[Closed] South Downs Way, times

why does it do this? basically whats a reasonable time for the SDW? someone in a pub recons hes done it in 8 and 1/2 hrs

There's a website for the [url= http://www.southdownsdouble.net/ ]South Downs Double[/url]

I guess anything is possible, but he would have to be fit and it would have to be a dry day...

we did 12 but with a 1/12 hour wait whilst a member of our group cycled back from the glofcourse to eastbourne to buy some new pedals!! (singlespeed too)

i think the record is 7 1/2 hours although i can't fins the article.

ok thanks for that,
i`ll be having a crack at a decent time (for me)!! later in the summer when we get the decent weather........

I think Charlie Eustace still has the record for the SDW - although I can't find the exact time. Ian Leitch has the SDD in an inspiring 18hrs and 3 mins. Alpine style I should add.

Its a tough ride and a fast time will be weather dependent.

Rob Dean posts on these boards as part of the elite SDD crew. He knows Charlie and might have a better guess on his time.

malc,

"have a crack at it later in the summer" ?.

Was that something i agreed to do with you when i was having a moment of reduced awareness.

It would take about a month at the moment it's so horrible. My commute over the downs takes 35 minutes on a good day in the summer. At the moment it's up to an hour depending on just how wet it is and the level of horse and tractor traffic that's churned it up.

Charlie dis 7:53 if I recall correclty. Dry day, with a tailwind and a great ride
Ian did the SDD in 18:03 and made the turn in just over 8:07 with several punctures (overnight, with a big bag of kit)
When I did the SDD (19:59) I got to Eastbourne in 8:54 (overnight, with a big bag of kit)

These times are not normal!

A good target time for the SDW is 12hrs I'd say. It's hard! But a great day out in the saddle.

More about my ride for Morvelo [url= http://www.bikemagic.com/event-features/rob-dean-does-the-south-down-way-double/7129.html ]HERE ON THIS LINK[/url] and, yes, the great Morvelo kit made me faster 😉

Fisherboy,
One eve in the YOHAH we agreed to give it a crack!!!! Under 11 hrs..........

Fisherboy,
Has my package arrived from Merlin yet? We can have a bike building fest sunday? I`ll bring beer......

Under 11 hrs? I hope you're not planning a ride this weekend or it could take a bit longer with the current quagmire-esque state of the trails 😉

Hope you enjoy it when you give it a go, good luck 🙂

I owe the SDW one. Myself and a another rider from the Peak that'll remain nameless got well and truely caught out by it many years ago.
Brand new bike, SPDs fitted the day before and a sure knowledge that there would be plenty of easy to find water stops on the way and that it would be a climb from the start and flat all the way to Eastbourne. WRONG.
Up and down, hottest day of the year, ran out of food and water and couldn't follow our map 😳

robdeanhove
I assume local knowledge is needed to ride it quick, as oppossed to following a map?

Slight hijack. Is there a South Downs race 12hrs race?

80% of it yes

[url= http://www.trailbreak.co.uk/maxx_exp/ ]Maxx Exposure[/url]

oh and

[url= http://www.votwo.co.uk/votwo2007/events-and-adventure/race_view.php?i=102 ]VoTwo SouthDowns[/url]

and

[url= http://www.trailbreak.co.uk/lemming/index.php?go=info ]Lemmings Trail Break[/url]

There used to be a running race sponsored by Polaroid years ago. The run was 80 miles and started at midnight with a finish at Birling Gap.
I hold the second fastest time. We reached the finish and only the time keeper was there getting the place ready, he was shocked to see us.
Though I'd share that.

Edit; What I mean is that I wasn't always fat and old 😥

oldgit, local knowledge helps a bit, but its mostly keeping moving, keeping a nice even tempo (not too fast when you feel strong, not too slow when you feel tired), keeping eating and drinking before you feel thirsty or hungry i.e. start within 45mins and continue little and often and not stopping to eat, adjust clothing, etc. Making up 15mins for a sandwich stop takes a couple of hours of trying hard! The SDW is very well signed in both directions so minimal navigation required, just strong legs and lots of food.

I can echo what Rob is saying. I did it with a mate last year and managed just over 11hrs but stopping time was 2hrs. This year plan to eat on the bike and keep stopping to a min - hopefully a sub 10 hrs weather dependent.

Cracking ride and a cracking day. I used the GPS which only helps if you actually listen to it (20min detour is also not much fun)