The Downs Link….

…from Guildford to Shoreham has anybody ridden it? Thought I might take a pootle to the coast and back over the weekend. As it's an old railway track I'm guessing it's fairly dull, but does anyone know if it's paved? Now I'm not asking "what tyres for the Downs Link?" (honest) but was wondering whether to put the slicks on or not.

Cheers.

not paved but pretty smooth all the way so slicks! oh and a comfy saddle would be good

I live just off the Downs link and have ridden both directions.
It is pretty dull but it's OK if you want a toddle. Some small parts of it are on the road but the majority is hard-packed dirt. It can get muddy after rain but it's usually not too bad.

I did this a few times, mainly to toughen my arse up and get used to spending a lot of time sat down pedalling hard. The first bit from St Marthas Hill has a fair bit of thick loose sand, and you'll struggle on most tires if it's been dry- once your past that it's plain sailing on slicks. As somebody said to me, 'you might get to turn your bars once or twice'.
I'd rather spend the time on a turbo, to be honest.

I also live just off it, I'd avoid the slicks, it's still pretty wet in places near me.

There's one very short mildly steep hill, it's a decent enough pootle, quite nice if you fancy a mindless ride and don't want to go on the road! Certainly a better way to knock out 70 miles than the turbo!

Rode it years ago from Guildford to Horsham and back. Can get quite busy at weekends and there were parts where the signs made no sense at all (but I think they have re-routed it since then). Not terribly challenging but worth a potter in the sun. There are enough cafes/pubs around if you need to break the journey or just fancy beer/tea/cake. Only ride where I managed to get three punctures though!!!!

It's great for kids on bikes with no gears!!

Thanks for the advise chaps.

Just trying to get a long(for me)ride in and don't enjoy riding on the roads – though a ride to the seaside and back would be something to aim for. Might even treat my self to an ice cream when I get there.

If it stays dry I might risk the slicks. Now where's that bell…..

You could ride almost any bike on most of it, nevermind any tyre. Whatever tyres you got on at the mo would be fine.

As a ride it is quite dull, as a means to get to the coast (mostly) off road it is excellent!

Yes it's 'off road' only in the most literal sense I guess! The point about it getting busy is a valid one, loads of dogs/families in nice weather.

If anyone is expecting a technical challenge they're a bit of an idiot!

Nice day out though to take it down as far as Shoreham Gap, then east for the SDW and along to Dichling Beacon before dropping into Brighton to meet the wife and kids on Madeira Drive and have an icecream or do'nuts on the Pier. Followed by a lift home.

We used to do a big day by getting the train to Petersfield, riding out to QE Park and taking the SDW as far as the Downslink and then back up to Guildford. Very long day (for me) but lots of ground covered.

hadn't thought of that but that's also possible. Downside being that compared to the SDW the Downs Link will be dull and 35 miles on that when you've already done a decent 40 odd of proper riding would be very dull.

But Downslink to Shoreham and then west on the SDW to Petersfield…..

I did the SDW in a day about 15 years ago when I was riding every day and "in my prime" it still wiped me out. I'm planning to do it in again in May, but over a couple of days.

I'm guessing GlenP's route must be getting on for 90 miles, yep that would be a very long day for me too! Sounds like a possible plan someday though.

I think any easy, but longish, non challanging bimble is, for me, the way to go to get some miles under my belt.

Closer to 70 I'd say, be a good day I reckon, I've often thought about doing it actually.

Not 90 – can't remember the distance but it's only riding from Petersfield to the downs, along the downs to Steyning, and then Downslink back to Guildford (where we had left cars and got on train in the morning). I say only – I had a hideous bonk half way back on the Downslink where I ended up just sitting on the ground virtually ready to cry! Felt better after ten minutes and rode on wondering what that was all about. Lesson – don't forget to eat!

Perfect for cyclocross
I used to ride to work along it

My Mate Michael rode Westcott > Leith Hill > Pitch Hill > Cranleigh > Downs Link > Shoreham > SDW to Brighton. Me and Dez got off at Horsham. Then got teh train back to Dorking.
Take an MP3 and a good book to read on the Downs Link.
It was on the DL we spotted an act of Darwinism to marvel at. A lady cycling along with a small child, maybe 2 years old hanging on her back. Like a totally unsupported piggy back, So if the child fell it was 5 ft straight down. Then along came her husband with the empty child seat. Duh.

Yeah, as everyone's said it's pretty flat and unengaging. However, I'm also thinking of doing it similar to you, but I might instead go cross-country parallel with the A23 down to somewhere like Devils Dyke, head west along the SDW, pick up the DL at Steyning, take it to St Marthas and then attempt to cycle home from there. Should make for a nice little clockwise route, but could also do me in. Whatever you choose, the DL is about as simple as it gets off-road.