Brighton to Oxford and Oxford to London - Routing suggestions please

[hatler]

Mini hatler is planning a 200 mile day ride, the middle leg of which is Brighton to Oxford.

He's put together a route with the aim of reducing climbing and keeping off stupidly busy roads.

He would deeply appreciate if anyone with knowledge of any element of the route could cast their eye over it and propose any better alternatives.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37490275

ETA

And here's the Oxford - London leg. Again, if anyone were to be able to suggest alternatives/improvements we'd be very grateful indeed.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37492047

(We've got London - Brighton pretty much nailed.)


Many thanks in advance.

[Rod Marton]

On the part I know, you can avoid Didcot by continuing from South Moreton through North Moreton to Appleton. It is generally a good idea to avoid Didcot.

Apart from that, it looks fine. Pangbourne can get busy, but the only way to avoid it is to go through central Reading which is busier.

[matthew]

I am looking at the route between Guildford and Reading which is more my area though MattH will have even more local knowledge on the roads chosen. It may be my bias as I am based a little east of the route but I would go from Yateley to Sandhurst, Wokingham, Twyford, Henley. This avoids Reading and Pangbourne but it is at the cost of having to climb out of Henley up to Nettlebed and then down to Wallingford.

[perpetual dan]

There’s bits of the Brighton - Oxford route that look a bit main roady for my tastes. I’ll see if I can dig out the route I took a few years back in order to get to a conference in Abingdon.

[perpetual dan]

Here it is https://www.strava.com/activities/5955037996, though it looks like I rode some of the busier bits I was thinking of when looking at Mini Hatler's route before.
Anyhow, it was quite a pleasant ride as far as I remember

[hatler]

Thank you all. Really appreciated.

Mini and me are having a crack at the Brighton - Oxford leg on Sunday. It will be my longest ride for quite some time, whereas he knocked off London - Brighton - London quite happily on Sunday.  I may be out of my depth.  Ooo oerrrrr.

[Jurek]

Thank you all. Really appreciated.

Mini and me are having a crack at the Brighton - Oxford leg on Sunday. It will be my longest ride for quite some time, whereas he knocked off London - Brighton - London quite happily on Sunday.  I may be out of my depth.  Ooo oerrrrr.

Oh dear.

[Wycombewheeler]

From ewelme I'd go up Swyncombe hill to Cookley Green, then down through pishill to Henley. The route as shown is really busy, except the minor detour which a single track, too narrow for passing oncoming cars.

[hatler]

On the part I know, you can avoid Didcot by continuing from South Moreton through North Moreton to Appleton. It is generally a good idea to avoid Didcot.

Apart from that, it looks fine. Pangbourne can get busy, but the only way to avoid it is to go through central Reading which is busier.

Mini and I had a crack at the Brighton - Oxford leg yesterday. That's the furthest I've been on a bike in one hit.

Only two mechanicals; the first was my rear mech cable snapping at the brifter about two miles north of the A27, and my Wahoo clamp screw dropping out.

Sorted the mech by winding the limiter screw in (and I have a triple, so that gave me a mildly usable set of gears, except that the bike has had so little use recently I had to use a heel tap to get it into the granny ring).

I watched the screw drop out so that was found after only a couple of minutes of searching (on a thankfully very quiet road).

All in all a great day out. I was pooped by the end of it but mini was fresh enough to do another 25 miles to Henley. Oh to be that young !!

Rod,
Massive thumbs up for the Didcot avoidance suggestion. What beautiful roads with stunning scenery and hardly a car in sight. To add to the delight the sun came out when we got to about here. Mini was blown away by it all. Many thanks for taking the time to suggest that.

Pangbourne was fine.

ETA.  A massive thumbs up for Evans Cycles in Guildford which was on the route so no diversion required whatsoever other than to bump up onto the pavement. The workshop team provided me a cable, an end cap and lent me cable cutters/crimper and wouldn't take a penny. Amazing stuff.

[hatler]

Right. All the planning and recceing has been done.

i spend this weekend bike fettling (nothing serious mind) and packing the support vehicle with all that we might need.

Mrs hatler is lined up for London - Brighton whilst I drive the car. I swap with her for Brighton to Oxford, and there mini picks up three friends who have committed to draft him to London.

And he has lined up a charity donations page if anyone feels so inclined - https://gofund.me/4bcb8405

I'll report back here sometime next week.