How hard is Ditchling?

[Fab Foodie]

theclaud - I like your description of riding Ditchling, it feels like an alpine climb in miniture!

My other bit of advice to Susie was to fit some lower gearing. Now I know this might cause a storm of outrage among some, but she really had to put enormous physical (not to mention mental) effort into hauling over the steeper bits which puts huge stresses on the body (I was a tad concerned she might be overdoing it). However the overweight chatting next to her with the dodgy heart made it with much less stress and strain to himself. I think that's worth bearing in mind and it's why I don't do it on the 73" or 39 x25 anymore, parts of my body would explode with the strain.
There's a machismo about gearing and hills, but I figure getting-up 'em in the saddle by virtue of granny gear is far better than pushing a bike up the hill with 'hard-man's' gearing.

 

[Fab Foodie]

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.)

Call me strange, but I quite like the lead in ....
But the view IS spectacular and all the better with an Ice-cream in hand (or in my old days a large Old-Holborn).

 

[dellzeqq]

How does Ditchling compare with nearby Devil's Dyke?

in one respect, very well. Cars do 60mph on Devil's Dyke.

Devil's Dyke is a completely different thing - a straightish modern road that has a consistent grade. The Beacon is an hold horse and cart track, and has sharpish turns, and also platforms where they used to rest the horses by putting wooden chocks behind the wheels. It's the short, sharp rises before the platforms that make it the bastard that it is. They might be no more than ten or twelve yards long, and go up about six feet, but they call upon you to get out of the saddle, and if you're not a practiced climber then you'll find that difficult.

What Ditchling does give you is a view. On a misty morning it is one of cycling's great moments. Scroll down to the Brighton and Martlets pages on the link below and you'll get some idea.........

 

[dellzeqq]

My other bit of advice to Susie was to fit some lower gearing. .

she finds anything lower than the 34x25 she's got very difficult to use......

 

[Fab Foodie]

she finds anything lower than the 34x25 she's got very difficult to use......

I can understand that, preferring naturally to stomp a bigger gear, I used to be the same, but have adapted through necessity... I still grind the granny though at a low rpm, I still can't spin it.

 

[PK99]

Hi, I'm doing a sportive in a few weeks time which includes Ditchling Beacon. I've been hearing horror stories about how difficult it is, however these have mainly come from London to Brightoners who were not really prepared for it.

So how hard is it for us more prepared cyclists? What sort of gradients does it have and for how long.

I'm not averse to steep or long hills, just like to know what I need to prepare for.

Thanks.

Don't think of it as one hill, it is 7 little hills with low incline rest bits in between, don't be tempted to speed over the easy bits, take advantage of the "rest".

The low incline bits used to be flat platforms on which horses rested, they were graded when when motor traffic came along.

Without the L2B walking hoards it is relatively straightforward for most regular cyclists if treated with a modicum of respect

 

[Fab Foodie]

The Beacon is an hold horse and cart track, and has sharpish turns, and also platforms where they used to rest the horses by putting wooden chocks behind the wheels.

Thanks - Never thought about that, I've learned something already today and it's only 0930!

 

[Chris.IOW]

The Beacon is an hold horse and cart track, and has sharpish turns, and also platforms where they used to rest the horses by putting wooden chocks behind the wheels

That's really interesting to know, thank you. I shall think of that as I spin my way up!

Are the chocks still there just in case I need a rest!!

 

[Aperitif]

Thanks - Never thought about that, I've learned something already today and it's only 0930!

Horse and cart..? that's why you blended in so well, Kev!

I am but an old shire horse, and I can plod my way up it - so it's not that bad. I find I can go faster when there's a bin full of Prosecco awaiting assessment.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Horse and cart..? that's why you blended in so well, Kev!

I am but an old shire horse, and I can plod my way up it - so it's not that bad. I find I can go faster when there's a bin full of Prosecco awaiting assessment.

Hear hear, I'm gonna look-out for the Chocs on the way up as well next time, hope there's a choice of plain vs. milk ....

 

[Wednesday]

The first time I ever went along that road (just a couple of weeks ago) I was going down, knowing I'd be going up it in a few hours. It seemed to go on and on, and I passed several people pushing bikes less than half-way up. That was pretty daunting. Going up was fine though (as an inexperienced but light cyclist with about 10kg less bike than I'd been used to). I wasn't bothered about speed, which turned out to be about 4-5mph, I was just happy I stayed in the saddle all the way up. Everyone at the party I'd been at was impressed that I was going that way to get home, though .

 

[Fnaar]

I've not done an FNRttC, but there's a youtube vid here of Ditchling:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIuqsH2XkFo

I also watched a L2B ride up it, but the hardest thing would seem to be finding a way through the walkers

 

[ianrauk]

I've not done an FNRttC, but there's a youtube vid here of Ditchling: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=SIuqsH2XkFo
I also watched a L2B ride up it, but the hardest thing would seem to be finding a way through the walkers

That's from the forums very own Benborp

 

[fossyant]

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.

We call them speed bumps !

 

[dellzeqq]

That's from the forums very own Benborp

indeed - and it's a pretty speedy ascent. As for comparisons with other parts of the country - it's a bigger climb than Berriedale, which is the toughest ascent on LEJoG and it's way tougher than anything we came across in the West Pennines going from Bury to Blackburn. It's not as tough as Winnats, which has a rise of 180 as opposed to 130 metres, but it's certainly not a great deal easier. So, by UK standards, pimple it is not.