SDW, gravel bike?

Done it loads of times on CX bikes before ‘gravel’ was a thing - bigger tyres the better as it gets a bit chattery in places, plus more grip on the loose, pebbly bits but you only need a semi-slick when it’s dry. My fastest time was on a SSCX as it was simply a case a HTFU on all the climbs. Quite common to see folks on ‘big’ bike carrying lots of gear - whilst you’ll gain a few seconds on a downhill, you’ll regret that weight on the longer uphills. Most enjoyable was my rigid fatbike - blast the downhills and no worries about grip anywhere.

I've done it once on a "gravel"/endurance road bike and wouldn't again, in fact that was my motivation to buy a hardtail. Some gravel bikes will be more appropriate than others - with low enough gearing, wide enough tires, and decent brakes, you'll be fine.

https://laurencetennant.com/south-downs-way-gravel-bike

I've ridden a gravel bike on the south downs way and completed the south downs way on a hardtail mountain bike a few times.

It's very possible to do it on a gravel bike, over a few days I'm sure it would be lovely, in a day I know i would find it really tough. Physical and mentally.

As has been shown above it's possible and fast, but not necessarily for everyone.

I prefer my light carbon hardtail all day long over a gravel bike as you don't get beaten up on the downs, more comfortable on the flat bits and not much slower on the less steep ups, and better geared for the steep ups, bit it all comes down to exactly the configuration of your gravel bike i.e. tyres, gearing etc.

It's doable for sure - done it in a day on a CX bike many years ago. Struggled with traction on a section 30-ish miles in... IIRC, the same happened not far from Alfriston too. It can be very chalky in places, and if it's damp enough it gets slippery. So something a bit knobbly helps.

Also struggled a bit around Seven Sisters - tons of little rabbit holes that the front wheel kept going into.

But it was easier on my HT - wider tyres, and a bit of give at the front.

I've done sections of the Southdown's (Winchester/QECP/Cocking areas)

My gravel bike has 45mm front tyre and 40mm rear (clearance issues with a 45mm on the rear) with a 10-52 cassette and it wasn't very enjoyable, much prefer a 120mm full sus for the Southdown's

My gravel bike is aimed more at the fast light gravel end of riding, biggest thing was the amount of chatter through the bars and bouncing of my hands on descents, not very enjoyable and had to cover the brakes on every descent and spent far too much time braking where as on a mtb I can just freewheel and hop/bounce and manual through any obstacles

Lots of gravel bikes up on the downs each weekend. They are a bit quicker on the ups and flats, but have to mince down the descents and that doesn't look like fun. Descents are getting beaten up and v rutted with the heavier rain over the last couple of summers so something w some bounce would feel a whole lot more comfortable/secure i suspect. EpicEvo's are ideal in my experience. I suspect that for most of us a short travel FS or decent hardtail will be quicker over the full course

The colour of your gravel bike may of course fill in those ruts and it'll be a breeze

I did it on a gravel bike (planet x tempest) last month. It was lovely and dry, and even loaded with panniers, tent etc. I didn't feel I was underbiked at any point. The only place I thought I would have needed a hard tail was Old Winchester Hill, if i'd been going in the opposite direction, coming down - but since it was a steep climb (going towards Eastbourne) I couldn't have ridden it on anything anyway, especially not loaded up.  I was on 45mm tyres and it was a bit chattery in places, maybe, but nothing that needed any more than that. Anything other than a super light hard tail would have felt like a slog I reckon: as it was, on the gravel bike, I felt like I was flying along.

Really wouldn't want to try it in the wet, mind you.

I see loads of riders doing the SDW on gravel bikes. Is that just because it's the current trendy bike to have/ride? Is it because these people don't have a suitable mountain bike, and therefore no alternative? Is it because they don't quite know what they're getting into? 

Sure, the SDW is perfectly doable on a gravel bike. Mine has 42mm tyres, a flex stem and a relatively compliant frame and wheels. But the SDW would still be a flogging. I use mine for xc a lot and in that situation it's really quite unusual for the overall average speed to be quicker than a fast full sus. The slightly faster climbing or along the flats riding a gravel bike just doesn't outweigh having to back off for choppy terrain or descents for me. Something like a Epic, Scalpel or Top Fuel would be my choice. 

Do-able? Yep. Fun on 40s? In places maybe not. 

45s if they’ll fit, comfy bar tape and a bouncy stem’d take the edge off the chonkier bits. A few riding mates run 650b/2.0-2.2 MTB tyres and get on well enough.

It is a lot more fun on a hardtail/short travel FS though!

I’ve done parts on gravel bike, I’ve done two full in a day SDWs on a MTB - the MTB is the FAR more comfortable option, anyone can be uncomfortable but why when there are better options? 

But then for me gravel bikes are for gravel not single track etc. 

Looks like the rear is 45mm, and I can get a 50mm in the front no problem.

Might have to push up a few of the hills - lowest ratio is something like 31/34. I've done it in the past on a single-speed but that did involve feeling very very sad at Southease.

It's a Mason Bokeh, so probably it would be rude not to take it given I will be cycling right past their place.

Posted by: oldnpastit

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Might have to push up a few of the hills

And mince down a few others...suspect it's not the ups that will be the problem. 

What colour is it?

Wish I'd had a go of the western side of SDW when my Wazoo fatbike was in one piece with 24/38 11-34 gearing and a non-sheared drive side crank.

I think my egravel has clearance for 47mm tyres each end, but I'd have to buy some suitably semi knobbly tyres... Not to mention the 250Wh battery wouldn't last long on those climbs from Winchester to around South Harting and I expect I'd be a physical wreck by then anyway with my pathetic stamina thanks to long covid!

This thread has reminded me of that off-road climb up Old Winchester Hill though, something I could never have attempted on my road bike. Plus the climb from Winchester to Cheesefoot Head.

Did it this weekend on my Epic Evo. Was a toss up between that and my Fairlight Secan on 650B Racekings. I'd be feeling fairly beaten up now if I'd done it on the gravel but felt pretty fresh at the end. Mate did it on a Diverge with what looked like 35mm rubber. He looked broken at the end, and like he needed another gear or two. Lots of gravel bikes doing it, certainly more than mountain bikes.

I ran a chunk of it in May as part of an Ultra and for what it's worth everyone I saw on a bike looked pretty unhappy, but it was a very hot day!

Saw lots of terrified/uncomfortable looking people on gravel bikes on the baked dry/loose bumpy climbs and descents and quite a few very hot and bothered looking people on MTB's wishing they weren't pedalling a heavy bike uphill. I think take whichever bike you'd rather spend the day on and accept it'll be uncomfortable at some point!

I've done it in a day on my rigid whippet with 2.6 / 2.4 tyres and that was enjoyable.

I'm not sure I'd fancy the whole thing on a gravel bike though

I've done it on gravel, hartail, rigid, fatbike, and full suss. I would go short travel, lightweight, fell suss if you want to enjoy it. That's what I'll be doing on friday!

SDW in a day suits a 29er 100mm FS best 2.4" fast & light tyres & wheel set, (in my opinion), sure you can do it on less, but why turn it into an act of self flagellation?

I genuinely commend anyone who does the SDW in a day on a gravel bike as that to me just seems absolutely brutal.

Saying that, Ive never ridden a gravel bike so maybe gravel riders are built different. I take a more MTBer attitude that if Im going to drag myself up climb after climb, I sure as hell want to enjoy the downs...and that is why I always pick my 100mm FS 29er