[Closed] BHF SDW in a day

Schwalbe Smart Sams are cheap and quite fast rolling

First timer here too and also after advice. Mavic Pulse 2.1 on a lightweight short travel FS for me.

First timer for the full 100 mile route here too, I did the 35 mile route last year and I'm seriously contemplating using my Calibre Dune for seated comfort and grip (4.0" Jumbo Jims) on the climbs over my FF29 (2.3" Racing Ralphs) which is faster and has more room in the cockpit - I'm mixing the two on the training rides to see which is best - it should be the latter, but....

I'd go for comfort first and foremost - you'll be on the bike for 10-12 hours, there's a limit to how long you can stop for a rest, and you're not going to go anywhere quick with a sore butt or stiff neck, wrists etc. There's not that much technical climbing, so you can always get off and push for a few yards on the really rooty rocky stuff, but there is a lot of climbing - my fat bike is heavier than the FF29 but I don't notice it when climbing and I suspect the traction makes up for any difference.

How's your training going?

I've been trying to stick to the Advanced schedule on the BHF site in terms of long weekend rides, and I'm fortunate enough to live on the last third of the Downs so all of my routes are hilly, but I cycle commute all week so haven't bothered with the mid week stuff. I missed last week but did 27 miles yesterday with 3,000 feet of climbing, and felt tired (although I didn't take in any carbs save for a pre-ride banana - a deliberate bit of lard reduction) and while I know the last 35 is the worst that wasn't a cinch either when I did that a couple of weeks' ago. I'm wondering how great in going to feel after the first 65 at this rate!

Comfort is important. The T130 would be absolutely fine I reckon, but a fat bike's extra weight and rolling resistance over that distance could really take its toll. I think the NN would be fine, but if you want something quicker a Maxxis Ikon/ardent combo would be good.

I live at the western end so not too much climbing but I know Winchester to qecp very well now.

Not following the training schedule on the website as I work shifts and have a 14month old so I'm going for as much saddle time as possible. Averaging 4 x 30km + rides a week with an hour here and there. Managed 150km since Thursday but that's an exception.

Staying with nobby nics for training as the resistance is helping but will change a couple of weeks before hand. New padded shorts, grips and possibly saddle 2 weeks before as well.

I did it on a 100mm full suss with a lockout. Old commencal meta 4 and I appreciated the comfort on the chatter bits. There is no gnar at all but there is some rougher bits that the fs takes out

If you are used to it a 29er ht would be my weapon of choice. That or a cx bike for a super fast time!

In terms of training I got to the point of doing 40odd miles and felt ok at the end. I ended up ok. My mate got to a point where he was tired after 35 and suffered badly after 75 miles on the day. My training rides involved riding up as many hills as possible. Miles on the flat are pointless as there is pretty much no flat on the sdw!

Have fun. Have a chat to everyone. Oh and the first bit is hilarious. It's ever so slightly rocky and the amount of bikers fixing punctures was comedy gold.

After reading the post above the bit up to qecp is really nice to ride but the real terrain starts after this point. Much more exposure and steepness the worst bit of brighton to eastbourne has to be ridden to be appreciated. I hate the climb from nr falmer to woodingdean. Just horrible.

you can always get off and push for a few yards on the really rooty rocky stuff

There's none of that. The western half is rolling, then the eastern half is just long draggy climbs in the open. The last two climbs are brutal.

I did it for the first time last year and enjoyed it though. Want to do it twice more - once to go faster and not take wrong turns (as I did twice), and once to go slower and enjoy the view!

There are lots of taps, so no need to lug 3l of water up every hill.

The western part is rolling. I've been concentrating on old Winchester hill and butser hill for my climbing as well as short sharp climbs near home.

Food wise, what's best? I'm thinking of greggs sausage rolls and some gel bars and flap jack.

There are people talking about very light tyres up ^ there, for what I understand is a very flinty ride (I've done it but was waaaay overtyred and overbiked so can't really comment).

It's flinty in the NF where I ride and I wouldn't trust a nobby nic on my pub bike. Too flimsy unless they've improved the casing. Smart Sams 'n' shit - 😯

Can you really get away with tyres like that ? (I was on ST high rollers and still carried a spare tyre due to advice at the time about slashed tyres)

I did it last year. Really rewarding when you roll into Eastbourne!

29 HT rolling on rocket Ron / x King combo.

Either bike you mention will be fine. I'd say eating and staying hydrated are probably more important than bike choice!

It's dry as a bone on there now..

I've had the nobby nics on for a few months now riding the south downs and qecp and only had one puncture (massive thorn) so I do trust them. Open to other suggestions though.

Can you really get away with tyres like that

Well yes, of course you can, insofar as they wont puncture the second you ride onto the SDW. Nics are hardly "very light", they have comparatively fragile carcasses. It's luck. Plenty of chance of cutting a tyre, any tyre, it's a balance.

I personally fitted Bontrager XR1s, as they are comparatively quick, but tougher than Thunder Burts, which I think would be ideal save for the puncture risk. I'd consider using Burts next time as they're faster, and just risk a flat.

I used XR4's last time I finished . I have also done 2 attempts on RR's (tubeless) and didnt finish . 1 time was tyre related but it really was the broken spoke and buckle in the wheel that encouraged me to stop.

IMO you need to be riding 100 miles a week to ride 100 miles in one day , and not die a horrible death somewhere above Lewes.

Its all luck , a large flint with a sharp edge will slice any tyre ( maybe not a full on DH dual ply) but anything that you can ride 100 miles on.

Consider a 750ml bottle instead of a bladder, water is available every 10 /12 miles after qecp. Then malt loaf, flapjacks, fig rolls , few cashews for salt, suntan cream, maybe a small sachet of bum cream if you are worried and saddle sores.

MP3 for last 20 miles , those hills a pretty stiff on legs that are 80 miles old. although the ft climbed per mile is almost the same in the first 50 miles , the first 50 miles are more frequent but smaller.

Well yes, of course you can, insofar as they wont puncture the second you ride onto the SDW. Nics ... have comparatively fragile carcasses

Erm, I use Chellenge Griffo 33c CX tyres on the SDW.. 😀 occasionally I get a flat, but it's very rare.

What are you guys expecting??

It's just a flinty, rutted chalk hack with occasional boulder rutted downhill bits and likewise uphill bits.

IMO you should be thinking more about grip if it rains beforehand..

Have fun though, it's a lovely day out.

6 weeks to go, any suggestions for how I had better ramp things up and carry minimal kit?

Bear in mind that half the climbing is in the last third, and they're long, draggy climbs so make sure you keep your energy reserves up. If it rains it can be a real clag-fest, but it would have to be pretty substantial as it's been dry for quite a few weeks. Currently training for a double attempt in the next - will probably do a 300km 'training' ride in the next few weeks to re-familiarise myself with the Eastbourne end as I don't get that way too frequently. Keep an eye on the weather as I've experienced mid-summer temperatures between 10 degrees and a howling easterly to 30 degrees baking sunshine.

Put your backpack on a diet. Strap every thing you can to the bike to get weight off your arse.
Ride SB8's - if you are going to hit a razor sharp flint, it will cut all but the heaviest tyre, so pick a faster tyre and look where you are going.
I think the hills at the east end are ok; just be topped up on fuel before you hit them.... they are all only 10 minute efforts. The difficulty is in your head, not in the terrain.
Just get it done and enjoy the views.

Eat well, eat often, drink well, drink often.

You just need basic tools, puncture stuff, food, and if you put some effort in a gillet for when you stop (gets windy and sometimes occasionally cold on the top) money, phone and GPX device (optional as its all sign posted)

When I'm doing the whole thing, that's all I take.

The BHF rides are well supported with mechanics & you can be picked up if you drop out. I have been a mechanic for last 3yrs & will be this year, its great fun... Doing the L2P next week.

Consider a 750ml bottle instead of a bladder, water is available every 10 /12 miles after qecp.

More than that now - there's a tap at Exton, and possibly one other before QECP.

Personally, when I did the SDW I avoided a backpack entirely. I really don't like the extra weight on my body (rather than the bike) and reckon it makes me more fatigued (especially when you need to get out of the saddle on climbs). So I had two large water bottles and a Carradice saddlebag. Worked fine and we did a lap of the QECP trails too.

I did it with two bottles, but actually only used one, would only take a single one next time. Two tubes on seatpost. Gels taped to top tube. Multi tool and pump in pocket.

Tomorrow I will be working on minimal kit and strapping stuff to bike.
I want to run like this for a few weeks, ironing out any eventualities.
Can I suggest a few pics of bikes from STW who are doing the 100?

Gels? Behave. Pork pies and single speed. Spesh controls Tubeless are fine, Purgatory/GC. Enjoy Wendover & Bourne Hills at the end 🙂

rooty, rocky stuff ... There's none of that, the western half is rolling, then the eastern half is just long draggy climbs in the open. The last two climbs are brutal.

I found the bottom of the last two climbs were the rooty, rocky bits a couple of weeks ago, through the trees. They didn't stand out in my mind from last year, but two weeks ago there's no way I would have got up without fat tyre traction, maybe the winter has eroded and exposed some chalk that used to be covered up? Initial part of the climb out of Saddlescombe can be a traction problem too, especially if it's wet. All of them quite short sections though, so not too much bother, but worse than last year I reckon.

Ian Leitch doubled it last week in 15hrs 35min give or take, so theres your target ( he isnt human btw, drinks gt85 and eats bicycle spokes for breakfast)
Good to know about the Exton Farm tap Nick, new to me I mut have simply ridden past it last year.

Half the climbing is in the last third

http://www.bikedowns.co.uk/Profile%20All.htm

One 500ml bottle is more than enough with the bhf. There will be Marshalls with bottled water at every road crossing. When I did it I used the taps to save queuing for bottles half the time.

Good to know about the Exton Farm tap Nick, new to me I mut have simply ridden past it last year

Yep, was definitely there in June when I did it, makes bottles a more viable prospect certainly.

I did it last year with mccraque and echo his comments about eating properly and staying hydrated. I didn't fill my camelback up with loads of water but instead took a few of the powdered energy type drinks and mixed it with water from the taps in a water bottle. That meant no mega heavy backpack. I'd be mindful of not going mad on really sugary stuff though, avoid spikes/crashes in energy.

I ate a mix of stuff like pork pies, flapjacks etc. Little and often worked for me. That and never going mad up any hills. Better to start slow and finish strong, the hills towards the end are tough.

Bike wise, I rode my carbon 29er ht. Perfect tool for the job. My fat bike would be more fun/comfortable,for an hour or two until it tired me out. You need something you're comfortable on for HOURS. Oh and get some gooch cream if you don't have any!

Enjoy it though. It's a great ride and hope someone has left the gate open halfway down Butser Hill.

My tip would be ditch the baggies.
They just flap about and annoy!

A few of us will be giving it another go in a few weeks.. I think I'll be on the SS with saguro..

DrP

I'll have a camel back and saddle bag. For some reason I prefer weight on my body rather than the bike.

I use a handlebar bag on my inbred 🙂 Don't trust a saddle pack and no room for frame bag with water bottle/s on.

Pockets and electrical tape to attach stuff FTW

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Flappy piece of paper on top tube was the tap locations and mile points, was really glad I had that.

njee - Surely you need a gel bandolero? 🙂

I'll try selotaping pork pies on next time!

richardthird - Member
I'll try selotaping pork pies on next time!

This is why I want a carbon Specialized. The SWAT box looks like the ideal storage location for pork pies and sausage rolls.

Zip tying pork pies would surely mean less chance of eating sellotape?

I'm not sure the selotape will even stick to the greasy pie.

They need to make SWAT pork pies the same diameter as the down tube, with a spring loaded dispenser.

Couple that with a few SWAT sausage rolls in the handlebar, and some SWAT pizza slices in the spokes of the wheels and you'll be sorted.

They need to make SWAT pork pies the same diameter as the down tube, with a spring loaded dispenser.

Like a pork pie pez dispenser. I like.

I'll have a camel back and saddle bag. For some reason I prefer weight on my body rather than the bike.

I have a Camelback Volt LR, it;s pretty lightly built, the fabric is almost see through. But even without the bladder it weights 520g. So probably 650g with a bladder.

A Water bottles weighs 80g, and a cage about 30g.

So it's actually saving around a lb in weight ditching the backpack, regardless of where you put the water afterwards. I quite happily ride with a bottle in a jersey pocket if the bike doesn't have a cage (or I'm carrying a 2nd bottle on the road bike and CBA fitting another cage).

Alpkit stem cell takes 5 x 1000cal pork pies, stacked.

I have been ill for a couple of weeks and I am now up early to get some miles in. Is 4 weeks enough to get some legs in? I have not ridden more than 20 miles for a number of months. Oh dear.

Under two weeks to go. For those participating - How's it going?

Attempting a SDW-Double this weekend - 2x Alpkit Stemcells = 10x pork pies!

Going OK, better than 2 weeks ago. Praying for sun and a SW wind.
I will be on Black Pivot FS.

Dovebike, I know someone who is doing a SDW-double this weekend! You don't ride a fatbike by any chance do you?

Hi Phil, yes it's me, F!

Good luck for this weekend! I was looking at the timings to see if I could give you a shout of support at qecp, but by my reckoning I will be well in bed by the time you are rolling past!

Currently in full cycle gear, looking a plonker,enjoying Merlot and food in Winchester. Lovely place, as far as a newbie can tell. Apparently restaurants don't take singletrack premier cards as any sort of discount 🙁

Which direction is it? West to East?

I might ride along with the flow if so from QECP for a bit.

Winchester to Eastbourne. You would get 2/3rds of it.

Parents are down from Ayrshire to look after the little one tomorrow as my wife will be in work. Currently cooking some square Sausage to be had for breakfast in the morning.

Weathers looking good but I'm nervous about whether I've done enough prep.

That was tough. I needed lower gears at the end.

Just about recovered.....