[Closed] South Downs Conditions? - Update Please.

It's going to wet, muddy, and - bearing in mind the South Downs are chalk - probably a little bit slippery in places too!

I'm doing it too though - that's not enough to put me off! The organisers will have re-routed it to the best possible option.

Rode about half the route Saturday - pretty boggy, muddy, slippy and slow. Might dry out a bit this week, but I'm going prepared for a full-on mudfest.

Thanks for the update.

I will come prepared!

Rode 30 miles around Cissbury/Chanctonbury yesterday morning. - was fine.

Have you and umbrella and wellies??

I'd take em' 😆

I Roadied it on Sat and Sun, the lanes were about as good as the trails, wet, scree, mud, slime, clay, chalk, running water...

Great fun though 😀

I'm riding saturday aswell. 34 mile mudfest, it's going to be a long slog by the sounds of it.
Praying for dryness for rest of the week....

The forecast looks pretty good for the rest of the week and fairly warmish for Saturday.

Ah well, at least it's a morning (day?!) on the bike 🙂

See you all there!

Sportive Photo mentioned on Twitter they were doing a recce today for Saturday, so I asked what conditions were like, they replied -

"a bit sticky in places, SDW had a few puddles but nothing too bad that I saw."

My first event and very much looking forward to it 😀

Scarp and vale - so chalky slippery tops and claggy clay bottoms. You are after a mud spike in the dips and semi-slick fast rolling tyre up top.
Perhaps something skiny to allow for both Max clag and min rolling resistance.

I was up that way on Saturday. Its rideable but not enjoyable. Forget getting out of the saddle on a climb, its spin city and the descents are slower due to mud. Watch any off camber section as you will have zero grip, even on a nice looking grassy bit as I found out to my cost....

My first MTB event too. I think I'm looking forward to it!

It's started to dry out here around Cambridge already.

I'm starting to wonder if choosing the epic course was a good idea. It's going to be make or break !
Have fun everyone ....

QECP was running great last night. If the SD stay dry ish till then rough ride should be OK. Have fun guys.

The SDW near Brighton and the south escarpment was fine last night. Wooded stuff is pretty sticky as it starts to dry out a but another couple of dry days with a breeze should help.

It'll be fine, enjoy 🙂

Everywhere seems to be drying out now... so the chalk and well drained sections are much better, but the muddy, poorly drained sections are if anything worse as they are very sticky.

Weather looks good for a few days now so everything should improve significantly.

I think your main worry will be the impact on the soft sections of several hundred riders.

Had a good day for it 🙂

very enjoyable ride in the sunshine. I found it hard going in places, the ground being a bit sticky and draggy but was expecting it to be a lot worse. Some tough climbs towards the end but also some great downhills.
Absolutely cream crackered now !

Not sure where the mud was? If that was muddy in places I'll take it any day compared to the sh*te I'm riding at the moment. 98% was flinty tracks! I'm a bit pissed as I took my 26" (as it has gears)having stripped my tubeless X-Kings off to fit Medusa's and the X-Kings would have been perfect.
Some tough climbs though - we don't get hills anything like that in Cambridge.

Looked a the route on Wiggle/strava - took in some good local bits - looks like you had a good one out there chaps!

DrP