How hard is Ditchling?

[dellzeqq]

A person has died while climbing it, thats how hard

several

 

[PpPete]

Only did it for the first time on Saturday morning.

I didn't think it that overall it was as hard as those climbs on the Isle of Wight referred to above, although they tend to be steady gradient whereas Ditchling has a lot of variation.

Then again I did the IOW round on the tandem with junior stoker, whereas Ditchling was done on the solo Galaxy which has "The Winch[sup]TM[/sup]" gear: 26x30

Didn't think any of Ditchling got as high as 18% though.

 

[Chris.IOW]

Thanks everyone. I feel a lot more comfortable about it now.

I guess the overriding message is, it's not to be feared but not to be underestimated either.

I'm pretty comfortable on the hills although maybe not quite king of the mountains standard, so will keep doing what I'm doing and start looking forward to the challenge rather than worrying!

Thanks again.

 

[yello]

I guess the overriding message is, it's not to be feared but not to be underestimated either.

I think that's a fair message to take.

Ime, it's a challenge without being anything you'd vow never to do again. I was a bit in awe the first time I did it. I changed to the granny ring (triple) and didn't go hard at it. Kept as steady and constant as I could. Once crested, part of me did think 'was that it?"... but that was due to me being a little afraid of it to begin with.

I've done it maybe 5 or 6 times since, and now I class it as 'hard but not that hard'! By I still took it steadily!

 

[MacB]

if you ride regularly it's not that tough, 1 mile of pain in whatever gear/gears suits, if you're not so fit then walking is always an option, I've done both.

Ditchling is fairly sheltered throw in wind and rain on the IOW and some of the hills there become far harder. In fact the run into Brighton after the Beacon can be made tougher by the weather.

 

[MacB]

That is uncanny. It is almost as though you were there on Saturday morning.

I was delighted not to make it, but I well remember the last time it was rough when I did it, and that wasn't as rough as Saturday

 

[ColinJ]

A person has died while climbing it, thats how hard

People have died asleep in bed and that isn't hard!

 

[Philip Whiteman]

The answer is of course subjective to the rider.

For riders with a good record of hill climbs, it would not be a problem. In my view, Ditchling is vastly over rated in terms difficulty but is probably hard by the standards of the few hills in the South East of England, by novice cyclists or poor climbers.

I am now located in the Midlands and by comparison, Ditchling is okay but nothing to write home about. To Welsh, Scottish, North and South West of England riders, Ditchling would only register as a blip.

Saying that, it does give good relief to the monotony of undulations and gives a sense of fun.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Let's put it this way. We got up it on a steel touring tandem, without stopping, and without a breather at the bottom.

And with some style! IMHO, a superb feat.

 

[theclaud]

I like it [looks round nervously for signs of the padded van arriving]. The approach road is a drag but the climb proper has something very gratifying about it. The sheltering effect from the South winds means that there are times when a perfect stillness cossets you up the hill, despite having spent the rest of the ride buffetted and battered. The consolation for the false hope of a summit on every bend is that you get tantalising glimpses of the view. And the view from the top - especially when it's warm and there's a morning mist below! Shame about Ditchling drivers, who are arguably the most po-faced miserabilists on the planet. Cheer the f**k up, FFS!

I'm surprised to find that any of it is as steep as 18%. Having only done it once on a mtb years ago (before I discovered the FNRttC), I wildly overestimated it when I came back to it with a more sensible bike. I actually put a triple on my commuter/tourer/workhorse for the occasion. I didn't need the granny ring, but it has come in handy for other things since. Having tested the water with plenty of fall-back gears I'm more than happy with a 39/25 for it, unladen on the road bike. I think FF advised Susie well when he got her out of the saddle for the steeper bits - greet the variation in gradient with a corresponding variation in technique, and iron it out nicely. I suspect that the awe with which it is regarded has more than a little bit to do with people who have been defeated once judging the climb by their experience of pushing a bike up. Staying on isn't heroics - it's the easier option. Especially for those of us with the mincier sort of cleat. Having said that, I think it deserves its set-piece finale status in the context of the London to Brighton narrative, looming ahead impressively between you and your destination. And it makes a perfect landmark achievement for climbing-newbies or anyone setting themselves a personal goal. Long live the Ditchling Mystique!

 

[marinyork]

I like it [looks round nervously for signs of the padded van arriving]. The approach road is a drag but the climb proper has something very gratifying about it. The sheltering effect from the South winds means that there are times when a perfect stillness cossets you up the hill, despite having spent the rest of the ride buffetted and battered. The consolation for the false hope of a summit on every bend is that you get tantalising glimpses of the view. And the view from the top - especially when it's warm and there's a morning mist below! Shame about Ditchling drivers, who are arguably the most po-faced miserabilists on the planet. Cheer the f**k up, FFS!

I'm surprised to find that any of it is as steep as 18%.

Can you get a few built between London and Whitstable? The view is very good.

It isn't steep for very long, it ramps up.

 

[funnymummy]

..............it's a bitch!

 

[srw]

I like it [...]. The consolation for the false hope of a summit on every bend is that you get tantalising glimpses of the view. [...]

I wildly overestimated it when I came back to it with a more sensible bike. [...] I actually put a triple on my commuter/tourer/workhorse for the occasion. I didn't need the granny ring

You know, you can really go off people.

(Actually, she's right about the view. It brought tears to my eyes the first time I did it. And the lead-in is a horrible drag.)

 

[RedRider]

How does Ditchling compare with nearby Devil's Dyke?

 

[yello]

I fancy having a go at it on my fixed (63"). The riding I do around here would have prepared me well. I realise it'd be next to nothing for some but I'd find it a challenge.