that point...
Ned - yeah I passed you just past the first road crossing out of Winchester, I asked if you were ok and you muttered something like "it's gonna be a long one". I did feel for you guys, a few miles in with a puncture is not good. Then I soon passed another group also with a puncture stop - four of those in that group I think.
ah yes you did look to be going backwards rather!
- i somehow had a 3rd wind! and the end was in sight!!!
well done on your own. Being in a team made it easier I think, gates, setting a pace etc...
four of those in that group I think.
on full sussers, fair bit of lycra, 40's-ish? We yo-yo'd with them up to Cocking. 3 of them passed Sion, punctured at the top of Cocking, then me at the bottom, but didn't think to tell me he was stopped. I guess they didn't need to, but it might have been helpful.