Downs Link on a road bike?

Loooking at Youtubes of the Marthas Hill start I’d say not. But there seems to be a more gentile start from Shalgrove.

Anyone done it? I’m at the Brighton end and it’s paved and hardpack. But again Youtube vids paint it as a muddy trail.

Summer (a dry one), yes

Winter (September to May), probably not

(this of course depends on your definition of a road bike, your skills in slidey conditions, your belligerence, and willingness to getting it covered in the component eating grinding paste that a damp cinder track can become)

I bumped into a couple last year near St Martha’s. One on a road bike the other on a hybrid step through thing. They were walking down a section of bridleway which is a blast on an MTB. Fast, loose, rocky, sandy with a few steps to launch off. They were fairly unimpressed having kicked up the route online as being suitable for road bikes.

I haven’t ridden the lenght of the Downs Link but I’m not convinced that top section would be rideable on a road bike with raid wheels/ tyres.

This was the the bit from St Martha’s Hill down to Lockner Farm. Once you cross over the road, it’s a bit if a mud fest and then into a sandy heath. Not sure about the rest as I usually head the opposite way from there. That top bit though, seems a bit much for a road bike?

You could skip that top section easily enough. I’m sure someone with more experience will be along shortly to advise on the rest.

We did it with the kids then 11 and 13 just after lockdown was lifted. Nothing particularly gnarly but 25mm tyres and fragile wheels won’t be much fun. It was summer so dry, I imagine there is a lot of muddy sections now.

St Marthas is lovely but nothing wrong with starting/finishing at Shalford (or just on to Guildford). Could also start at Newlands corner, head west over Pewley Down then down from there to meet with DL. For a bit easier route off St Marthas, you could head directly west off the top and through Chantries…not as gnarly as the descent south but Chantries can get muddy in some sections as you head through

My BiL was on a skinny tyred cx bike when we did L2B off road a few years ago (just before gravel was a thing) – didn’t have a problem. But I wouldn’t take my 28 tyre road bike down there tbh

Does depend what you mean by road bike? Gotta draw a line in the sand somewhere and say a CX/gravel bike would be perfect for most of the Downs Link but a road bike wouldn’t. A 23-28c slick road tyre wouldn’t have much grip, be rock hard/uncomfortable, minimal mud clearance and probably not tubeless and therefore likely to puncture. Won’t stop people from trying though. Seen people riding Bromptons around Swinley…

It’s all got a solid surface underneath but this time of year onwards there will be muck. Shalford to Rudgwick is the mucky end. Rudgwick to Shoreham has mostly been resurfaced in recent years and is a lot cleaner. That being said no consideration was given to drainage or follow up maintenance like clearing leaves (which eventually form the next layer of skank) so it’s already deteriorating in places.

Thanks.

The road bike in question is an old Mercian. Lots of clearance, but tyre width is limited by the rims it has fitted.

I suppose I should at least wait until it dries. Or maybe venture out from Shoreham where it is sanitised, and see how I get on.

You’re not local to here are you – you on holiday?

Do you want to borrow a gravel bike for it?

DrP

My world is always sunny.

Thank you for the offer. But I’m struggling to get back riding, and need to go slow and carefully. I’m rebuilding one of my old Mercians to take onto paths. The Downs Link is  a see how it goes ride.

I’ve got a nice old mans bike being built for me as we speak…it screams slow

Fair enough..
If you’re between 5 foot adn 5 foot 6, I’ve a trek HT ebike (with MTB or Gravel wheelset) you could borrow if you wanted also, if you’re getting back into riding.
Honestly, it’s jsut sat there doing nothing most of the time..

DrP

BTW – it’s not mine, I’m AT LEAST 6 foot 4, tanned, tattoos, turkey-teef etc etc 😉

The bikes a bit too small, but you sound hot!

Seriously though I nearly lost both legs almost two years to the day. So I’m just finding my way back onto the bike and I’ve got to be super careful. Hence building up one of my vintage mincers.

fair dooz…

take it easy chap, and have fun.

DrP

You say the tyres are limited by the rims, what width rims do you have? I know that now one would buy wide rim for wide tyres but it wasn’t always like that, I reckon you might be able to stick something wider on if you have the clearance which you suggest you do.

The bikes an 81 Mercian, bags of clearance. But I have old Mavic MA2 rims, 13mm internal IIRC.

That said, I definitely raced cross years ago on them and was probably on 32/35s. So maybe cross tyres?