SDW in a day…this week.

Got a friend who’s talking about doing the SDW this weekend. I live at the eastern end and I’m already giving it a bit of a wide berth in favour of more road riding. Should I try and talk him out of it? He’s visiting from down under and I’m not sure he’s aware of quite how nasty it could potentially be. That said things could dry up a bit after today. Personally I’d only ever attempt it in perfect summer conditions, but he’s a strong rider. Am I being over pessimistic?

Good luck.

Magic Mary’s F&R???

*you never know a week of wind and it could be Terrano Drys

It’s soggy in Lewes. I’d avoid it.

If it keeps raining he’ll been spinning his rear wheel uphill and crashing downhill. Also, he’ll need lights because there’s no chance he’ll manage it in daylight hours with the current mud.

I don’t road ride but I’d rather slide around corners in the woods than try and cover ground on an XC ride here!

I rode half of it on Friday (Amberley to Eastbourne). It was wet and slippery in places and I had to push uphill in places that would be rideable in summer.

The grassy sections were a bit of a slog. It’s rained a fair bit since Friday so I think it would be slightly worse based on the rain over the weekend.

I’m a relatively strong rider and my moving time for 50 miles was 6 hours. I’d expect at least an hour off that in good conditions.

That being said, it was a really tough day out with all of the climbing. It’s made me rethink my desire to do the full thing in a day!

Was getting sticky and puddly around Ditchling on Saturday…. also if he does do it, keep an eye on wind direction. East to West is generally not fun – 100 miles of headwind can be a pig. Especially when you are wheelspinning.

Its been sopping wet around Chichester so cant imagine things are fun up there…. Could be absolutely miserable.

I say go for it particularly if he’s only here temporarily; conditions will slow you down but doesn’t make it unachievable (although obviously take lights). Weather looks ok this weekend currently.

Plus if it gets really miserable, bail and head to Brighton, lewes etc. I would say do it east to west to benefit from the more scenic bits first so if you do bail, its at the less scenic end but then that might not be good for headwinds

It would be a no from me. Did Windmills to Eastbourne a week ago, and it was OK, but the going was soft and harder work on top than expected as it had been dryish into the weekend, and the chalk climbs on Itford Hill and Windover Hill were greasy (CGG’s spinning rear wheels is accurate). With the amount of rain over the last couple of days, conditions will be worse this weekend. If he’s an Ozzy does he even know what mud is?

He’s a Pom so he’s probably got a distant recollection of mud! Has done some pretty challenging stuff in the past so am certain he’s more than capable. My greatest concern is it’s borderline dangerous when you hit the wet chalk, especially with leaf litter over the top. I did Lewes to Eastbourne on the gravel bike on Friday before the rain arrived and it was fine, but it’s been bloody wet since and it doesn’t really dry out at this time of the year.

I’m going to send him a link to this page so at least he goes in with eyes wide open. I’m a born pessimist so I’m sometimes not the right person to look to for advice.

I mean..technically anyhting like this is possible in any weather.
However, it won’t be as fun or particularly safe as it would be in nicer weather (as you’ve suggested).

There’s many more ‘challenges’ around this neck of the woods they could try, and do the SDW another time.

However, if he’s comoing over for a once in a lifetime trip, then go for it, but maybe bail at Devils Dyke?!

DrP

Christ no, it will be piss wet, slippy and miserable. As a ride, the whole point of doing the SDW is that you’re riding through a real life Mint Sauce strip.

A pal brought an experienced rider friend from sunnier climes over this way and despite telling him about green chalk he didn’t really believe him that it could be *that* bad. He broke his femur.

It’s a no from me. I was out on the SDW on foot last week – in the dry – and it’s already turned into a slippery sloppy death trap for the year. Wait till next.

Area around Old Winchester Hill can be awful after it’s wet.  Clogs frames/ kills mechs etc.

I’ve done it before where its hard to push a bike through, like 1 mph slow.

Not my idea of fun.

Another factor to consider, it’s the Beachy Head marathon and ultra this weekend so there’ll be a load of runners on the parts of the path around Eastbourne and the 7 Sisters.