[Closed] South Downs Way Double Double ride is go

Best of luck, hope it all goes well.

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For the epic'ness that this attempt is going to be I shall pop up and wave you on.

Best of luck.

Mental. Weather and wind looking great for you, best of luck and will keep an eye out for you around the Eastbourne end (where conditions are perfect too)

good luck Rob

Loon! 🙂

Mentalist.
Best of luck to you. 😀

Looks to be well timed with the weather. If the winds were still as strong as we had earlier this week, that would have made at least half the distance really hard work.
Wishing you the very best of luck.

Type 3 fun then ?

Good luck Rob. I hope it goes well for you. You're a braver man than me!

I'm interested about why you mention that people are prohibited to open gates for you but you're allowed outside help with supplies? I thought the [url= http://selfsupporteduk.net/ ]Self Supported[/url] "rules" allow no outside help or food drops?

This isn't me having a pop by the way, i'm just interested. I think what you're planning is incredible and I wish you every success.

There seem to be so few rules for this event that I borrowed some from the SDWx2 team.
I am doing it with a pit crew who will carry equipment, but the gates are one thing that can save loads of time - I think its 30+ seconds for a gate if a pal holds it open and you don't have to slow at all.

Thats 45 minutes each leg;3 hours off just like that!

I have the choice of doing the latest routes (loads of new signs going up now it is a National Park) and have opted for the 'classic' route which is Warnford based rather than Exton.

The self supported thing is an alpine style attack where you tape gels to your bike and stop at the taps for water.
This will be hard enough doing it with a crew.

I've done Touur Divide and .the self supported ethos and am ploughing my own furrow on this one.
Thanks for asking.

you're a lunatic. It's absolutely glorious down here at the moment, hope it stays that way for you.

I rode Worthing to Amberely on Tuesday in an absolute slog of an headwind and that short stretch was a total pain, I hope the wind holds off for you.

Good luck Rob

Good luck, I hope the winds are kind. What end are you starting? Will look out for you around Windover Hill and Jevington.

Good luck - hope there's not a lot of other traffic on a bank holiday to slow you down, the wind isn't against you and the weather holds.

Best of luck you crazy fool 😉

What bike are you riding out of interest?

You're clearly bonkers but wish you good luck anyway. 😀

I'm on a 2010 SC Tallboy. Jungle and Santa Cruz have been awesome with looking after me and the bike. Plastic wheels from Strada, build with a dynamo (not using it on this event); they were build for XC and have held up brilliantly. 4 Diablo lights from Exposure. Small Block 8's from Kenda - I'm down to my last set, but one pair did Banff to Mexico without a puncture, so they should love this terrain.
I've got two saddles (on Thompson Materpiece posts), the first should see me through three legs and is a Prologo bone edge iron triathlon saddle with modifications, the spare is a Specialised with a nice long groove (can't remember the name and it's boxed up ready to go)
Home-modded tribars, ergon grips and gps mount.
I use XT/XTR as its so simple to work on if the need arrises.

The arse saver is udder cream.

Epic, best of luck with your attempt 🙂

Sounds good- enjoy it!

Good effort, bon chance.

Two different saddles... love it 😀

Sounds great but I'm not sure I'd of chosen this weekend for it. Bank holiday leading into half term is one of the busiest holiday weeks of the year. There'll be about a gazillion people on the downs this weekend and I hope you don't get too fed up trying to get past them.

Good luck ! 😯

Good luck Rob, hope the weather holds out for you. Three hours opening gates 😯

crackers...

good luck

There'll be about a gazillion people on the downs this weekend and I hope you don't get too fed up trying to get past them.

Sight lines are excellent and virtually all of it is wide enough to easily pass. I'd rather have the extra people around who may hold open gates and to say hello to!

Best of luck!
Will be out between Afriston and Ditchling and hope to open a gate for you!

[i]hope to open a gate for you! [/i]

he'll have to kill you if you do that. They're not tri bars, they're rocket launchers 😉

I think he's going 'support in the car parks but not on the ride' so has to open his own gates.

Thanks all for the gate offfers! Its all in the timing.
I had to go with the bank hols as I'm relying on vollies having time to commit to helping and can't really do this as a last minute exercise.

I was all set to go last August bank hols, but then hurricane Bertha blew in!

Starting at Winchester on Saturday 0600.

Good luck to you, and the support crew too! Going to be epic for all of you 🙂

Don't see why anyone should have a problem with you being fully supported, it's not like you're pretending to be doing it alpine. Stay safe and try and enjoy!

I'm one of the support crew and can vouch for the planning thats gone into this. I'm supporting leg 2 back through the first night. Food, gels, drink plus bike tinkering (hopefully not) at the major road crossings. Can change lights and batteries at these points. There is no way Rob could carry enough food for 400 miles so would have to do food drops anyway since there are not many shops on the SDW.

This may be a bonkers thing to do, but if anyone can then its Rob.

Good luck I'll look out for you between Newtimber & Ditchling

I think 400 miles and a gazillion feet of climbing is sufficient to not really care about gates and supply hand ups, isn't the double double in itself a first?

Best of luck to you, would come to wave you off but can't be arsed to get up for 06:00 on a weekend 😀

I think you're absolutely nuts.

Love it! Good luck with the ride 🙂

Insanity!

Good luck fella!

Great stuff, proper eccentric. Good luck!

good luck Rob ... did it just one way in the BHF last year ... bloody hard work!! ... my hat is well and truly off to you sir!

it really is insane, about 40,000ft of climbing yes? i have no idea how you keep going, i think i'm reasonably fit and i'm done after about 5000-6000 usually then not even gels work after that. good luck! still thinking about doing it once in one go ffs :/

(missed the last guy 2 years ago might see you this time).

2 saddles. yeah i'd want 2 arses.

[quote=brassneck ]I think 400 miles and a gazillion feet of climbing is sufficient to not really care about gates and supply hand ups, isn't the double double in itself a first?

Yeah, but he might as well set an ethical level so it's not too easy for those who make the next attempts 😉

Good luck, hope you manage to enjoy it the 4th time through!

Well on the basis this thread spurred me on I did Winchester to QECP earlier on the CX'er and have to say it's all running very fast, almost the fastest I've seen in a few years. By the time this wind has gotten under the shaded areas they too will be hard pack.
The clay sections are really bumpy, walkers combined with horses making for a sore arse few sections, certainly the section from Exton up to Meonstoke then over the railway and up to WinnyHill. A really nice climb on a good day (a little softer terrain) but today it was boingy and bouncy to say the least. The gate halfway down Butser Hill was being replaced today, had to get off and climb over the large pot holes the guys are digging, should be finished by tomorrow I think. The QECP section is what it always is, running hard and fine.
Good call on your bike choice I reckon, my CX'er was a little harsh but easily handled for me.

I averaged 28.3ks which was helped by the long flowing out of Winchester sections and the long farmers access lanes and the road section on Butser.

Should be good this.

Good luck Rob with your ride. I found the SDW Triple hard enough 3 years ago. 4 ways is totally insane.
Looking at the previous posts; if it is deemed as a 'solo' ride then where possible you need to open the gates yourself. It's a bit of a pain, but if you're clever you can open them without unclipping you feet.

I've collated the links related to Rob's SDW DD such as his blog and the forum thread here and filled the rest of the page with the spot tracker map at sportgeek.uk/rob which I hope is an easier link to remember, in particular when trying to get his GPS location on your mobile whilst waiting to cheer him on.

All the best Rob!! Get it done!
Ben.

Thanks Ben - you do own some clever pixies.

This pulls together for easy access my scanty blog, this forum, the tracker and the South Downs Mountain Bike Club.

http://sportgeek.uk/rob/

Best of Luck Rob!
from all at the club www.southdownsmtb.co.uk

Good luck Rob!

Can't get my head round why anyone would WANT to do this, let alone be able to!
Good luck Rob, hope the weather gods and all that are with you on the day(s).

A bit wet in Meonstoke. I hope it clears for you. Good luck

Brilliantly mental. Good luck!

Hmm, where did all this dampness come from. It may be a little slidey coming out of Winchester tomorrow.... to take my mind off it, I'm mixing 16 litres of High5 ready for the first two legs.

It'll blow through, might soften up those hard pack clay sections for a softer ride.

See you top of Old Winney Hill through QECP stretch..

You are quite mad 😀

[i]I'm mixing 16 litres of High5 ready for the first two legs.[/i]

then another 8 litres for your arms? 🙂

...and he's off! Good Luck Rob

Why is he dodging bears?
Good luck anyhow.

His tracker was set up when he did the Tour Divide which starts in Banff in British Columbia, Canada. There are quite a few bears to avoid ... He is very fond of that area so the tracker title remains.

Ongoing Pictures of Rob's attempt.....

Good luck! Back visiting my folks on the South Downs and wishing I had a bike (and didn't have a bloody thigh strain), looks like perfect riding conditions today

Dropped Rob off this morning in Winchester for a 6.00 am start. All OK and he set off on schedule. First stop for me to see him was Cheesefoot Head where I took a photo. Rob was well ahead of schedule at this point and said, as he cycled past me, that the going was really good. Next stop to meet him was Warnford (another photo as he rode in) and again, he was about 10 minutes ahead of his fastest scheduled arrival time. Still doing OK and just needed snacks and drink replenishing on the bike. I then passed him going up Old Winchester Hill (it's so much easier in a car!) and stopped at the top to get another photo of him as he approached the "summit". Still said he was feeling good and just asked me to have his grey Endura gloves ready at the next pitstop. At Queen Elizabeth Country Park he was greeted by me, Chris, Andy S, Meryl, Andy G and Rich. My support role was then over and I handed over to Andy S who will attend to Rob's every need (well, almost) for the rest of the day/early evening. It's now just gone 3.15 pm and Rob's crossed the A27 just shy of Lewes, so looking good, although I think he may have slowed the pace a little. A wise move!

Chapeau!

Rob's going well - he's just turned around at Eastbourne to commence his next 100 miles! (17.58 pm 23rd May)

Thanks for updating us!

Latest shots...

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Rob completed the first paced leg in 11hrs 34 min (he still has 300 miles to go!)
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Impressive.

I saw the thread at 6am, and thought I could get my arse out of bed and open a gate a mile away near QECP by 8.

Didn't happen, and I doubt I'll be there at 4am when he passes by.... But I'll do my best for 8am, or whenever he passes on the third pass

Good luck!

Hi Mark, Rob has to open gates himself.... but I'm sure he will be appreciate encouragement and a friendly gesture

Hi everyone - if you're thinking of going to see Rob at any points on his Double Double quest, please remember that whilst it's a lovely gesture to open the gates for him, please don't be tempted to - he has to open them himself. I know on his training outings he's loved it when people have stopped to open gates as he approaches, but on this occasion it's not allowed. I'm hoping to be at QE Country Park for tomorrow morning to see him on the stretch back to Eastbourne. May see some followers there!

if your not allowed to open gates for him then how is this legal

Next stop to meet him was Warnford (another photo as he rode in) and again, he was about 10 minutes ahead of his fastest scheduled arrival time. Still doing OK and just needed snacks and drink replenishing on the bike

double double double double next

Just started my stint as support. Rob passed by at 8.29pm going west over the A27 crossing. Very cheerful and in good spirits.

dirtyrider - that's just the rules - don't get all political - go and cheer him on dude!

There are many rules for this sort of ride that include opening the gates and navigating for yourself to simulate a 'solo' ride, and following a designated route, either classic or official. This then sets the bar for anyone else who may want to follow in your tracks.

It looks like Rob has a steady pace going and he might just be able to squeeze in a sub 24 Double.

dirtyrider - that's just the rules - don't get all political - go and cheer him on dude!

I thought the rules were that you did it 'alpine', ie totally self sufficient. Surely by receiving food and drink he's not doing that, so WGAS if gates are opened for him, particularly if unsolicited (rather than arranging people to open them)?

Just passed Rob at the cocking crossing. All going well. I think he has conceded the sub 24 hour double since his pace has slowed slightly to try and ensure he completes the x4.

Will be setting off soon to meet him at Winchester, see you there Andy.

Rob's Spot has stopped working for some reason. As of 06.40 24/05/15 he was approaching Cheesefoot head and near the end of the second leg. Still in good spirits. Hopefully his Spot will start working again soon.

Spot working again now ! Rob is on his third leg - hmmm that doesn't sound right.
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Hi Mark, Rob has to open gates himself.... but I'm sure he will be appreciate encouragement and a friendly gesture

Wish I was around to ride along with him. Would be awesome having someone else open all those gates for a change!

More than half way in 25 hours - go, Rob! Weather looks good today, certainly nice and sunny around Chanctonbury at the moment.

Be interesting to see if he can beat Richard Sterry's record for the triple - around 37 hours I think it was?

Edit: 37hrs and 4mins

http://outsidetimes.com/adventures/the-south-downs-triple-300-miles-off-road-along-the-south-coast-of-england-1997/#dg9dgdIEYWKkOd3l.97

I've just (about 9:45) signed off from the overnight support at QE park on leg 3. All looking OK, main target is the x4 so Richards target may hold if Rob needs to keep himself for leg 4.

Just seen him through the 250 mile point at 13.26 and still going well.

Looking like Eastbourne will be about 19.45/20.00 ish if any one wants to come and say well done keep going