by Dombo » Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:06 pm
I have done SDW in a day on two occasions, both early June to get the most daylight, starting early at Winchester and reaching Eastbourne by about 6pm.
It is a brute of a ride, long draggy uphills and short fast downhills that give no chance to recover. The worst leg is the final 25 from Lewes which seems to be almost entirely uphill. At just under 100 miles total we found it best psychologically to break the distance into 25 mile plugs, eg CSS to the caff or a normal Sunday morning mtb jaunt around Leith, Holmbury, Pitch etc. That works until 50 miles when you suddenly seem to be counting 10 mile plugs, then fractions as you hit the final 5 to go.
Take lots of food and drink powder, salted peanuts to ward off cramp, and a 3litre camelbak. Line tyres with kevlar Panaracer flataways too as the beginning is very flinty.
I won't be doing it this year but definitely interested in off road Croydon to Brighton.
SDW was my big ride of 2005 and 2006, for this year I've decided to relax, get a road bike and do the Dragon and Etape Anglais instead!!
Any advice on sportive training greatly appreciated by this hairy-legged newbie.