Was up on the SDW at Firle on Sunday … was absolutely lashing it down!

Can’t wait for the hot dusty days to return

Really hope the mods will indulge this bump.

I kind of really need to keep this thread alive as it means (in my head anyway) that I have a chance of riding my beloved STW again next year.

Edit: How odd, it’s not bumping the thread?

Yes it did! Many fond memories of the SDW, W-E, E-W, overnighters, double-attempts,

Thinking how I can use the SDW (well – J&J to E’bourne, or to Chanctonbury and back) as training (post tibial plateau fracture) for the marmotte next June……potentially a little ambitious….

You should join us @Poopscoop for some of those SDW miles

I’ve always wanted to give the SDW a crack, possibly over two days, staying in a B&B halfway. No way i could do it in one day!

Will be doing it in 2 days in April if the weather is nice. I am super lucky to live in Findon, very near the half way point so train to Eastbourne and then overnight at home and on to Winchester.
This has been a brilliant thread which I hope Mr Scoop will add to!

I’ve done it a few times. Each time had its own challenge.
Would quite like to do it again, the last time was on a Marin Pine Mountain with my bike packing gear. Rigid semi fat bike made out of the worlds heaviest scaffolding.
Not sure I’d do it again in a day. I had a mechanical that was an absolute killer. Don’t know how but the cassette came apart, still on the hub, but don’t really know what happened to it. I could only use a couple of gears, mainly stuck in the same gear though. Pushed up quite a few hills. Ridiculously hot day as well. I didn’t make it to my campsite which was 12 miles outside of Eastbourne. As soon as I got to Eastbourne I just rode straight up to the De Vere Hotel and booked a room for the night. I was pooped!

To add insult to injury I had to put my Garmin in my bag to charge (I know, bad planning!), I then made a wrong turn fairly near to Eastbourne, came of the SDW in the wrong place, ended up riding around in a big circle.

Here’s my link from my ride….might give someone the inspiration to give it a go….that was on a pretty naff £600 bike, completely stock. Picture of the bike and the hills/views.

https://strava.app.link/JCqBrTu0bwb

I think next time I’d stay at the YHA place that’s about halfway. I’d also do it on my gravel bike, I’ve done it on a road bike with 33mm tyres and that hurt and a super lightweight XC hardtail with 100mm travel. But I’d like to give the Planet X Tempest a go with 42mm tyres (and a very small chainring!)

Close to 12000 feet of climbing according to Strava and again just Strava guesses but I worked through 7800 calories….probably earned my beer after that.

Hoping to do it again in 2023…. realised just that it’s been 10 years since i last did it in a day so long overdue a revisit. Picked up a new 100mm front and rear fs xc bike this month which i reckon will be perfect for the job

It lives! It didn’t show as being bumped for me last night, honest.Lol

@susepic

Thanks you so much for the invite, get kind of you but I fear I won’t be turning a pedal for a while yet but soon.😁

A very Happy SDW New Year to you all and good luck to those that ride the SDW this coming year!

Rode the SDW with a few friends over two and a half days in August 2021 and loved it (despite horrendous cramp in both legs after the first day).
The views are tremendous and there are some cracking sections of trail on the route. Yes, some of the climbs are horrible but they are worth it.
We camped at Cocking on the first night. We had been relying on the pub being open to get food but due to COVID restrictions nothing was open so we ended up with just a couple of energy bars and half a bag of Jelly Babies for dinner.

Breakfast at Cadence Cycle Hub at Upwaltham the next morning was very good and very welcome.

The second night we stayed at the YHA at Truleigh Hill. We had booked a shared room for the 5 of us and it was spot on. Secure bike storage, decent showers, good food and beer.

Then it was on to Eastbourne for the finish and fish & chips.

For info, I used my Sonder Broken Road. 100mm travel forks, 2.4″ xc tyres (WTB Ranger), 1×11 gears with a 32T chainring and an 11-42 cassette. It’s now been upgraded to 12-speed, 10-51 and this will make some of the hills easier to ride next time.

I missed this thread originally, @Poopscoop but have really enjoyed reading it today and it has made me want to ride the South Downs Way again. Let’s see what this summer brings…

Great thread resurrection! Just pondering what to do this year, KAW is on the list as local, but I’ve got unfinished business with SDW in a day on a fatbike. Didnt quite make it following a missed turn and ending up in Lewis, then it got dark and I only had blinky lights.

Less of a pub lunch stop next time!

I’m glad you’re keeping it alive poopscoop, this is one of my favourite ever threads.

I’ll do the SDW again I hope.