MTB Endurance Training Ride On The South Downs Way With Impossible Climbs

Hey all, welcome back to the channel! This is one I have been waiting to do for a while now. I was asked about how MTB can factor into road endurance training and it does work very well. Great training, but also it's so nice to get off of the roads and away from traffic.
This Ride - / strava
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[@richardhookway]

I’ll like this now, and watch it later 😊

[@andycultracycling]

Cheers buddy 😁

[@lydiagould3090]

Much prefer riding off road, be it in a gravel bike or a mtb. I ride the SDW all the time as I live nearby! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@andycultracycling]

It’s a beauty isn’t it? Aren’t you about to start PCR? Have a good race if I got that right 😁

[@k.r.lionheart6460]

Have done the SDW twice early 80s on old steel framed mtb with index gears on top 8speed started both times at beachy head psychology your on your way home back to Pompey one of the best things I have done

[@andycultracycling]

It’s a beautiful ride isn’t it

[@Jaqaroo]

That was great, Andy! You're lucky to have trails like the South Downs Way (relatively) close to home - it looks glorious! I feel sorry for that poor Canyon - 3 or 4 rides a year...!? Give it a race!

[@andycultracycling]

Yeah I know mate I struggle to ride my other bikes enough. I’m gonna ride my s-works tomorrow fir that reason, at least give them a little love 🤣

[@cvnhd3634]

Gravel rides and races are Hella fun! If you are comfy on technical stuff, MTB events are a blast too

[@andycultracycling]

We don’t have much gravel per se here it’s all mtb, I’m liking the look of Silk Road mountain race actually

[@A_AAA232]

Andy, nice one - that was a great blast along the SDW - I love riding those sections and as you said, the climbs are brutal but the views and descents are so worth it! Good that you mixed up the road and TCR training with a fun MTB ride although it's not really tapering using a MTB on the downs is it! defo works the upper body winching up those climbs and then hanging on going down the chalk trails, never thought of it as low cadence high power training before, just that it's hard work!! - it can get really technical climbing some of those steep sections... I think your short travel full sus canyon was perfect for that kinda ride - you must have had a big smile sending it on the road back to the station for chips - the proper way to end a MTB ride down to Brighton :) cheers

[@andycultracycling]

It was a great ride and that sausage and chips was amazing 🤣

[@Benn321]

Another great episode! Totally agree. I’m a mini endurance rider compared to you but love MTB training as well. Am riding the Cantii way on my MTB in 2 weeks’ time.

[@andycultracycling]

Thankyou buddy :) enjoy that, I haven’t heard of that route bedore

[@irondistance4313]

That is a beautiful ride, I got a gravel bike to explore off road alittle more and it is good fun,!and great adventures.

[@andycultracycling]

It’s gorgeous mate I don’t ride mtb enough

[@n22pdf]

Lovely ride Andy great vid as always dude.. ride on buddy.. hope you have a lovely weekend bro 😊 🚴🏻👍💪 Pete

[@andycultracycling]

Cheers bud! Same to you

[@rubikzcuberuss7404]

Great video Andy sdw is my training ground I'll attempt the double this year starting from Amberley head to eastbourne get the lumpy part done first. I will confess I regularly ride that section you failed on but I'm a mountain biker n like you said it's about technique 😉 definitely thinking of trying that fuel out for my king alfreds in one go in a couple of weeks 😊 you bike choice is perfect the sdw is savage, I have tried Rigid hardtail and gravel both hurt and much slower on the downs 😛

[@andycultracycling]

Ah that’s good then I thought ful sus might be overkill but I like it, good luck on the double I’ve considered that too

[@rubikzcuberuss7404]

Sdw double is one of the hardest rides I know it's so weather dependent to get a good time, the fkt is held by Ian leitch www.southdownsdouble.co.uk 200miles 22,000 ft of climbing and 200 gates to open n close 🤦‍♂️ ians time of 15hrs 35 mins is legendary and will be tough to beat. Could be a next year challenge for you Andy 😊 I have been training since November last year to have a go, I know @ my age I won't achieve the 15hr barrier and also I'm doing it on my fatbike as currently no one has attempted this crazy challenge on one 😜

[@martinevans1256]

That ride looks amazing

[@kevindean9613]

I was planning a MTB route from Ryde to Brighton ,The 7000ft of climbing put me off as I'm far to unfit at the moment the coastal route I found pretty boring but only 500ft . Thanks for the inspiration though.

[@andycultracycling]

Hopefully you get a ride in buddy

[@LeeWright]

no cars!

[@andycultracycling]

Coming from someone who was run over twice no cars are preferable 🤣

[@chrisjoyce5539]

Great video Andy. Just a quick question, with someone with lower back problems. What's it like to on your back on a ride like that? As I never attempted anything like that. I'm just a road cyclist. Cheers mate

[@andycultracycling]

I find it fine in the back myself, some aches in different places as it’s harder but mostly glute and hamstrings really

[@TooOldForThis1972]

Good video however you're a joker if you think climbing Ditchling Beacon on a road bike on the road is harder than climbing it on a mountain bike offroad. Ive done it a few times on both and the MTB trail is a lot harder (although I tend to have luggage when riding the SDW as I like to take my time to enjoy the amazing scenery). Also, they're are quite a number of riders who do the South Downs Double (riding there and back in one go), that is mad.