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Next week I'm planning on riding the Ridgeway then home via Swinley and the Basingstoke canal ultimately to Dorking. What's best to use for the Ridgeway, is it XC full suss or gravel bike?
I find the chalky SDW best on my Epic because it is rock hard and bumpy this time of year. Is it the same on the Ridgeway?
Thanks!
These days it'd be gravel I reckon if you have big enough tyres. Much of it has been graded and gravel put down.
I rode it on my Scott Spark 900RC a few years ago and I was glad that I did.
I’m using my gravel bike (Mason Bokeh V2) less and less as I prefer the comfort of the Spark, but yes the Ridgeway is easily rideable on a gravel bike with 38 and above tyres if that’s your thing.
The main use my gravel bike gets now is with road tyres as a winter road bike.
Ridgeway around the White Horse Hill, Uffington, etc, is pretty sketchy on narrow tyres. Lots of ruts to drop into, while traveling at speed. 2" tyres would be fine. My dad lives near there so I ride around a few times a year. My 29er flies along.
there's a fair bit of variation in terrain along it's length, and while there's plenty of easy gravel track a 29er might seem like overkill for, there are also a fair few rutted and bumpy sections and the ground is as hard as iron at the moment. I'd go for XC and fast tyres for a bit more comfort and control.
Some is easy and smooth, but some is very bumpy. As its long Id go for comfort and go full sus XC bike.
Thanks folks, I've got a 50c and a 2.1 on my gravel so it sounds like it could be a goer especially as the other 85 miles are ideal for gravel.
i'm with Faustus.
Out of interest, how are you getting from Ridegway to Swinley ?
There looks to be a cycle along the river then another down to Earley though this is the bit I haven't ridden. Once at Wokingham there's a byway / bridleway that runs pretty much straight to Crowthorne with a bit of road.
When you get down to Brookwood would it not make sense to head over towards Ash, Hog's Back, edge around Guildford and into the Surrey Hills? Saves going north/east to Byfleet, Cobham, Esher.
Did a 30 mile ride on parts of the North Ridgeway yesterday. Used my hardtail with plenty of air in the 2.3 tyres.
By the end I was really missing some suspension!
The backside today is also telling me loudly that I should have gone full suss.
It's 'harder' than you might imagine ATM. Take an XC bike.
I’ve not done all of it but the bits I’ve done have been fine on 2 inch tyres
That's a decent ride for sure!
I reckon the first 40 miles of that would be fine on a gravel bike. I ride 35mm tyres and it’s ok so if you’re running larger volume then even better. Are you set on riding ‘The Ridgeway’? It skirts past some of the more interesting sights and trails on some road sections which is a shame, but probably a little easier for a ride of that length.
I've ridden it several times from Goring to Avebury on both my 29er hardtail and my gravel bike, it's rideable on either, all my fastest times have been on the XC bike.
Done it on rigid 29er (Ardent 2.4") and 650B (Byway 47) gravel bike so many times. I'd take the 29er if I wasn't riding on road to / from / elsewhere in the same ride. The Ridgeway isn't rough or technical but there's not many areas where the gravel bike has an advantage over a fast XC bike. It is long enough for the comfort advantage and speed-carrying advantage of the 29er to add up but if I was 20 years younger I might put up with the gravel bike easier.
It’s ‘harder’ than you might imagine ATM.
It's the dry hoof churn or the rounded chalk bumps that add up. A bigger XC tyre at 20PSI copes so much better than a narrower gravel bike tyre with more pressures.
It’s the dry hoof churn or the rounded chalk bumps that add up. A bigger XC tyre at 20PSI copes so much better than a narrower gravel bike tyre with more pressures.
That exactly!
I ride around their a lot with the ground very hard I would use a XC MTB in the winter I use a cyclocross bike enjoy.
The water tap at The Plough in Cadsen is broken but they have put a new one in which is on the end wall to left of the pub as you face it. The tap at the church in Wendover is now fixed as well, its round the back next the wooden door.
Ive got a lauf grit and suspension post so with the 2.1 / 50c reckon I’ll be fine. Thanks folks. Rode some of the SDW on it today coming back from Winchester to Dorking today as a test and it was fine. Tough thing was only having 3 hours sleep after a mate’s 50th bash. zzzzzz.