On what was predicted to be a chilly morning, we were greeted by surprisingly mild temperatures. However, visibility was a challenge, with a dense mist limiting our view to just 15 meters in places.

We kicked off the day at Cadence Beachy Head with a quick caffeine boost and a friendly chat with Abi, who had jogged over to see us off. Energised, we headed out on the downland bridleways towards Birling Gap, a site rich in history. Birling Gap is part of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs and is an iconic stretch of coastline. With its striking white cliffs and evidence of coastal erosion, this area has long been a favourite of walkers and cyclists alike.

From Birling Gap, we climbed past the Red Barn and made our way toward Crowlink, known for being home to the celebrated artist Grayson Perry. 

The ascent brought us into the upper sections of Friston Forest, where the fun began. Sam Winter, aboard his 100mm travel Orbea XC bike (a featherweight perfect for the South Downs terrain), briefly swapped bikes with Myles, who was riding a beast of a Trek Slash with 170mm travel. Myles, claimed his bike climbed just as well as the Orbea—an opinion met with scepticism but these big travel bikes have got much better at climbing in the most recent generations.

The route through Friston Forest challenged us with claggy clay mud and slow-going trails. Despite the tricky terrain, we had only one minor tumble—Steve, our fearless store owner, took a spill but got back up with no evidence to be shared (we value job security too much!). The storms of recent weeks had left their mark, with fallen trees forcing some hike-a-bike sections. Those of us on analog bikes felt triumphant, as lifting lighter frames over the obstacles was far easier than handling e-bikes.

Emerging from the forest, we picked up speed and cruised towards Cuckmere Haven before a brief road section to Litlington, home to our friends at Cadence Cycle Club. Celebrating their fourth anniversary, Cadence treated us to their signature toasties (the Naughty Armstrong remains our firm favourite) and excellent coffee.

Refuelled, we tackled the climb out of Cadence toward Lullington Heath National Nature Reserve. While mild, this ascent always delivers a wake-up call for the legs—unless you’re riding an e-bike (secretly, we all want one). The descent into Jevington was a blast, and we couldn’t resist a nod to its fame as the birthplace of banoffee pie.

Next up was Eastbourne Lane, one of my personal favorite climbs but a notorious leg burner. Myles hit the dreaded “bonk” here—a tough experience for anyone. Finding the right fueling strategy is a learning curve, and our store stocks a range of nutrition from brands like Clif and Sussex-based Styrkr to help with just that.

At the summit, it was a homeward push back to Beachy Head, with tired legs but spirits high.

Here’s to more adventures in the new year!