So, this Ditchling Beacon...

[HeyWayne]

Is it as bad as they say?

 

[theclaud]

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

 

[HeyWayne]

Any ideas on the gradient?

 

[ianrauk]

it's approx 10% average.

 

[Crankarm]

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!!!

 

[theclaud]

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

 

[ianrauk]

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.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

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

 

[theclaud]

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...

 

[HeyWayne]

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...

 

[HeyWayne]

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...

 

[theclaud]

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...

 

[HeyWayne]

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?

 

[theclaud]

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?

 

[HeyWayne]

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.