We planned to ride the South Downs Way on Friday but it looks like the settled weather is over. Here in Dorking we had a long shower yesterday and it looks like there are more showers forecast for the coming days.
I always read the SDW chalky sections can be lethal after rain. Are there any SDW dwellers who could comment on the conditions this week?
Is it more sensible to ride the Ridgeway instead and continue riding from Goring back to Dorking via Swinley, canal and along the NDW?
Looking at photos of the ridgeway on Komoot it appears to be chalky too.
Any comments greatly appreciated.
There’s been a lot of rain in the Surrey Hills today. Same on the south coast? Do the SDW locals think it should be avoided on Friday?
The ridgeway will be like slippery concrete by now, only harder.
Numerous showers passed through the western side of the SDW on Wednesday, mix of rain and hail!
Thanks. Is the western end as far as Amberley less chalky than the other end?
Slick chalk!!
I'm a couple of miles from it at the eastern edge of Brighton and if you'd been up there yesterday you'd have been lacerated into small pieces with the hail 😂. Not sure what the rest of the week will bring but it should dry pretty quickly and it's generally rock hard at the moment. I've been running on it a lot and I'm using my road shoes for a bit more comfort. I'd not be too worried about slippery chalk at the moment
I'm down the Ditching beacon end, which is probs the chalkier end. I'd be happy riding it, it dries very quickly. Might be a bit greasy immediately after a shower, but it's usually easy enough to find some grass for grip near gates.
Would think the western end would be fine tbh.
One other thing to check is the wind, it's been pretty strong recently and a good few days it's been north easterly if you are planning Winchester to Eastbourne.
It's not too bad here, around Findon. The water drains super quick and the trees / vegetation suck it up at an incredible rate this time of year. Ridable atm without the winter type chalk sliding.
Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like we are "GO" for tomorrow. Now I just need to decide what bike!
JOKING!
I will ride my trusty full suss.
Was just up at Ditching Beacon car park dropping some supplies to SnrEpicJnr who is headed to Eastbourne today.
Trail is dry as a dry thing. Any showers today unlikely to make a difference.
And that fresh norwester will make it a fast run for Jnr.
Enjoy Tomorrow SBD. If you're doing an out and back, maybe start at the Eastern end so you have the breeze on the way back
Just been up SDW, bone dry arundel way.
Haha! Double! No way. We are trying for sub 10 hours one way.
thanks for the feedback on the trail conditions.
Here's a pic from Firle Beacon about 10 mins ago.....
Conditions perfect, Ashdown looks to be copping the rain.
Tomorrow should be ideal conditions for a one day SDW
I did the SDW in a day on Tues, fulling planning on doing the double and coming back yesterday. Woke up in my bivi yesterday morning on Beddingham hill and the wind was blowing an absolute gale so binned it off and got the train back to Winchester.
Trails were absolutely fine on Tues but been some showers since. Looks like a northerly swinging round to a westerly so defo do Winchester to Eastbourne.
If you did SDW today, did you get soaked and have fun skating on chalk?
it was bone dry! Literally one puddle.
Did you beat your 10 hour target?
Nope. 9:20 moving time, 10:50 total time. It’s amazing to think we somehow wasted 70 mins opening gates, drinking tea, refilling water / CHO max and a puncture (only one though).
I did it last year to celebrate turning 60 and beat my 12 hour goal. One thing I changed over my previous ride was just using water rather than adding fuel to it as that seemed to take a lot of time and I don't think anyone really realises just how much time opening gates actually takes. Rather ridiculously I actually practiced getting better at it as I live very close to it so did all training along it.
