London to Brighton Off-Road - September 23rd 2017

[Dr Murdoch]

Anyone else taking part this year?

This will be my first attempt and I'll be using my Genesis CDF (CX/Adventure bike). Any tips? Should I get bigger tyres (currently using Kenda Flintridge 700x35c 60TPI)

I note that they've moved the start, which makes it a bit trickier, but I think Teddingtion station will be the closest, will need to cross the Thames at Teddington Lock.

[Agent XXX]

Yep. Am in.

Can't wait!

The start has been shifted to Ham which is about the same distance from Richmond as Roehampton. Makes the route 3 or four miles shorter but no big issue.

[river_rat]

I'm doing it....

[Dr Murdoch]

I'm hoping to set off at around 7.30am. I hope to do it in around 6 hours, my last ride which took in two laps of Richmond Park and lots of stop starting on the tow path, was 30mils and it it took 2 hours. So allowing for a 1 hour stoppage at some point, hopefully roll into Brighton at 1.30 ish?

Realistic, or wishful thinking?

[Agent XXX]

Dr Murdoch said:

I'm hoping to set off at around 7.30am. I hope to do it in around 6 hours, my last ride which took in two laps of Richmond Park and lots of stop starting on the tow path, was 30mils and it it took 2 hours. So allowing for a 1 hour stoppage at some point, hopefully roll into Brighton at 1.30 ish?

Realistic, or wishful thinking?

Wishful thinking. Yu'll be stopping for more than an hour. Also, pace yourself out, there are a couple of good hills but the most energy sapping bit is the Downs Link (about 20-25 miles of it roughly) and then of course you have the lovely ascent up to Truleigh Hill 5 miles from the end.

Edited by Agent XXX on Tuesday 22 August 15:39

[Dr Murdoch]

Agent XXX said:

Wishful thinking. Yu'll be stopping for more than an hour. Also, pace yourself out, there are a couple of good hills but the most energy sapping bit is the Downs Link (about 20-25 miles of it roughly) and then of course you have the lovely ascent up to Truleigh Hill 5 miles from the end.

Edited by Agent XXX on Tuesday 22 August 15:39

Cheers, I suspected that might be the case! Its been a decade since I last done the london to brighton (on-road).

What tyres are people running on there road / cx bikes? Fattest possible, or are they not critical? I assume the weather will play a decisive factor.

[Agent XXX]

Dr Murdoch said:

Cheers, I suspected that might be the case! Its been a decade since I last done the london to brighton (on-road).

What tyres are people running on there road / cx bikes? Fattest possible, or are they not critical? I assume the weather will play a decisive factor.

Oh this is WAYYYYYYYYYYYY better than the on road L2B! WAY better. Much more fun! Awesome atmosphere, everyone helps everyone, looks out for everyone, very few d*cks (though there will always be one or two obvs). Thoroughly good day

[ecs]

Dr Murdoch said:

Cheers, I suspected that might be the case! Its been a decade since I last done the london to brighton (on-road).

What tyres are people running on there road / cx bikes? Fattest possible, or are they not critical? I assume the weather will play a decisive factor.

When I last did it, I was running Maxxis High Rollers - I'd never ridden an MTB these sorts of distances before and didn't realise how much poor tyre choice would affect things! People were casually cruising past me while my slow, draggy tyres were sapping all my energy! Most of the route is gravel and hardpack with a few woody sections with roots so a lightweight low rolling resistance tyre would be the best choice. I've got some Nobby Nics to try out this time round (I saw a few people in CX bikes do it which looked like a good choice, but you want to be on an MTB for the descent down into Brighton alone - was great fun to fly down that hill flat out!)

Edit: Just realised you're on a CX bike so my advice is useless

Edited by ecs on Thursday 24th August 13:34

[Landlord]

I'm doing it. I'm bricking it. I really don't think I'm fit enough but we'll see.

The killer is that I'm doing it alone. My original partner dropped out after her first practice (on-road, only one moderate hill) bike ride of about 10 miles! My second volunteer has gone AWOL and the third has dropped out because he doesn't think he can do it.

I'm just worried about my own company for such a long amount of time, plus boredom and no one to motivate me. Damn me for being unpopular!

[Robertj21a]

How does everyone get home again - afaik the trains won't take bikes ?

[ecs]

They're running a coach service back and bikes are allowed on the train after this one because it's not as busy as the road version (where they're banned). Not sure how practical the train option is though.

[Agent XXX]

Landlord said:

I'm doing it. I'm bricking it. I really don't think I'm fit enough but we'll see.

The killer is that I'm doing it alone. My original partner dropped out after her first practice (on-road, only one moderate hill) bike ride of about 10 miles! My second volunteer has gone AWOL and the third has dropped out because he doesn't think he can do it.

I'm just worried about my own company for such a long amount of time, plus boredom and no one to motivate me. Damn me for being unpopular!

I did it for the first time last year on my own. Actually quite good because you can just go at the pace that suits you best, rest when you want to rest, eat when you want to eat etc. And don't panic, in this event you are never on your own. Everyone supports everyone.

[Agent XXX]

Robertj21a said:

How does everyone get home again - afaik the trains won't take bikes ?

Riding home. All of 3/4 of a mile

[Landlord]

Agent XXX said:

I did it for the first time last year on my own. Actually quite good because you can just go at the pace that suits you best, rest when you want to rest, eat when you want to eat etc. And don't panic, in this event you are never on your own. Everyone supports everyone.

Thanks for that - good to hear. It's kind of what I've been thinking. A chap at work is doing it and has offered for me to join his group by they're reasonably experienced bikers so I just don't think I'd be able to go at their pace. I'd much prefer to not either be struggling to keep up or feel guilty for slowing them down.

So - what's everyone's suggestions for essential kit? I've got:

Padded shorts(!)
Chamois cream
Crossbar pannier type thing for phone and battery pack, snacks/gels, cash etc
One spare inner tube
CO2 inflator thing
Tyre lifter things
Multitool
Energy pack of gels and sachets etc.

Am I overly worried with that lot do you think?

[Daveyraveygravey]

I'm not doing the ride, but live in Steyning, near the last climb out of Upper Beeding. This is a rough old bit of road, and can be quite technical, more so if it has been raining. I don't think a cx bike would go down it too well, but you should be ok climbing.

The route then turns onto the road and you go past the YHA before turning back down towards Brighton. Again the South Downs Way around the YHA is probably more suited to mtb than cx so go steady along there. I haven't been down the descent from the YHA but I think it is more grass track than anything, and you'll be on lanes/roads not long after you go over the A27.

The Downslink from Guildford onwards should be ok. There is one downhill, with a bit of a curve to the right near the bottom, but otherwise it's pretty flat. They are making the Downslink almost road bike friendly in a lot of places, which I think is a good and bad thing.

[Agent XXX]

Landlord said:

Padded shorts(!) YES. Definitely
Chamois cream YES. Definitely
Crossbar pannier type thing for phone and battery pack, snacks/gels, cash etc YES or backpack
One spare inner tube YES. Probably two
CO2 inflator thing Or a pump
Tyre lifter things yes
Multitool yes
Energy pack of gels and sachets etc.Yes. Though there will be stuff like that along the way at the rest points.

Am I overly worried with that lot do you think?

The mechanical support along the route is excellent. Make sure you have cash with you too. Good pub stop is the Cat and Canary just before Truleigh Hill at the end of the Downs Link (you'll have earned a nice pint by then!

[Landlord]

Agent XXX said:

Landlord said:

Padded shorts(!) YES. Definitely
Chamois cream YES. Definitely
Crossbar pannier type thing for phone and battery pack, snacks/gels, cash etc YES or backpack
One spare inner tube YES. Probably two
CO2 inflator thing Or a pump
Tyre lifter things yes
Multitool yes
Energy pack of gels and sachets etc.Yes. Though there will be stuff like that along the way at the rest points.

Am I overly worried with that lot do you think?

The mechanical support along the route is excellent. Make sure you have cash with you too. Good pub stop is the Cat and Canary just before Truleigh Hill at the end of the Downs Link (you'll have earned a nice pint by then!

Awesome. Much appreciated!

[Daveyraveygravey]

There's also the Bax Castle, near Christ's Hospital. Cat and Canary is good, but Bax is a bit special - or it was last time I was there. Easy to miss, just a hole in the hedge but worth trying to find.
I think there is an official drink/food station at Beeding, literally 2 minutes before the big climb. For me, that's too near the climb and too near the end, Cat and Canary is maybe 20 minutes away, Bax probably 45-60 minutes away

[Daveyraveygravey]

http://www.baxcastle.co.uk

[Daveyraveygravey]

Landlord said:

Thanks for that - good to hear. It's kind of what I've been thinking. A chap at work is doing it and has offered for me to join his group by they're reasonably experienced bikers so I just don't think I'd be able to go at their pace. I'd much prefer to not either be struggling to keep up or feel guilty for slowing them down.

So - what's everyone's suggestions for essential kit? I've got:

Padded shorts(!)
Chamois cream
Crossbar pannier type thing for phone and battery pack, snacks/gels, cash etc
One spare inner tube
CO2 inflator thing
Tyre lifter things
Multitool
Energy pack of gels and sachets etc.

Am I overly worried with that lot do you think?

I've moved away from energy gels etc. I always have one as an emergency bail out, but prefer flapjacks or fig rolls. Even a mini pork pie! Sometimes you just want savoury