[Closed] SDW - Tyre Choice

I've done this and don't worry too much about the bike, you'll be fine on that. As for tyres, something reasonably fast rolling but with decent puncture protection. The flint can easily go through and I had that happen 5 miles out from Winchester!

Specialized Slaughter works well on the back (as would a schwalbe rock razor), in the grid casing. Or Maxxis rekon but I've had flint go through those in the Exo so now ride Exo+.

Basically a semi slick on the rear and something with a little more grip on the front. At that time of year it's usually rock hard dry chalk, but it can be very slippery if it rains. Green chalk is like ice. It's a great ride though. I live a couple of miles from Ditching Beacon and it was glorious last weekend.

I've done it on fast XC rubber and slower Enduro rubber.. simple fact it, it's a bloody hard day out and your fuelling/pacing will play as much of a factor as anything else.

Thanks @painey great advice, will look them up.

The flint and chalk is my main concern, I tore a hole in a Maxxis Ardent EXO sidewall a couple of summers ago and managed to destroy a new Nobby Nic Super Ground last summer on the Downs, both of which I thought would stand up to the job!!

I was up there too last weekend, was amazing and so dry!

I echo the comments about fuelling. When I did the whole thing I felt fresh as a daisy at Eastbourne because I got the fuelling right. I've since done a half and was shattered at the end as I'd used up all my food. Hitting the wall is no fun and the bigger climbs are all at the end.

I did it in both directions with a Specialized slaughter grid on the rear as @Painey mentioned. It's very fast rolling (I actually run them all year on the Downs). It has more beef than an out and out race tyre, and pretty good at withstanding the chalk and flint - I wanted the added puncture protection as we went through the night and wanted as few mechanicals as possible! Nobby Nic on the front, which was fine - am sure some of the race whippets will be along to tell you that nippier options are available. I am a 14 stone lump when kitted up though.

Another of my riding buddies has good things to say about the Vittoria Mezcal (rear) and Barzo (front) combo.

As @weeksy mentions, fuelling is key. Learn the water stops, eat regularly and try and get as much weight off your back and onto the bike.

Any tips on fuelling would be welcome too, I've done half of the SDW before but the whole thing in a day and in warm weather is a different ball game. I've never known the best food to eat (I am still researching for this ride), I generally stick to Clif/protein bars, caffeine and water, but for 12 to 15 hours in the saddle I'll definitely need more than that!

I'm no nutritionist but on top of what you mention, I also took pork pies, bananas and used the cafe on the river at Amberley (half way).

Anything you can easily scoff on the move really.

and a few gels / cliff shots.

A whole cold pizza, proper nice one cooked, cut into slices and wrapped in foil. Added benefit that it can fit into all the spaces in your bags. Fuelled many a South Downs adventure with cold pizza.

as for tyres. You're on the right track with decent sidewalls. Nothing flimsy, flint will mince it.

I did it last summer on my hardtail with WTB Ranger Light/Fast Rolling tyres without any problems.
My riding buddy was running Conti MountainKing tyres and got 2 punctures.
I think it is just down to luck whether you hit a piece of flint or not.

As for fuel, as well as carrying supplies there are a couple of places you could stop en route to get food. Cadence at Upwaltham (about 40 miles in) do good toasties and coffee. The Truleigh Hill YHA (60 miles) and South Downs YHA (80 miles) are both on the route and do decent food.

Pretty sure the stock answer is mezcal TNT's. If weather turns and wet, swap front for a Barzo or just sack it for a better day.

Try not to over do gels or cliff blocks in proportion to real food.

I've had long days where it was all I could eat to get through and it can screw up your insides - either by blocking them up or explosively evacuating them. Neither are fun times...

Anyway, my recommendation: Butter, marmite & sliced cheese sandwiches. Carbs, salts and a few fats to get you through. Squidge down in a bag easily too.

You'll definitely bonk on a day long ride with just trek bars and the like. Stop for a proper lunch

Fast is good. Tubeless is good.
Specialized Ground control/FastTrak or FastTrak F&R or
Vittoria Barzo/Mezcal or Mexcal F&R would do you well.
Enough fast rolling and enough grip if it should be a little damp.
Judging by tyre tracks on the top lots of Gx folks rolling Schwalbe G-One Allround.

I put nobby nics on in november expecting mud, but could have been running the fasttraks all winter on the downs (Ditchling/Stanmer)

Eat more than you think you need to eat, and make a concious effort to keep eating at regular intervals. Check tap locations for liquid. Take your time.

If you are doing it in a day, I wouldn't trust the lighter xc tyres. I used an ardent race on rear and barzo tnt grapheme on front. Brand new and both punctured. Over 2 days not so much of an issue as your riding will be slower and less likely to hit those nasty flints.
I have rekon exo front and rear on my spur, and although not used that on sdw yet, I reckon they would be a good bet. Seem to be tough enough for my regular riding.
Or minion ss/slaughter/RR, which is my summer rear on enduro bike

One water bottle and ensure to drink/refill at the multiple stops on route. Don't rely on energy bars etc alone. You'll get stomach pains. Pizza slices is a good idea. I ate a whole pizza on train to start when I did it 🙂

On the food side, I've tended to start with normal food (everything from pork pies to cake) and then, as i get closer to the end, when I just want to crack on and haven't the saliva or the strength to gnaw through chewy food, I'll switch to the gels....works for me

I've ridden the SDW loads of times, from a fat bike to SSCX. In dry, midsummer conditions you only really need a minimum tread tyre - a tubeless 50mm G-One would be an ideal tyre IMO. Big volume / lower pressure for the chattery descent into Cocking / enough grip to get you up the 'marbles' up Amberley Mount. Running tubeless, I've only ever had to bail once due to a puncture and that was because my pump was knackered on a double attempt. If it's really hot, you'll struggle with a single bottle between Cocking and Amberley and if you lose one, you're $crewed. Food-wise, just make sure it's enough and start eating early - stopping at cafes can lose you big chunks of time throughout the day.

As has been mentioned above, Specialized grid casing tyres have always worked for me. I've yet to have a sidewall failure (awaits catastrophic failure on today's ride,😂), and I ride SDW for a fair proportion of my weekly miles.
I prefer an Eliminator upfront and slaughter rear. Both 2.3. Rolls well, reasonable weight but tough enough to withstand the flint. I also had a ground control grid which rolled really well, but took it off for winter as it had zero grip.

I use Mezcal/ Mezcal or Mezcal Barzo combo on the odd occasion up there on my Whippet but not sure Id trust the sidewalls on a one day sdw attempt. Not used them enough to comment to be fair.

I did it a decade ago or so, on a 26" - used UST Schwalbe Racing Ralph's.

There wasn't much in the way of full-on tubeless tyres back then so I decided that running UST's would give me that bit of extra protection over normal tyre run tubeless, and the RR's are fast rolling.

No issues whatsoever, but it was dry.

Thanks, some really great tips here.

I've never carried more than a few clif bars before and rarely eat more than one on a 4+ hour ride, so I think I need to practice consuming more food on a ride!

Did a 40 mile loop on the Downs yesterday and found one of the water points (Housedean), that definitely helps with my concerns about how much water I have to carry on me! Must admit in all my years of riding on the Downs, I've never noticed them before.

Was toying with ditching my dropper post to save some weight and to have one less thing to go wrong, but you can make a lot of time up on the descents, the dropper certainly aids that and makes it more enjoyable! Plus it's pretty handy with the amount of gates you have to open...

Only done the SDW once and had never ridden the area before, it's a good day out. Took a wrong turn at the top of Old Winchester Hill so added some extra miles.
On the food advice I would take a variety as its boring just eating the same thing. Really liked the peanuts and also the Tuna pasta thing I found at the bottom of the bag at the end. I took 2 water bottles and started looking for the next tap when I started the second. The gpx on the SDW double web site was excellent as it goes to all the water taps and made finding them much easier.

i did it on a specialized status, with a magic mary front and hans dampf rear.

i can highly recommend not doing it on any or all of the above combination.

Add to that i didnt drink enough or eat the right stuff.

was a miserable experience for the last half. fighting cramp and trying to rehydrate.

no help at all, but i look forward to redemption this year! 😀

Impressed you managed it on a Status @v7fmp great bike, but I'd imagine an all dayer being seriously tough on that!!

As well as tyre choice, I'll definitely be working on getting the food and drink balance right - I am definitely struggling with the eating at the moment!

Planning on doing this too in the summer. Trying to decide between a rigid 29er or 130mm full sus 27.5 for comfort. The rigid is fast and very light. I can sit on the full sus all day but it's heavier.

@sotonkona - it is a great bike... for steeps and bike parks 😀

The error i made with food was that i rarely eat anything on a 3 or 4 hour ride, so my brain is programmed not to think about food. So i thought if i have lots of sweet foods it will keep me fuelled. All it did was made me feel sick after the first peanut butter, jam and honey sandwich... so i couldnt stomach eating much more. Then towards the end i started taking shot bloks to try and help... which didnt.

It was fairly disastrous and plenty was learnt. This years effort will be much more controlled...i hope!

I've only ever once done it on an 'appropriate' bike, that was a 29er Giant XTC29.

My least appropriate was a Commencal Meta 5.5 which when i bought it was i guess the Enduro bike of the day.

@v7fmp - that's exactly my problem too. Think I better spend the next couple of months trying to address my eating habits on rides!

@smallspinsized - not that I have an alternative option, but I'm going carbon 29er full sus (140mm fr/134mm r), hoping I benefit from the comfort and extra speed on the descents. My bike is slow and steady on the climbs, but that's fine and have ridden most of the SDW in sections before so hoping it will be OK for an all dayer. Going to try to minimise the amount of stuff I carry on myself and distribute around the bike and hopefully sort some lighter (whilst still being strong and fast rolling!) tyres.

@weeksy - loved the old 5.5, but climbing was definitely an extra challenge!

For anyone doing the SDW, it's very helpful to plan where you can stock up on food along the way. At risk of stating the obvious but you don't tend to go through many built up areas! The garage at Pyecombe is good though and is pretty much right next to the trail (100yds or so away). If you're cycling past Pyecombe golf course then you've gone past it.

There's a good horse box cafe at the top of Street Hill too (on the SDW), about 2 miles along from Ditching Beacon heading west. They do great coffee and cake and you can't miss the sign. Prior to both of those is the pub at Devils Dyke but after all of these you're looking at either a garage on the A27 or Alfriston.

I think Ditching Beacon is about 65 miles into the ride so with several options of food around there, I'd say it's a good place to have some proper grub to avoid hitting the wall later on.

Thanks @painey good shout and yes, there is barely anything for the first half.

There are also the Cadence Cycling Hubs at Upwaltham (a few miles before Amberley) and Litlington (a hill or so from the end!). Upwaltham is closed at the moment but reopens for summer soon. They do excellent coffee and sandwiches, have some basic tools and toilets. They did have a hub at the top of Truleigh Hill last year too, but has been shut for a few months and sadly looks unlikely to reopen.

Just realised I meant Street Hill is east of Ditching beacon, not west!

Also there's the excellent riverside cafe in Amberley. However that means you ride up Amberley mount straight afterwards. Never fun and especially when your legs haven't warmed up.