Southdowns Way
Not sure if this is the correct place to ask this question, but thought some of you guys have probably rode this route before.
I'm off work for 4 days in Mid July and have been given the all clear to go and spend a few days riding/bike packing. I prefer long natural routes rather than trail centres.
I've got two choices I'm currently mulling over. Southdowns Way or the West Country Way, I'll be doing both this year, but currently Southdowns Way is leading contender for July.
Just wondering what people's thoughts are with regards to what bike to use. I plan on riding from Winchester to Beachy Head and then back again within 3 days. I don't mind long days in the saddle, I'm not the quickest but I enjoy endurance riding. I have two options regarding the bike, either a CX / Gravel bike with 32mm knobbly tyres or a Rigid 27.5+ (my bike packing rig).
Plan is to ride towards Lewes for day 1, stay overnight. Ride down to Beachy Head, swan about, have lunch and then back to camp at YHA near Lewes. Then back to Winchester on day 3.
So two questions I guess, what bike would people recommend for this route and if the 27.5+, does the mileage seem do-able?
I'm off work for 4 days in Mid July and have been given the all clear to go and spend a few days riding/bike packing. I prefer long natural routes rather than trail centres.
I've got two choices I'm currently mulling over. Southdowns Way or the West Country Way, I'll be doing both this year, but currently Southdowns Way is leading contender for July.
Just wondering what people's thoughts are with regards to what bike to use. I plan on riding from Winchester to Beachy Head and then back again within 3 days. I don't mind long days in the saddle, I'm not the quickest but I enjoy endurance riding. I have two options regarding the bike, either a CX / Gravel bike with 32mm knobbly tyres or a Rigid 27.5+ (my bike packing rig).
Plan is to ride towards Lewes for day 1, stay overnight. Ride down to Beachy Head, swan about, have lunch and then back to camp at YHA near Lewes. Then back to Winchester on day 3.
So two questions I guess, what bike would people recommend for this route and if the 27.5+, does the mileage seem do-able?
0
Comments
-
Ride whatever you're comfortable with - just bear in mind there's a LOT of climbing, some of which is pretty steep (of course, you get to balance that out with some nice downhill too) and some rooty, rocky off camber stuff. I've done SDW a couple of times - both times on a hardtail MTB & it was spot on for it. It's probably do-able in terms of mileage if you're used to that sort of distance on proper off road trails. I did the Lemming Trail event back when they were still running it - 60 odd miles on day 1, camp at Truleigh Hill YHA, then on to Beechy Head on Day 2. Distances were fine even when pushing it a bit.
Have fun!CS7
Surrey Hills
What's a Zwift?0
