Brighton to London

NWLondoner
NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
edited April 2008 in The bottom bracket
My aim (maybe too ambitious) is by the end of the year being able to cycle at least 50 miles and maybe even do a London to Brighton ride.


Now this may seem a daft question but has anyone rode from Brighton to London?

What is the route like?

Personally i would rather get the train down to Brighton then ride home instead of riding to Brighton then taking the train home while i am all hot and sweaty.

Comments

  • PostieJohn
    PostieJohn Posts: 1,105
    If you think 50 miles will be a struggle for you, I suggest L2B would be better suited as it is very down hill orientated. So more of an effort going the other way.
    You could always have a dip in the sea before your return!.
    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12792776
  • TheBoyBilly
    TheBoyBilly Posts: 749
    John's right. L2B is the way to go even if it means avoiding Ditchling. There is no point doing either way if you don't enjoy it.
    To disagree with three-fourths of the British public is one of the first requisites of sanity - Oscar Wilde
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Is it an ok cycle to just take the A23 the entire way??
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • bwfcmullet
    bwfcmullet Posts: 45
    A23? you would have to be insane to want to cycle all the way on that road! :)

    its ok "ish" up to about crawley, beyond there not sure if some parts are not fobidden to cycles. take the back roads through cuckfield, burgess hill and hassocks far more easy on the eye and nerves than the A23
  • overmars
    overmars Posts: 430
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Is it an ok cycle to just take the A23 the entire way??

    Did the L2B two years ago and cycled back along the A23. It was horrid! BUT it's a great sense of achievment when you finally get off it!!
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    bwfcmullet wrote:
    A23? you would have to be insane to want to cycle all the way on that road! :)

    its ok "ish" up to about crawley, beyond there not sure if some parts are not fobidden to cycles. take the back roads through cuckfield, burgess hill and hassocks far more easy on the eye and nerves than the A23

    I did notice something that looked like a motorway on that, so you might be right :lol:

    I guess coming back the way you came on the l2b is tricky?
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Damn i was afraid B2L was was not a good idea :(
  • PostieJohn
    PostieJohn Posts: 1,105
    To be honest NW, I have every confidence that you could ride L2B, probably not this weekend (bank holiday traffic) but deffo soon.
    It's a nice ride, give yourself enough time and you'll have a ball, plus the sense of achivement will set you up nicely for the summer.
    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12792776
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    As the others have said, it is more up-hill (going up from sea level) but I think it is managable.

    It might be worth doing the L to B route first to see how you feel. Also the train journey is only an hour or maybe a bit less,

    If you do plan to do LtoB instead, I would definitely take the train out to Caterham and start from there. It avoids getting out of London which is unpleasnat and tiring.

    You may even be able to do it there and back - 75 miles to Brighton Pier.

    Alternatively, you could stop just before descending into Brighton as that way, you could avoid the traffic etc plus the huge hill to get back out of Brighton. You could even stop at the bottom of Ditchling Beacon and return. Although, I guess actually going into Brighton is nice as it makes it a day trip.

    I have a gmap of a route that I use when I go down, which I will post when I get home (link is on my home pc). You could use that in it's entirety or adapt it...

    Congratulations also on being motivated to ride longer distances. You will feel immensely satisfied and find that all these places don't seem so far (eg/. You could do Lon-Cambridge which is very nice - 60 miles or so, and if you are in NW London it is worth considering. It is a nicer and easier route than to Brighton and rolling rather than hilly. It is all open too, whereas some of the roads to Brighton are narrower and closed in with hedges etc. The train from Cambridge is only 45minutes.).
    Contador is the Greatest
  • TheGreatGatsby
    TheGreatGatsby Posts: 818
    NW - if you want to do it come with me. I'm doing London Brighton London that weekend so if you want somebody to ride with then feel free. I'll be following the L2B route down and then turning round and continuing back on the A23. I aim to get to Brighton in about 3hrs and get back just under but we'll see how it goes.

    Gats
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    TheGreatGatsby wrote:
    NW - if you want to do it come with me. I'm doing London Brighton London that weekend so if you want somebody to ride with then feel free. I'll be following the L2B route down and then turning round and continuing back on the A23. I aim to get to Brighton in about 3hrs and get back just under but we'll see how it goes.

    Gats

    which weekend? If I'm available I might tag along if that's ok?
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ride back on the A23!! Is that the one that turns into the M23? I had to take that with my brother one time becuase we had unintentaonally timed our return from Brighton with the L2B official ride and were not able to use the route they were using.

    It is NOT recommended - cars going passed at high speed, a small (sometimes non-existent) gap to ride on between the road and verge, and plenty of debris for punctures (I had a blowout), and importanty terrifying moments when crossing the slip roads/exits. When you get onto the motorway it is actually much better due to having a hard shoulder to ride on, but that is not advised either as it is dangerous and illegal (we were stopped by a police car and made to walk to the nearest junction exit).

    DO NOT RIDE ON THE A23!!!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • TheGreatGatsby
    TheGreatGatsby Posts: 818
    The L2B weekend - 11 of july I think - be awesome to do it with somebody as at the moment I am doing all 6 of my chairty events on my todd. :oops:

    If anyone has a good route back from brighton that isn't a death trap it'd be much appreciated!

    Gats
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    I'm doing the L2B with a mate and we're cycling back after a snack up there, you're welcome to join us and force the pace if you want

    My start time is annoyingly 9
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    NWLondoner,

    Here is the gmap I was talking about: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=979951
    Contador is the Greatest
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Thanks everyone for all you helpful advice.

    thanks frenchfighter for the link :D

    great gatsby thanks for the offer but if i do manage it this year i'd rather do it by myself for the 1st couple of times. My cycling is not what you would call fast. At present i manage 28 miles in approx 2hrs. 20 minutes.

    but defo in future would consider it.

    I want to build up in stages. hope to ride (weather permitting) from Harpenden to home this sunday then try from Luton to home the week after.

Categories