L2B Sunday...

big_southern_jesse

Anyone else hauling an MTB down the route, keen to overtake a few roadies on the hills?

xcman27

I am!! ive just bought a set of 1.25 tyres, proper slicks!! to wack on stumpjumper Fsr pro!!!

watch me go!!

big_southern_jesse

Yep, I've swapped the knobblies for the tame tyres on my wife's bike. Had to change my computer too as my wheel circumference dropped more than 3 inches!

What time are you starting? We've got a 9am start, so it's going to be a slow day!

Chalky76

i'm heading off on the 6am slot as friend has done it before and said the earlier the better if you want to actually ride up the hills, otherwise lots of people get off and walk and you have no option but to do likewise.

My slicks are 1 inch wide! Makes the bike look really odd!

big_southern_jesse

Yep, we applied for the earliest possible start, but got landed with the 9am. :x

Last time was a bit of a nightmare on the hills.

Chalky76

Big southern - just how hard is the final climb (Ditchling Beacon?) I hear conflicting reports, which i guess stems from conflicting levels of fitness / expectations !?!

big_southern_jesse

Ditchling is a bit of a sod, but it depends what you are used to! Obviously it's tarmac, which makes a nice change for us offroaders, but it is quite long. It starts to go gently up hill a few miles beforehand if I remember correctly; so if you attack it too hard then you'll be knackered before you get to the climb proper. I went up it without stopping last time, using the bottom three or four gears once I got to the steep bit.

We'd done a bit of training before the event last time, but not a huge amount, mainly a half dozen 15 to 20 mile road rides, and one 40 miler a week before.

How difficult Ditchling is depends on how fit you are and how much of a nutter for going up hills. I have to say I had a great time going up 2 years ago, mainly because I was one of the very few people actually riding the whole thing. Obviously as you're starting at 6 you'll be surrounded by lots more serious cyclists, but at least they won't get in your way.

I'm just trying to find a nice little graph or diagram of DB, I know i've seen one before!

Anyway, that thing you're riding... it's called a mountain bike right? And that's a hill... so what's the worry?

Chalky76

I suppose its the unknown. Fairly confident i'll do it. I like the challenge of a climb and usually fare well with my mates at the weekend, but obviously don't come across anything as long as this (Essex is not renowned for its mounains!)

A guy I work with said not to go to early as it can deceive you when you think you are nearly at the end only to discover another steep section which often catches peope out.

Would like to see that graph / diagram if you do stumble across it.

Might be leaving with the roadies, but not sure that means we'll still be with them by the time the Beacon comes along...

big_southern_jesse

L2B distance/height graphic clicky

Not super clear, or super accurate I guess as I don't remember really going up hill at all after DB, but it gives a bit of an idea of how far you climb, and over what distance.

Chalky76

thanks - enjoy Sunday

big_southern_jesse

One last thing, when you have conquered DB, take it a little easy on the other side.

We were getting into the mood for a real blast, a long downhill, loads of space on a closed road, about to really put some speed down, when the lovely couple in front suddenly decided to use all that space by rolling downhill and swooping joyfully from one side of the road to the other! Without a single thought for anyone about to overtake them. It's very easy to be travelling 30mph quicker than other riders coming down there, which is a heck of a closing rate between bikes, when you might be aiming for a gap 3 foot wide to overtake!

big_southern_jesse

You too Chalky, and xcman, and anyone else taking part. If anyone else is starting at 9.30, we'll be the 3 guys you can see over the crowd, the biggest one on a dainty little road bike!

batch78

Good luck guys

Beat some roadies for us! :twisted:

Mark_K

i'll be there with my 7am start time :shock:
Look out for me on a Charge Mixer

clarkson

Big Southern Jesse wrote:

Yep, I've swapped the knobblies for the tame tyres on my wife's bike. Had to change my computer too as my wheel circumference dropped more than 3 inches!

What time are you starting? We've got a 9am start, so it's going to be a slow day!

ouch had that start last year. you'll be queing out of london. into brighton. and most probably walking up the hills if there are lazy people in front!!

oh and watch for 'all the gear no idea' people. overtook a few roadies last year on my enduro!!

grantway

The worst ride they do is London to Southend that is constant hill
climbing and more hill climbing and only one very small down section.

This best thing about this ride is that its that hard you can just turn
up on the day not having to book.

They do Marshall these rides and have started giving out water along
the way and have mechanics along the way too including a mobile pick
up if things go wrong.

Bit of advice first time round I done it in mountain bike tyres :?
change them for the Specalized Armadilo you wont regret it.

The London to Brighton ride is much easier than the London to Southend.
for those who are intrested?

A bang on good day out riding enjoy guys and have a good one.

stuart_forrest

We're doing it as a team - have a 9.30 start but we're all planning to turn up and try and get out early anyway. Last time I did this I seem to remember that people weren't stopped from doing so (it isn't as if we're wearing time chips after all). Anyone got any experience of this?

Rich Hcp

Other things to do tomorrow...

My local pub has a team, it'll be interesting how a mix of fairly serious cyclists and p*ssheads get on.

I've never done it, but I've heard that it gets very crowded.

I'll be doing the Sufolk Coast ride in August instead.

grantway

Well there will be a real mixed bunch from semi pro and a lot of
club racers doing time laps.
I was half way through and my wife called me as some people had already
finished?

Earlier the better has you dont get mister enthusiastic holding you up

So yes leave early, they also start people in batches now as this was due
to one guy falling over and knocking six guys down too, was funny mind

The earlier you get the more serious the riders are and you see some sites
people with arm and leg warmers etc but some sexy carbon bikes too.

scott mcavennie

grantway wrote:

The worst ride they do is London to Southend that is constant hill
climbing and more hill climbing and only one very small down section.

You done the South Downs Randonee then?