[Closed] Best places to live around Brighton

[i]while I know it's not the best place in the UK for mountain bikers[/i]

Steady on old chap, there's a lot of very good stuff within 20 minutes riding of anywhere in the city.

tbh, I'd be more concerned about getting to work - an east/west drive across the city every morning could be soul destroying.

'on the whole' the Northern/Western bits are posher/more expensive than the eastern side of town but there's a lot of local exceptions like any city.

Do you want to be able to walk into town or happy to get a bus/train/cycle?

Thanks for the info, good to know.
I'd be happy to get the bus or train into town. Was thinking about Lewes or maybe even Steyning. Do you know anything about those places?

Steyning & Lewes = not really Brighton 🙂

Steyning is a small country town, nice, good access to the Downs and about 10 minutes from the A27 no trains for miles.

Lewes, larger quite a nice place to live and reasonable access to A27. Regular trains to Brighton and London.

I think you need to decide what you want - most people move to Brighton because they want to be in the city and have easy access to it. You can drive in from the outlying towns/villages but it's not the same.

You'll be able to ride from your doorstep anywhere you live in Brighton, there are cheeky green lanes up to the Downs all over the place, i don't know anyone that lives in the town who drives the couple of miles up to the Downs

you haven't mentioned a budget and it depends on what you mean by 'best', if you want nightlife and pubs and cafes then the middle of town is obviously 'best', although you'll pay a premium, obviously, but saying that you can get to the centre of town within 20 mins on a bike from the far flung outskirts

if by 'best' you mean instant ride access then maybe the suburbs are for you, i can be off-road within three minutes and can do a ride that will rival anywhere in the UK in less time than it takes to drive to Wales

I live in Lewes and love it. Transport into Brighton is easy by train or drive and it's an easy road ride or an easy ish xc mountain bike ride. Bus is ok. Riding is good from the front door. My mate lives in Steyning and the riding there seems better - some good xc and good freeridey stuff but there is less public transport option into Brighton.

I know it's not the best place in the UK for mountain bikers

In terms of variety and sheer amount of riding, within a couple of miles of all the conveniences of living in a big city. Think it probably is.

Some of the UK's best riders live and ride down here too..

I grew up in Steyning and loved the place for biking, there are several good tracks up to the SDW and loads of varied riding just on the doorstep. If you're happy to get a train into Brighton then it's only a 6 or so mile ride to Shoreham station.
If I could afford to move back I'd be there in a flash.

As has been mentioned above - you can be out and riding very quickly from pretty much anywhere in Brighton

I live on the eastern side of brighton - Elm Grove area - and I can be riding open downland or woody singletrack within about 10 minutes of leaving my flat.
It really depends what you want - kids/ big garden/ driveway etc then suburbs like Woodingdean/ Saltdean etc might work

If you are childless and want nightlife etc then you really want to be living in Brighton/ Hove proper

If you have a car then Steyning is a lovely place to live. It has a nice high street with plenty of shops. It has a few nice pubs along the high street and some further out too. From my extensive post ride pint studies carried out in Whites, I can also confirm that Steyning has an unusually high percentage of MILFs. This is something the other posters seem to have missed.
I live in Shoreham which is around 5 miles from the centre of Brighton, I like living here, it's nice and not as expensive or busy as Brighton or Hove. It has a lot less MILFs than Steyning, but does have a train station, so you would need to weigh up what is more important.

It has a lot less MILFs than Steyning, but does have a train station, so you would need to weigh up what is more important.

You won't often have to weigh up such things!

I live in a rather unglamourous bit of Brighton, howvere the rent isn't too bad and I'm at Stanmer (singletrack) or Wild Park (DH lite) inside 10-15 minutes depending on mood/traffic. I'm near the Lewes Rd Sainsburys and I took the big ring off before someone comments on the timing!.

If we were looking to settle here, I'd be looking near Seven Dials, Montpelier, Preston Park, Fiveways. I wouldn't want to move out of Brighton proper due to work and riding proximity.

The riding's not bad actually, but you have to get over the sheer quantity of roots amid tenacious mud. Stanmer links easily to Ditchling Beacon and the SDW.

Steyning is nice but not cheap. Being at the foot of Chanctonbury Ring you could spend the best part of the day climbing and descending it without doing the same trail twice, varied riding as well, best round here IMO.
Worthing is a cheaper option, traffic wise it's a bottle neck but has a main train station. I live just off the A27 and 30 secs from my front door I'm climbing up the side of Cissbury ring, from there it's an easy haul across to Chanctonbury. Worthing, Steyning and Shoreham are all about 45mins to an hour to the Surrey Hills as well which is a bonus.

Leave early enough and we've made it to Afan in 3 hours before.

Thanks everyone! Have been really unsure about moving and thought about going up north chiefly for the riding. But really I want to stay south and am feeling much better about it now. So thanks.
Just googled MILF - decision made, I'm moving to Steyning! 😉

Pop down for one of the Brightonmtb or sussex muddy arse rides one weekend for an idea of what's available locally. Questadventure do a Worthign start ride once a month too.

I'm near the Lewes Rd Sainsburys

I might be able to see you from the office window!

I live in Saltdean on the eastern edge of Brighton with the South Downs 2 minutes ride away and the beach much the same. I've also got an off road commute into work which can be anything from 6 miles to 26 depending on the weather and my mood.

the riding is utter shite, no rocks.. just up and down... and its ****ing slippery. Local club Sussex muddy ass are super nice people though.

I used to live on the seafront in Kemptown, behind Concorde II...
Personally I'd try and live in the city if you can, its blummin great. Would live there again if I could get a good job.
Its a great city and you just cannot beat the receding heat, lying on the warm pebbles after a hot summers day after the tourists have gone.
Love it.

Sussex Muddyarse rider here. I live in Newhaven, not the nicest town in the area by a long way due to a big industrial area in the middle and a rubbish town centre, but its considerably cheaper than Brighton and Lewes. You won't get Newhaven prices until you get out to Shoreham on the other side of Brighton. Has a train station, buses along the front to Brighton and ferries to France. South Downs both sides so just a few minutes ride from anywhere in the town to get to the huge network of bridleways, plus you have Friston Forest on the other side of Seaford. A27 dual carriageway is 15 minutes drive up the A26 or C7. Also has a selection of supermarkets/diy sheds/etc as the towns either side don't have the space as they are squeezed in between the downs and the sea.

Another vote for Lewis. Mates live there, local brewer, Bills, reasonable shops that are all local, eclectic feel and vibe, local to That Brighton, hills behind, trails everywhere, small funky streets, lovely people.. What exactly do you need more of??

Though don't tell everyone will you.

Lewes = Parking enforcement hell! 😉

Anywhere central Brighton is ace. Amazing lifestyle and you have 100miles of the SDW on your doorstep not to mention the countless single track beauties off each side. Moved to Shoreham now which is a 5min ride then I am off road for as much as I want! For lifestyle, amenities and great transport (only let down by the bloody m25 so close), there is nowhere else I want to live in the uk 🙂

I love living in Brighton. It's pretty hard to beat the mix of city, sea and the downs. The riding here is actually pretty sweet (not many rocks though!) Wherever you live, you won't be more than about 20 mins ride away from the downs. If I could get a job in Colorado, I'd consider a move. Otherwise, I'm staying put!

Also Surrey Hills and Swinley are only an hour or so away and make a nice day out. Afan is about 4 hours drive for a weekend. We also get a bit more sunshine than most of the country down here (though obviously not lately).

We also get a bit more sunshine than most of the country down here

I actually rode through one field this morning into a constant flow of oncoming water!

Lewes = park car, buy ticket, get back before it runs out. Easy.
Lewes is Brighton for older people who are still looking for a reason to be different/difficult/angry :O)

Tim, Ringmer, nr Lewes
(ex barman, not good at politics)

Oh, the ridings rather good, the beers ace and Bills is expensive. Go to the Buttercup, much nicer.