# So, this Ditchling Beacon...



## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

Is it as bad as they say?


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

Nah. It's quite nice really. The views are spectacular.


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

Any ideas on the gradient?


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## ianrauk (25 May 2010)

it's approx 10% average.


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## Crankarm (25 May 2010)

You'll easily get up it on a 53x25 gear or for comfort go for a 39x25 . Anyway it's not the going up that is the difficult bit, it's going down the other side. Make sure your brakes work. They will get hot!!!


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

Crankarm said:


> You'll easily get up it on a 53x25 gear or for comfort go for a 39x25 . Anyway it's not the going up that is the difficult bit, it's going down the other side. *Make sure your brakes work. They will get hot!!!*



Not if you don't touch 'em


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## ianrauk (25 May 2010)

I think DB's reputation far outstrips how it actually is. It's really not that hard a climb. Easy to spin up in less then 10 minutes. Only thing that can be a pain is cars, as it's quite narrow in parts. On the FNRttC Martlets Brighton ride, there were a good few novice riders who did it easy enough bless' em.


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## GrumpyGregry (25 May 2010)

and the humpy-ness of the climb can make getting a rhythm quite hard


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

ianrauk said:


> I think DB's reputation far outstrips how it actually is. It's really not that hard a climb. Easy to spin up in less then 10 minutes. Only thing that can be a pain is cars as it's quite narrow in parts.



Exactly. It never gets _ridiculously_ steep, but it certainly goes on a bit. On the plus side, it winds around a bit so you never have to see the whole climb stretched out ahead of you. And it shelters you if there's a southerly...


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

I'm 18st and 6ft 7 on a ruddy great mountin boik - there's a lot to lug up that hill and I haven't been cycling for ages.

Worried me about t'other side now - maybe I should upgrade my v-brakes after all...


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

Question is, do I stay in the saddle and just drop it down into 1st/2nd and slug it out - or use my weight to help me up?

I think I know the answer...


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Question is, do I stay in the saddle and just drop it down into 1st/2nd and slug it out - or use my weight to help me up?
> 
> I think I know the answer...



On an mtb I'd definitely make use of the granny ring and stay in the saddle...


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

Am I right in thinking that the main difference between MTB's and road bikes is the gearing (other than the obvious appearance and weight). So a MTB is more suited (easier) to the novice hill climber?


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Am I right in thinking that the main difference between MTB's and road bikes is the gearing (other than the obvious appearance and weight). So a MTB is more suited (easier) to the novice hill climber?



An mtb isn't really _better_ for anything involving mainly tarmac, unless the gradient is utterly absurd, but the extra-low gearing is a decent trade-off. Bar-ends help on long climbs - have you got those?


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

theclaud said:


> An mtb isn't really _better_ for anything involving mainly tarmac, unless the gradient is utterly absurd, but the extra-low gearing is a decent trade-off. Bar-ends help on long climbs - have you got those?



Indeedy I have. Ordered myself some semi slick/hybrid tyres (hopefully in the right size) too and have padded shorts winging their way to me.

By better I of course meant more suited - to hill climbing for heavy set novice cyclerists.


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## dodgy (25 May 2010)

It has a reputation mainly because of the amount of novices who tackle it on the London to Brighton ride (and good on them for it), these same novices go on to regail their friends of what a brute it was.
It really does pale into insignificance when compared with other climbs in the UK.
But as a test for a novice, it's a great climb.


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

I'm well within the 'novice' camp - used to do quite a bit of gentle single track back in the day (5-6 years ago) but haven't been on my bike for a long time. Nothing more than the odd weekend to Centre Parcs or the occasional trip down to my allotment.

Going to definitely give it a shot though.


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> *Indeedy I have. Ordered myself some semi slick/hybrid tyres (hopefully in the right size) too and have padded shorts winging their way to me.*
> 
> By better I of course meant more suited - to hill climbing for heavy set novice cyclerists.



All sounds pretty sensible. Pump the tyres up hard, and don't do it in the full midday sun...


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## Alan Whicker (25 May 2010)

What's a tandem for five people called? I saw one of those make it to the top of the Beacon. I think the riders were local Scouts. I pushed my bike up.


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

Alan Whicker said:


> What's a tandem for five people called? I saw one of those make it to the top of the Beacon. I think the riders were local Scouts. I pushed my bike up.



I'm pretty sure they don't allow tandems now - I could be wrong, but I'm sure I read it somewhere.


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## ianrauk (25 May 2010)

CycleChat's very own Arallsop climbing the Beacon on the Martlets ride in march. Here. On his Bent, one handed (the other hand holding the video recorder).. Beacon starts at 3:56


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

Am I missing the link - or the missing link perhaps?


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## iLB (25 May 2010)

oh it's dead hard aye...


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

iLB said:


> oh it's dead hard aye...


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## HeyWayne (25 May 2010)

iLB said:


> oh it's dead hard aye...



Coming from someone in Sheffield that worries me.


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Coming from someone in Sheffield that worries me.



He's teasing. iLB nips up and down Ditchling three or four times while he's waiting for everyone else to catch up. Stick to advice from mere mortals...


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## Will1985 (25 May 2010)

theclaud said:


> iLB nips up and down Ditchling three or four times while he's waiting for everyone else to catch up.


and me!

I need to find out if I can make the next Brighton run - racing gets in the way


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## theclaud (25 May 2010)

Will1985 said:


> *and me!*
> 
> I need to find out if I can make the next Brighton run - racing gets in the way



True! iLB describes a London-Brighton run involving only one ascent of Ditchling as a "rest day".


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## rich p (25 May 2010)

FWIW, there is no 'other side' to the Beacon. It's a gentle downward slope for 2.5 miles to Old Boat Corner then a choice of 3 ways into Brighton. Right is downhill and flat to the coast, straight on is undulating and downhill to the coast and left is steeply downhill and flat.
The latter is the route used by the BHF nowadays.

Will1985 did the climb of DB in 5m30s!


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## Riding in Circles (25 May 2010)

I hit 63mph going down the south side of Ditchling.


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## StuartG (25 May 2010)

As said - its a psycho thing really. Its steep, but not ridiculously so, It is long but not that long. For the novice it has two real problems:

1) The ride to Brighton is fairly flat until this point. You have been going well and are almost there. But you have been worrying about the big one all the way ... you have doubled its height and incline in your mind.

2) It is a twisty road, you only see a bit at a time. This is good to begin with but after a while you turn another corner and it goes - on. You just don't know when its going to end and its hard to push hard when you don't know for how long.

My advice? Enjoy the ride to DB. Then into the lowest gear you have in very good time. Think about something really nice and just grind on as slow as you can while remaining stable. It gets better as you pass people who get off - you are now better than them and if you can get half way up slowly - the second half is no worse so its just a matter of keep going.

Have some cake/drink for the top. First time is like any first time but better. You will want savour the achievement and the view.

Last time I went up (March FNRttc) I was feeling quite proud till a lass on a 3 speed sit-up-and-beg resplendent with a basket and a smile glided past me.


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## GrumpyGregry (25 May 2010)

+1 to what stuartg says, apart from getting passed by the girl on the shopping bike when, to be fair, honour demanded he hurl himself off the hill.  

Remember the road sign warning of equestrians is the sign you've nearly cracked it, the only sign that matters, all else is false hope.


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## Fab Foodie (25 May 2010)

dodgy said:


> It has a reputation mainly because of the amount of novices who tackle it on the London to Brighton ride (and good on them for it), these same novices go on to regail their friends of what a brute it was.
> It really does pale into insignificance when compared with other climbs in the UK.
> But as a test for a novice, it's a great climb.



Agreed.
On the L2B the challenge is to find enough road space among the walkers and those that stop dead in front of you to keep moving!
But it's a mile of undulating 10% ish and so a fair effort on any day, especially for novices who've just ridden 50 odd miles, most of them further than they've ever been before.
These days being older and fatter and in possesion of a dodgy ticker I wind up there sedately on 30 x 25, but it wasn't long ago I'd ride it on the L2B on a 42 x 15 fixed with a fully loaded saddle-bag. There are those that positively scream up there.
As a benchmark, it's a good start!

The L2B route down is great, dare to keep off the brakes under the bridge and 50 to 60 mph is easily available. My pal followed bentmikey's skating mate at 42mph down there on blades! Chapeau!


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## HeyWayne (26 May 2010)

60mph!?!

Wholly Croist!

I got meself to 31mph t'other day on a little section of downhill and felt proud.


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## PpPete (26 May 2010)

You'll be after the 40mph next....

Wear some wrap-around glasses to keep bugs out of your eyes and to stop them watering.


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## PK99 (26 May 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Is it as bad as they say?




not at all - more of a psychological challenge because of its reputation than a physical one

Best to think of it as 6 hills not 1, as it is a mix of steeper sections and easier grades (in the days of horse drawn traffic the shallower graded sections were in fact level as resting platforms for horses pulling heavy loads, they were graded when motorised traffic took over)

Treat the shallower graded sections as "rest" and don't be tempted to speed up through them.


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## HeyWayne (26 May 2010)

porkypete said:


> You'll be after the 40mph next....
> 
> Wear some wrap-around glasses to keep bugs out of your eyes and to stop them watering.



Is there anything for ears?

'Flying' along the other night and some bee or something twatted me in the ear. Frickin hurt it did!


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## ChrisKH (26 May 2010)

theclaud said:


> True! iLB describes a London-Brighton run involving only one ascent of Ditchling as a "rest day".



Still waiting for him to do LTB on my son's BMX bike though. I have put an extended seat post on it 'specially.


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## iLB (26 May 2010)

ChrisKH said:


> Still waiting for him to do LTB on my son's BMX bike though. I have put an extended seat post on it 'specially.



funnily enough i have still been considering this, but i fear it could do significant damage to either my knees or my back


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## Fab Foodie (26 May 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Is there anything for ears?
> 
> 'Flying' along the other night and some bee or something twatted me in the ear. Frickin hurt it did!



If you wear a Buff like I do you can use it to keep flying bugs out of your earholes...


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## BLAKEY063 (27 May 2010)

Mmmm The Dreaded Beacon. I failed to climb this twice but made it on my third attempt. You get fooled half way up, this is where the trees are less dense and it opens up and you feel you are at the last bend before the top. You then turn that corner, the trees close in again and you realise you still have a few more turns to go. Still, I made it by standing up in the saddle and it felt like I was climbing a ladder.
I am only a fair weather cyclist, and even then thats if I can be bothered, I do try to train for the L2B so if I can get up there anyone can.


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## BLAKEY063 (27 May 2010)

Just to add, 47mph freewheeling past the speed camera on the way down the other side. (put your rider number on your front) to be on the safe side.


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## nosherduke996 (27 May 2010)

BLAKEY063 said:


> Just to add, 47mph freewheeling past the speed camera on the way down the other side. (put your rider number on your front) to be on the safe side.



The old bill can,t do anything anyway can they? You havn,t got a factory fitted speedometer and driving license.


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## HeyWayne (27 May 2010)

If I hit 47mph and get snapped by the camera's I'm fricking waving at the bassterd! I want proof I was going that fast!


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## joanna (27 May 2010)

The best advice I was given was to start off in the lowest gears as soon as you approach it, and look straight in front of your bike, not ahead. I've managed it twice now, and hoping to get up it again on the London to Brighton. Practise going up lots of hills beforehand and you'll find it easy I'm sure. Good luck!


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## rich p (27 May 2010)

I've just been up it in the p*ssing rain. The road surface is a bit ropey on the left hand side. I hope the prospect of the L2B will encourage them to resurface it.


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## arallsopp (27 May 2010)

Its a lot easier the second time around, as by then you'll already know you can do it. The trick is to know that the first time up too.

Oh, and for the record, I've seen ILB have to abort a ride after climbing ditchling, and only once up too. Ok, so he managed to struggle on for a teeny bit afterwards, but I reckon it was ditchling that did him 

https://www.cyclechat.net/


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## HeyWayne (27 May 2010)

Fab Foodie said:


> If you wear a Buff like I do you can use it to keep flying bugs out of your earholes...



I am not doing it in the buff!


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## HeyWayne (11 Jun 2010)

I made the mistake of looking this up on YouTube.

Holy funk!


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## ianrauk (11 Jun 2010)

As said previously Wayne.
Don't worry about it. No point, as the sheer amount of walkers on the road will mean that you wont be able to cycle up anyway.


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## HeyWayne (11 Jun 2010)

ianrauk said:


> As said previously Wayne.
> Don't worry about it. No point, as the sheer amount of walkers on the road will mean that you wont be able to cycle up anyway.



Once again, you did say "walkers" didn't you?


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## ianrauk (11 Jun 2010)

Yes walkers...


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## HeyWayne (11 Jun 2010)

ianrauk said:


> Yes walkers...



That's what I thought you'd said. I misheard and thought you said something quite unsavoury.


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## Tynan (14 Jun 2010)

I've just managed it twice and found it very strenuous both times

But I was 15st and 17st with pannier and commuting in London isn;t much training for hills

It's hard but dtermination and some basic fitness will get you up, the last time onlt the sight of girls on commuter junkers on one of the FNRTTCs kept me going

Watching the likes of will doing it three times and the chaps on fixies cruising up is quite the humbling eye opener


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## Madcyclist (20 Jun 2010)

*Excellent*



ianrauk said:


> CycleChat's very own Arallsop climbing the Beacon on the Martlets ride in march. Here. On his Bent, one handed (the other hand holding the video recorder).. Beacon starts at 3:56



Excellent video, I'm looking forward to joining in on some of these rides when I return after my tour, Ditchling Beacon looks like it would be fun on the fixed.


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## Fab Foodie (20 Jun 2010)

Madcyclist said:


> Excellent video, I'm looking forward to joining in on some of these rides when I return after my tour, Ditchling Beacon looks like it would be fun on the fixed.



I used to do it on 42 x 15 (73"??) and found it quite a grunt!
But then I used to smoke 20 Old Holborn a day too...


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## HeyWayne (21 Jun 2010)

Well, did it in one! Just fixed my eyes on the back wheel of the dude in front (thank you, you'll never know how much you helped). Only had to shout WALKERS KEEP LEFT!!! once, and in some places I wasn't going much faster than the walkers, but got to the top in one go.

Got quite emotional I don't mind admitting. I think I'd set it up in my mind it was going to be tough, but beat it.


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## rsvdaz (21 Jun 2010)

well done Wayne!!!


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## ianrauk (21 Jun 2010)

Nice one. Told you it wasn't that bad didn't we?



HeyWayne said:


> Well, did it in one! Just fixed my eyes on the back wheel of the dude in front (thank you, you'll never know how much you helped). Only had to shout WALKERS KEEP LEFT!!! once, and in some places I wasn't going much faster than the walkers, but got to the top in one go.
> 
> *Got quite emotional I don't mind admitting. I think I'd set it up in my mind it was going to be tough, but beat it.*


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## dodgy (21 Jun 2010)

Sad news, no idea if the chap was a novice or not.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/10362762.stm


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## GrumpyGregry (21 Jun 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Only had to shout WALKERS KEEP LEFT!!! once,



HeyWayne, were these walkers cyclists pushing their bikes or walkers walking up the Beacon on the road?

If the former then, I guess, fine, if the latter well... I think shouting at peds is pretty bad form and would not like to think what my response might be were I said walker


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## GrumpyGregry (21 Jun 2010)

dodgy said:


> Sad news, no idea if the chap was a novice or not.
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/10362762.stm



Tragedy for someone.


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## HeyWayne (21 Jun 2010)

GregCollins said:


> HeyWayne, were these walkers cyclists pushing their bikes or walkers walking up the Beacon on the road?
> 
> If the former then, I guess, fine, if the latter well... I think shouting at peds is pretty bad form and would not like to think what my response might be were I said walker



Former - participants in the event.

I'd not shout at a walker.


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## GrumpyGregry (21 Jun 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Former - participants in the event.
> 
> I'd not shout at a walker.



Then my admiration for you is undimmed.


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## HeyWayne (21 Jun 2010)

GregCollins said:


> Then my admiration for you is undimmed.



T'was quite a bellow too - almost made myself jump!


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## ColinJ (21 Jun 2010)

Tynan said:


> Watching the likes of will doing it three times and the chaps on fixies cruising up is quite the humbling eye opener


If you were humbled by that, you need to come _oop north_ and ride behind longers as he goes up this 20+% climb on his fixed gear bike! It's even more humbling when he does a little trackstand halfway up, looks round at the scenery and then just carries on!


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## dnrc (21 Jun 2010)

That's a shame. I went through at that time and saw that guy. He was a few hundred yards up the hill and was being given gas and air when i saw him.

I thought he looked in a pretty bad way at that point.

RIP


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## slowmotion (21 Jun 2010)

Can somebody post Google maps links to the start and finish of the Ditchling climb? I did the L2B years ago and I'm not sure if I have the legs these days. I need to know the nature of the beast.

Awful news about the rider. Very sad.


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## arallsopp (21 Jun 2010)

Deeply sad news. Thoughts go to family and friends.


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## TChipperfield (21 Jun 2010)

slowmotion said:


> Can somebody post Google maps links to the start and finish of the Ditchling climb? I did the L2B years ago and I'm not sure if I have the legs these days. I need to know the nature of the beast.
> 
> Awful news about the rider. Very sad.




Here is the route from my Garmin, slow I know... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/37559579

RIP and thoughts are with the family.


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## Fab Foodie (21 Jun 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Well, did it in one! Just fixed my eyes on the back wheel of the dude in front (thank you, you'll never know how much you helped). Only had to shout WALKERS KEEP LEFT!!! once, and in some places I wasn't going much faster than the walkers, but got to the top in one go.
> 
> Got quite emotional I don't mind admitting. I think I'd set it up in my mind it was going to be tough, but beat it.



Well done!
Actually, with a bit of room to manoever, it's not too bad a hill really.

Very sad about the guy who died though. It happens.


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## slowmotion (22 Jun 2010)

TChipperfield said:


> Here is the route from my Garmin, slow I know... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/37559579
> 
> RIP and thoughts are with the family.



Thanks TChipperfield,

Alas, I am so old that my Garmin skills are less than zero. Thank you for taking the time anyway....oh yes,

Welcome


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## Will1985 (22 Jun 2010)

slowmotion said:


> Can somebody post Google maps links to the start and finish of the Ditchling climb? I did the L2B years ago and I'm not sure if I have the legs these days. I need to know the nature of the beast.


Starts at the crossroad with Underhill Lane, then ends when you reach the top - the "finish" line has something to do with either the car park entrances or the posts on the left.

Map here


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## HeyWayne (22 Jun 2010)

TChipperfield said:


> Here is the route from my Garmin, slow I know... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/37559579



That's brilliant! Cheers.


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## bazzadigz C+ (22 Jun 2010)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/10362762.stm

unfortunatly it was too much for this poor fellow  RIP


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## slowmotion (22 Jun 2010)

Will1985 said:


> Starts at the crossroad with Underhill Lane, then ends when you reach the top - the "finish" line has something to do with either the car park entrances or the posts on the left.
> 
> Map here



Thank-you very much, Will1985.


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## BLAKEY063 (28 Jun 2010)

HeyWayne said:


> Well, did it in one! Just fixed my eyes on the back wheel of the dude in front (thank you, you'll never know how much you helped). Only had to shout WALKERS KEEP LEFT!!! once, and in some places I wasn't going much faster than the walkers, but got to the top in one go.
> 
> Got quite emotional I don't mind admitting. I think I'd set it up in my mind it was going to be tough, but beat it.


Well done that man!! Took me 2 attempts before I cleared it. Still takes me about 15 minutes though. Managed 48 mph down the other side though.


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## Rebel Ian (28 Jun 2010)

This time was my third at DB. First time, on L2B last year, I did it without stopping. On the Martlets night ride in March I was shattered before I even started climbing it and convinced myself I wouldn't make it. Had to stop a couple of times. This year on the L2B I found it easier than the previous times and got up fine. A lot of DB to me is psychological.


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## BLAKEY063 (28 Jun 2010)

Rebel Ian said:


> This time was my third at DB. First time, on L2B last year, I did it without stopping. On the Martlets night ride in March I was shattered before I even started climbing it and convinced myself I wouldn't make it. Had to stop a couple of times. This year on the L2B I found it easier than the previous times and got up fine. A lot of DB to me is psychological.



Very psychological.. when you get about half way up the trees disappear, you have the view to the left, and you think you are at the top...until you turn the next corner and it all covers up again and up you go again.


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## hackbike 666 (29 Jun 2010)

dodgy said:


> It has a reputation mainly because of the amount of novices who tackle it on the London to Brighton ride (and good on them for it), these same novices go on to regail their friends of what a brute it was.
> It really does pale into insignificance when compared with other climbs in the UK.
> But as a test for a novice, it's a great climb.



I don't think I have ever been a good hill climber...even now although I did get up it in 1993 on a very basic ten gear bike.Doubt whether I could get up there as fast as that now....In 1993 I didn't know anything about the hill.


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## ramses (1 Jul 2010)

Yeah, it's not all that bad. I tackled it this year, first time I'd seen it, and was feeling a bit daunted by what I had heard about this "Killer Hill", but to be honest it wasn't that bad.

Phrases like "a wall of tarmac" can put you off a bit, but I cycled up it, and like any good hill, it takes a little out of you, but then you have the joy of belting it down to Brighton once you've cleared it.

Hope you enjoyed the ride and got up the hill!


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## Browser (27 Jun 2012)

Has anyone done the C2C and, if so, how does DB compare to, say, Hartside or Whinlatter (or Crawleyside, may the spirits damn it's hellish soul )?


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## Davidc (27 Jun 2012)

I used to do it regularly when I lived down there, but that was 30 years ago. I found it a strenuous climb but always got there.

Don't know about the northern C2C hills, but I don't think Ditchling is any better or worse than the beasts round here - Burrington Coombe and Blagdon Hill.

Next time I have one of my bikes at my mother's I'll think about going down to Brighton and trying it again and report back!


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## martint235 (27 Jun 2012)

Zombie thread alert!!!

I went through the Peak District a couple of weeks ago and DB is nothing when compared to the climbs in the High Peak.


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## ceepeebee (27 Jun 2012)

ooh - which ones did you do Martin? That was my back garden when I was a nipper (NB not literally)


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## martint235 (27 Jun 2012)

ceepeebee said:


> ooh - which ones did you do Martin? That was my back garden when I was a nipper (NB not literally)


I'm afraid I have no idea. I was too traumatised! Here's my GPS route though.

Actually looking at the map I can safely say that Broadbottom (fnnarr) was the worst bit!!


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## ceepeebee (27 Jun 2012)

Monks road = ouch but beautiful once you're over that rise - hope it was clear?


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## martint235 (27 Jun 2012)

ceepeebee said:


> Monks road = ouch but beautiful once you're over that rise - hope it was clear?


To be honest by that point, various schoolboy errors like running out of water meant I was past caring about the view. It was just attrition by that point. Looking at the map though I think that's where I almost asked at a farm for water (in fact if you zoom in you can see my route double back) so I do remember a vista as I rounded the bend. It got worse after that to be honest.

I have unfinished business with the Peak District and will be going back. In fact SWMBO actually feels my lack of accomplishment and has granted me a pass to ride back up there.


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## betty swollocks (29 Jun 2012)

Ditchling Beacon is not so bad.
One year on the London to Brighton I cycled up it on my 'bent eating a ninety-niner.
it really isn't that bad - honest.


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## Yellow7 (29 Jun 2012)

Made me laugh doing that on the london to brighton, there was a T-shirt seller half-way up saying "I've climbed ditchling beacon", hardly if you've stopped [half-way up] to said shirt!


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## Chrisc (29 Jun 2012)

martint235 said:


> I'm afraid I have no idea. I was too traumatised! Here's my GPS route though.
> 
> Actually looking at the map I can safely say that Broadbottom (fnnarr) was the worst bit!!


Ah you missed the good bits out! Strines, Bradfield, Winnats. I nip over there to torture myself every now and then, it's only 20 miles away. Woodbine cafe for all day brekky and cakes :-)


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## martint235 (29 Jun 2012)

Chrisc said:


> Ah you missed the good bits out! Strines, Bradfield, Winnats. I nip over there to torture myself every now and then, *it's only 20 miles away*. Woodbine cafe for all day brekky and cakes :-)


 Ah I think this is the difference. I think when I got to Buxton I'd done 170 miles that day.


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## Chrisc (29 Jun 2012)

Fair whack then. :-)
You ought to come back just to play in the hills for their own sake.


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## martint235 (29 Jun 2012)

Chrisc said:


> Fair whack then. :-)
> You ought to come back just to play in the hills for their own sake.


I intend to. Not sure if I can fit it in this year or not but I will be back. Not letting any poxy hill think it's got the better of me


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## theclaud (29 Jun 2012)

martint235 said:


> I intend to. Not sure if I can fit it in this year or not but I will be back. *Not letting any poxy hill think it's got the better of me*


 
I'm currently allowing The Devil's Staircase to imagine it has defeated me. It's looking rather smug about it and doesn't know that I intend to go back* and tweak its nose.



*with a granny ring, admittedly. Possibly even on the mtb. No point making a complete tit out of myself twice.


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## martint235 (29 Jun 2012)

theclaud said:


> I'm currently allowing The Devil's Staircase to imagine it has defeated me. It's looking rather smug about it and doesn't know that I intend to go back* and tweak its nose.
> 
> 
> 
> *with a granny ring, admittedly. Possibly even on the mtb. No point making a complete tit out of myself twice.


I think a granny ring is admitting defeat myself!!

You not on the Southend run tonight?


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## theclaud (29 Jun 2012)

martint235 said:


> *I think a granny ring is admitting defeat myself!!*
> 
> You not on the Southend run tonight?


 
I'll take this kind of nonsense from you _after_ you've had a crack at The Staircase...

No - sorry to miss it. Hope you have a good one.


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## martint235 (29 Jun 2012)

theclaud said:


> I'll take this kind of nonsense from you _after_ you've had a crack at The Staircase...
> 
> No - sorry to miss it. Hope you have a good one.


I'll put it on my list.

Shame. I'd got you a pressie. It'll keep until Newhaven though


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## theclaud (30 Jun 2012)

martint235 said:


> I'll put it on my list.
> 
> Shame.* I'd got you a pressie. It'll keep until Newhaven though*


 
 I don't think I can do Newhaven either, though. I take it you have a good excuse for missing Swansea?


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## lukesdad (30 Jun 2012)

martint235 said:


> I'll put it on my list.
> 
> Shame. I'd got you a pressie. It'll keep until Newhaven though


That'll be the out of category list then !


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## martint235 (30 Jun 2012)

Can't get leave cos of the Olympics and can't afford the train.


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## martint235 (30 Jun 2012)

1912091 said:


> Sort it out.


Yep it's time for hardball. No sortie, no pressie.


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## theclaud (30 Jun 2012)




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## martint235 (30 Jun 2012)

Ah don't cry. Just come to Newhaven instead 
:-) 
.


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