# I am DONE with going fast down hills!



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

When I got my first road bike I got a real kick out of being able to go downhill at 30mph, then it crept up a bit and I could get to 42mph even on Suffolk roads, then I went up North and got nearly to 55mph. It was when I reached nearly 55mph that I realised the cheapo audax frame I ride isn't really cut out for speed. A realisation I soon forgot. Until today.

I was descending a hill in Richmond Park, just about to knock it into my highest gear and go into an aero tuck when an oncoming Merc pulled onto my side of the road to overtake a cyclist. I feathered the brakes, feathered some more and decided to try and squeeze through the gap that would be left between the car and the kerb. Not ideal, there was a fair amount of gravelly debris in that narrow margin. As I tried to relax my grip on the bike and continued to attempt an emergency deceleration the bike started leaping about under me like a bucking bronco. I really had to work hard to keep my calm but I was loosing control fast so had to go where the bike wanted to take me, which was off the road. I managed to stay upright somehow and came to a halt at the end of a deep furrow carved by my wheels in the grass.

That's it. I'm DONE with descending fast, at least until I get a bike fit for purpose


----------



## ScotiaLass (30 Mar 2014)

Eeek! I'm glad you're okay!! Well controlled that man.
I hate going fast...coming down a hill on the road from the canal towpath one day. I looked down at the speed at It was 20mph!
I almost fell off! I have hydraulic brakes now....not going that fast again, it sacred the life outta me!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

I feel it's a younguns game!


----------



## ScotiaLass (30 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I feel it's a younguns game!


Maybe, but I just don't like speed! I'm 50 now but remember commuting on a road bike when I was doing my nurse training and the hills scared the life out of me then too!


----------



## mattobrien (30 Mar 2014)

I think you have already identified the solution, n+1


----------



## HLaB (30 Mar 2014)

Brown trouser moment indeed  If there's any possibility of something happening I descend like a granny (no offence meant Gran); I can only ease of the brakes on a perfectly straight and clear rural road


----------



## jhawk (30 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I feel it's a younguns game!



I once clocked 27MPH going down a hill... I was scared beyond belief! I felt the bike shaking beneath me. Never again...


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

mattobrien said:


> I think you have already identified the solution, n+1



Known that for years


----------



## EltonFrog (30 Mar 2014)

jhawk said:


> I once clocked 27MPH going down a hill... I was scared beyond belief! I felt the bike shaking beneath me. Never again...



Pfffffft! That's not fast.


----------



## asterix (30 Mar 2014)

Alpine descents can be tricky. You watch the pros do it on the telly and it looks ok, then when you try it for real it suddenly dawns on you that they actually have the road closed for their events and not only do you have to keep to your own side but you may meet some idiot on a hairpin failing to keep to theirs.

Still good fun tho'.. My bestest ever so far was 32km down into Prades, raining, roadworks, narrow villages, a real challenge.


----------



## Jonny Wright (30 Mar 2014)

Stopped looking at the Garmin when it showed 41mph, decided to watch the road after that..


----------



## L14M (30 Mar 2014)

Most i've been to is 35mph -my bike was stable but on the edge 40 and it'd be poo me thinks!


----------



## ColinJ (30 Mar 2014)

I'm glad that you got away with it!

I was checking my GPS before yesterday's forum ride and found that the maximum speed stored on it was 80.9 kph, or about 50.5 mph. I remember resetting it a year ago, but I couldn't say when I did that particular ride.

You've got me curious now ... I'll download the tracklog for yesterday and see what my maximum was. I would guess about 65 kph (40 mph) coming down from the Trough of Bowland summit.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

Hmm, out of the three lines from the three times I was on that hill can you tell which didn't work out too well?


----------



## oldfatfool (30 Mar 2014)

ColinJ said:


> You've got me curious now ... I'll download the tracklog for yesterday and see what my maximum was. I would guess about 65 kph (40 mph) coming down from the Trough of Bowland summit.



I touched 70kph yesterday, nearly ended up as a hood ornament on an old mini mind, the shout of car down came at the last minute and nearly lost the rear under heavy breaking on the marbles in the middle of the road. Still didn't some one once say it is only at the point closest to death that you feel truly alive?


----------



## TheDoctor (30 Mar 2014)

Done nearly 50mph on a few different bikes over the years, and it's a bit scary.
42mph on a Brompton was a bit


----------



## DCLane (30 Mar 2014)

You never grow out of going downhill fast.

I'm happy to hit 50+mph and still do regularly.


----------



## ayceejay (30 Mar 2014)

Before you lash out a new Pinarello check your brakes. First make sure that your wheels are centralized and then adjust your brakes so that they hit the rims equally. If the brakes pull more on one side than the other this will cause the sensation you describe.


----------



## EltonFrog (30 Mar 2014)

The main thing is you survived it, you didn't crash. You win!


----------



## ColinJ (30 Mar 2014)

oldfatfool said:


> I touched 70kph yesterday, nearly ended up as a hood ornament on an old mini mind, the shout of car down came at the last minute and nearly lost the rear under heavy breaking on the marbles in the middle of the road. Still didn't some one once say it is only at the point closest to death that you feel truly alive?


69 kph (43 mph) for me yesterday! 

Minimum speed going up the steepest part of the climb was 6 kph (3.7 mph), literally at a walking pace.

I definitely would not fancy high speeds on a Brompton ... I have never ridden one, but I pushed bromptonfb's bike out of a cafe for him and the steering felt a bit odd compared to a standard road bike!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

DCLane said:


> You never grow out of going downhill fast.
> 
> I'm happy to hit 50+mph and still do regularly.



You get the practice where you live!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

ayceejay said:


> Before you lash out a new Pinarello check your brakes. First make sure that your wheels are centralized and then adjust your brakes so that they hit the rims equally. If the brakes pull more on one side than the other this will cause the sensation you describe.



I've been very kindly been given some 105 brakes which I'm sure as hell going to fit now.


----------



## Moon bunny (30 Mar 2014)

Hover fly taught me a simple formula, when the number of years in your age is higher than the number of mph you feel safe reaching down a good, clear hill, that is it, old age has arrived, time to sell your bike.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

CarlP said:


> The main thing is you survived it, you didn't crash. You win!



Has been a bit if a wake up call though!


----------



## smokeysmoo (30 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I've been very kindly been given some 105 brakes which I'm sure as hell going to fit now.


If they've got stock Shimano pads in them bin the pads because they're made of cheese.

Fit Swissstop Green or Koolstop Salmon


----------



## ColinJ (30 Mar 2014)

Moon bunny said:


> Hover fly taught me a simple formula, when the number of years in your age is higher than the number of mph you feel safe reaching down a good, clear hill, that is it, old age has arrived, time to sell your bike.


I must be slow-witted today, because I don't quite get that! 

I am 58 and would do 58 mph on a descent, but that is close to my mental limit. I would certainly be reluctant to exceed 70 mph. It would seem odd to pack up cycling at 73 because I was only willing to do, say, 69 mph!


----------



## Donger (30 Mar 2014)

I have a cycling buddy who swears he once hit 60mph going down Mont Ventoux - but only because someone told him you can explode your tubes by braking too much and creating too much friction. Can that happen?

Personally, I become unstable at anything over 35mph. Having once experienced brake failure, (I'm only alive today because a traffic light was green when I hit it), I've more or less gone off the idea of speed thrills. 30mph speed limits are still a bit of a temptation, though.

Are you all talking about local roads that you know like the back of your hand? Otherwise, what the hell do you do when you unexpectedly come across a bunch of potholes while you have traffic all around you? Count me out!


----------



## stephec (30 Mar 2014)

ScotiaLass said:


> Maybe, but I just don't like speed! I'm 50 now but remember commuting on a road *bike when I was doing my nurse training* and the hills scared the life out of me then too!



I bet it was just like Call The Midwife. 

Best I've ever done is 54mph on an old rigid mtb down Winnats Pass near Castleton, 40 is enough nowadays though.


----------



## G3CWI (30 Mar 2014)

jhawk said:


> I once clocked 27MPH going down a hill... I was scared beyond belief! I felt the bike shaking beneath me. Never again...



By strange coincidence that was exactly the speed I clocked on the flat today while testing some mods that I made to the road bike. It felt fine on the level, I think speed feels more scary on hills.


----------



## ScotiaLass (30 Mar 2014)

stephec said:


> I bet it was just like Call The Midwife.
> 
> Best I've ever done is 54mph on an old rigid mtb down Winnats Pass near Castleton, 40 is enough nowadays though.


 Not quite....


----------



## asterix (30 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> You get the practice where you live!



After moving oop north to Manchester from Suffolk and N. Essex I couldn't believe the speed people cycled down the hills. Crazy! Even when I reached 39mph (my best ever for ages) they were bombing past! I got the hang of it eventually.


----------



## stephec (30 Mar 2014)

asterix said:


> After moving oop north to Manchester from Suffolk and N. Essex I couldn't believe the speed people cycled down the hills. Crazy! Even when I reached 39mph (my best ever for ages) they were bombing past! I got the hang of it eventually.


Southern jessie.


----------



## asterix (30 Mar 2014)

stephec said:


> Southern jessie.



'fraid so. I had to travel a long way north just to reach the equator before I got here!


----------



## Moon bunny (30 Mar 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I must be slow-witted today, because I don't quite get that!
> 
> I am 58 and would do 58 mph on a descent, but that is close to my mental limit. I would certainly be reluctant to exceed 70 mph. It would seem odd to pack up cycling at 73 because I was only willing to do, say, 69 mph!


Go outside and give yourself a good thrashing with the "Do not take everything on the internet too seriously" stick.
By the way if you have a mental block stopping you exceeding 60 mph, try closing your eyes just for half a second, when you open them again and find nothing has happened you will have a lot more self-confidence.


----------



## dan_bo (30 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> younguns game!



Good title for another short story....


----------



## dan_bo (30 Mar 2014)

Donger said:


> I have a cycling buddy who swears he once hit 60mph going down Mont Ventoux - but only because someone told him you can explode your tubes by braking too much and creating too much friction. Can that happen?
> 
> Personally, I become unstable at anything over 35mph. Having once experienced brake failure, (I'm only alive today because a traffic light was green when I hit it), I've more or less gone off the idea of speed thrills. 30mph speed limits are still a bit of a temptation, though.
> 
> Are you all talking about local roads that you know like the back of your hand? Otherwise, what the hell do you do when you unexpectedly come across a bunch of potholes while you have traffic all around you? Count me out!


I've blown a tube trying to stop before the junction at the bottom of wessenden head....65 mph. Very long very steep and very straight.
Dont like it.


----------



## stephec (30 Mar 2014)

dan_bo said:


> I've blown a tube trying to stop before the junction at the bottom of wessenden head....65 mph. Very long very steep and very straight.
> Dont like it.



Bet that caused more than one skid mark.


----------



## young Ed (30 Mar 2014)

i clocked 34.6 i think, today on a borrowed carbon bike had i have known the hill more and had it been my bike and if it were heavier and had higher gearing it would have been 40 mph or so i reckon
Cheers Ed


----------



## oldfatfool (30 Mar 2014)

young Ed said:


> i clocked 34.6 i think it was today on a borrowed carbon bike had i have known the hill more and had it been my bike and if it were heavier and had higher gearing it would have been 40 mph or so i reckon
> Cheers Ed


I reckon with an engine as well you could have got 50


----------



## young Ed (30 Mar 2014)

oldfatfool said:


> I reckon with an engine as well you could have got 50


yep probably! 
Cheers Ed


----------



## mrcunning (30 Mar 2014)

CarlP said:


> Pfffffft! That's not fast.



It is on her penny farthing....


----------



## Cuchilo (30 Mar 2014)

They do tend to pass very wide in RP without looking at the cyclist they are heading for . I gave it a miss today as I thought it would be too busy . 
Are you just down this way for a visit or are you local ?


----------



## Big Nick (30 Mar 2014)

Its great going fast downhill but it is a bit hairy on my hybrid bike

Most I've clocked is 37mph so I can't imagine what 50mph would be like!


----------



## Crackle (30 Mar 2014)

Do more mtn biking then the roadie will feel as solid as a rock, provided you stay on the road next time.


----------



## buggi (30 Mar 2014)

stopped watching the Garmin at 45mph. Nearly planted myself in the back of a moving car. Was young and foolish then. I now know what a broken collar bone feels like so I'm all the more careful now.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

Crackle said:


> Do more mtn biking then the roadie will feel as solid as a rock, provided you stay on the road next time.



Oh I certainly learned that when I tried proper MTB!


----------



## PpPete (30 Mar 2014)

Some bikes seem to be more prone to a "shimmy" than others.
My GPS seems to have recorded 70.4 kph yesterday on The Dean - but I don't recall any of it being particularly hairy. Will have to have look where it was after tea.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

PpPete said:


> Some bikes seem to be more prone to a "shimmy" than others.
> My GPS seems to have recorded 70.4 kph yesterday on The Dean - but I don't recall any of it being particularly hairy. Will have to have look where it was after tea.



Mine is totally rock solid and fine until I hit about 40, then as long as nothing untoward happens I'm fine up until about fifty, at which point I get something along the lines of this happens:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rkFaIPyL4


----------



## format (30 Mar 2014)

For me it's all about choosing the right hill. There are some hills around where you can see everything, no side roads, fairly straight and if you know the surface well, I've no problem letting rip.

However, if it's an urban area, or I'm unfamiliar with the descent, I'll be a bit more cautious.


----------



## the_mikey (30 Mar 2014)

Steel frames are notorious for developing a shimmy, it could be triggered by unbalanced wheel rims, once they reach the resonant frequency of the frame the whole thing becomes a monster. The trick is to change the resonant frequency of the frame by clinging onto the top bar or making firm contact with the frame using legs, this might detune the frame enough to kill the wobble.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

the_mikey said:


> Steel frames are notorious for developing a shimmy, it could be triggered by unbalanced wheel rims, once they reach the resonant frequency of the frame the whole thing becomes a monster. The trick is to change the resonant frequency of the frame by clinging onto the top bar or making firm contact with the frame using legs, this might detune the frame enough to kill the wobble.



I was on an alloy frame today, it has wobbled before and a slap to the crossbar sorted it, I had no time today, I looked down to slap it and saw a 30cm high curb disappearing under my front wheel!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

format said:


> For me it's all about choosing the right hill. There are some hills around where you can see everything, no side roads, fairly straight and if you know the surface well, I've no problem letting rip.
> 
> However, if it's an urban area, or I'm unfamiliar with the descent, I'll be a bit more cautious.



I was in a park!


----------



## swee'pea99 (30 Mar 2014)

"I am DONE with going fast down hills!" 

Fibber!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (30 Mar 2014)

swee'pea99 said:


> "I am DONE with going fast down hills!"
> 
> Fibber!



Nope. I am going to give it up for at least the next eight hours.


----------



## crazyjoe101 (31 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Hmm, out of the three lines from the three times I was on that hill can you tell which didn't work out too well?


None of them, apparently...


----------



## Gravity Aided (31 Mar 2014)

You made it, you survived, thanks to your cycling expertise or Santa Maria Del Ghisallo or both.


----------



## Accy cyclist (31 Mar 2014)

I knew this would descend into a "the fastest i've gone downhill" thread! Anyway i was driving down the hill i did my fastest descent on the other day when i got behind a cyclist going down it. I sat patiently behind him and looked at my speedometer. He reached 43mph and when it was safe i passed him then pulled over on the flat bit. As he passed i waved him down and we got chatting. He said that he'd reached 55mph on that hill before but he was happy with 43mph as the cross winds were bad. I went down the hill the same evening reaching a mere 36mph. Strong winds capable of blowing you into oncoming cars certainly make me cover the brakes!


----------



## Shut Up Legs (31 Mar 2014)

Ah, yes. Brings back fond memories of my near-stack coming down a mountain. Nothing to do with cars, though, just me not quite being careful enough! (fast-forward to 4:30)


----------



## marcusjb (31 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Hmm, out of the three lines from the three times I was on that hill can you tell which didn't work out too well?
> 
> View attachment 41139


Is that misnamed on the map?

I had assumed from your post you were talking about broomfield hill, yet this is marked as sawyer's (which doesn't have any pinch points and is a pretty straight and safe descent (unless you are Fabian cancellara).

I'm lucky enough to only live 5 minutes from the park, so do get to use it often (100+laps a year). 

The descent of broomfield (when riding ACW) is tricky and I have often seen the aftermath of people over cooking the corner - it's camber is very difficult and will spit you out very easily. The surface is also less than perfect.

Cars do often cross the solid white lines to overtake bikes climbing the hill, and I have seen a number of very close misses over the years. 

Glad you survived the prang!


----------



## nickyboy (31 Mar 2014)

Descents I don't know, descents with a sketchy surface, descents that are wet, descents with lots of side roads, descents without clear sight lines........all these make me ease off

But give me a well known, well surfaced, dry, single road with good sight lines and I'm off. 50 down the Snake yesterday which meets all these criteria, only possible to hit this with a decent tailwind, not steep enough otherwise

I certainly wouldn't gun it where there was a decent chance of traffic pulling out on me. Drivers, perhaps understandably, don't allow for a cyclist doing 50 in their decision to pull out. For those local to me, the two obvious ones are the descent into Hayfield from New Mills (side road right at the bottom) and then the descent into Glossop after that (side road at the bottom and lots of parked cars on the way down)


----------



## Stonechat (31 Mar 2014)

Total coward descending
Don't even like 30 mph


----------



## TeeQue (31 Mar 2014)

According to the Strava trace from my ride Saturday I managed 43.4mph on my old mountain bike and to be honest that didn't feel at all sketchy which is strange because the front wheel does have a bit of a wobble to it (cones need adjusting I think).


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

marcusjb said:


> Is that misnamed on the map?
> 
> I had assumed from your post you were talking about broomfield hill, yet this is marked as sawyer's (which doesn't have any pinch points and is a pretty straight and safe descent (unless you are Fabian cancellara).
> 
> ...



I kinda wish I'd taken a photo of the hill, it had brilliantly clear visibility, dry firm grippy surface and no strong winds. I saw the Merc before I started the descent but it looked so unlikely that he'd pull out that I didn't factor it in. 

It is a great park to ride round though.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

crazyjoe101 said:


> None of them, apparently...



I have no idea why my Garmin was so inaccurate yesterday, I was expecting it to be when I was pootlkng around in the city, but not in the park!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

My goodness there were a lot of bling bikes out in Richmond Park, @dktd and I were queering the curve somewhat


----------



## HLaB (31 Mar 2014)

victor said:


> Ah, yes. Brings back fond memories of my near-stack coming down a mountain. Nothing to do with cars, though, just me not quite being careful enough! (fast-forward to 4:30)



Even the best lose it that way 
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubyKni_IbFY


----------



## Herzog (31 Mar 2014)

HLaB said:


> Even the best lose it that way
> View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubyKni_IbFY




Great save!


----------



## Justiffa (31 Mar 2014)

I love going fast downhill, u really can get quite a rush lol BUT and its a big but, the thought of a burst tyre is always there at the back of my mind, and lately its gotten to the point that i've started to lose focus bcos of that fear, and taking the curves a little too hesitantly.

Bcos of my injury, i'm having a lot of time to reflect…and next time when i do ride again, i'm cutting down on my speed.


----------



## Sharky (31 Mar 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I must be slow-witted today, because I don't quite get that!
> 
> I am 58 and would do 58 mph on a descent, but that is close to my mental limit. I would certainly be reluctant to exceed 70 mph. It would seem odd to pack up cycling at 73 because I was only willing to do, say, 69 mph!



Failure yesterday - did not reach 64mph


----------



## Mo1959 (31 Mar 2014)

I find the older I've got, the more my imagination runs away with me thinking of all the "what ifs" i.e. what if I have a front tyre blowout, what if there is a flaw in the frame/fork and it decides to give way and I face plant on tarmac. I know the chances are extremely slim but can't help thinking about it. I've had a few scary moments when I have overshot downhill corners and been on the wrong side of the road briefly and it was just luck that there was nothing coming.


----------



## Nigel-YZ1 (31 Mar 2014)

I clocked 49mph on a 30 year old steel road bike a couple of years ago. Nearly fainted when I saw the GPS readout later.
I'm definitely a "what ifs" type of bloke now, so I'll just ignore GPS readings from now on.


----------



## Octet (31 Mar 2014)

I've just taken possession of my new carbon road bike, being my first fully carbon steed I thought I would give it a pace test down one of my favourite roads. The road is very long, normally dead quiet and has a very slight negative gradient. 

I unfortunately didn't begin giving it my all till about midway down, and I didn't go aero till probably the final 100m but I managed to hit 36mph comfortably and I think I probably could of just taken it to 50mph if I hammered it, started earlier etc. and worked on my positioning.


----------



## Spinney (31 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> When I got my first road bike I got a real kick out of being able to go downhill at 30mph, then it crept up a bit and I could get to 42mph even on Suffolk roads, then I went up North and got nearly to 55mph. It was when I reached nearly 55mph that I realised the cheapo audax frame I ride isn't really cut out for speed. A realisation I soon forgot. Until today.
> 
> I was descending a hill in Richmond Park, just about to knock it into my highest gear and go into an aero tuck when an oncoming Merc pulled onto my side of the road to overtake a cyclist. I feathered the brakes, feathered some more and decided to try and squeeze through the gap that would be left between the car and the kerb. Not ideal, there was a fair amount of gravelly debris in that narrow margin. As I tried to relax my grip on the bike and continued to attempt an emergency deceleration the bike started leaping about under me like a bucking bronco. I really had to work hard to keep my calm but I was loosing control fast so had to go where the bike wanted to take me, which was off the road. I managed to stay upright somehow and came to a halt at the end of a deep furrow carved by my wheels in the grass.
> 
> That's it. I'm DONE with descending fast, at least until I get a bike fit for purpose




Wrong tactics - should have done a Peter Sagan and bunny hopped over the Merc - a set of tyre tracks on his bonnet and over the roof might teach him to be more careful with his overtakes!


----------



## Biscuit (31 Mar 2014)

67kph on this weekends forum ride with @ColinJ. On a steel frame road bike from yesteryear and a single pannier. Did say before I left that I wasn't gonna go silly but, well....I was enjoying the ride tbh. Great fun. For a shandy-drinking-southern-softy-daft-bastard I think I did alright. 
Although I do have 105 brakes, set up to within a knats-cock of perfect, and can honestly say it felt pretty solid.

Fit those 105s Andrew. Know you wanna....


----------



## fossyant (31 Mar 2014)

the_mikey said:


> Steel frames are notorious for developing a shimmy, it could be triggered by unbalanced wheel rims, once they reach the resonant frequency of the frame the whole thing becomes a monster. The trick is to change the resonant frequency of the frame by clinging onto the top bar or making firm contact with the frame using legs, this might detune the frame enough to kill the wobble.


 
Not true. Hear many carbon bikes suffering this too. It's down to lots of factors.

My Ribble has done 55 and my Herety 60 mph. Rock solid.


----------



## Stonechat (31 Mar 2014)

I just about get to half my age!!


----------



## HLaB (31 Mar 2014)

Never been fast enough to determine if its a Steel/Alu/Carbon or Ti thing but I think it'll be a lot more importants factors than just the frame material.


----------



## jefmcg (31 Mar 2014)

asterix said:


> Alpine descents can be tricky. You watch the pros do it on the telly and it looks ok, then when you try it for real it suddenly dawns on you that they actually have the road closed for their events and not only do you have to keep to your own side but you may meet some idiot on a hairpin failing to keep to theirs.



And even then, it can go badly wrong. Wouter Weylandt crashed on a descent in the Giro d'Italia, and was declared dead on the scene. I accidentallly saw a shot of him after the crash, and that's enough to make me carefully control my speed.


----------



## compo (31 Mar 2014)

HLaB said:


> Brown trouser moment indeed  If there's any possibility of something happening I descend like a granny (no offence meant Gran); I can only ease of the brakes on a perfectly straight and clear rural road



I'm a grandad, and soon to be a great grandad, and have a couple of hills where I regularly get 30mph +. It's not scarey, it's exhilarating.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

Biscuit said:


> 67kph on this weekends forum ride with @ColinJ. On a steel frame road bike from yesteryear and a single pannier. Did say before I left that I wasn't gonna go silly but, well....I was enjoying the ride tbh. Great fun. For a shandy-drinking-southern-softy-daft-******* I think I did alright.
> Although I do have 105 brakes, set up to within a knats-cock of perfect, and can honestly say it felt pretty solid.
> 
> Fit those 105s Andrew. Know you wanna....



Post-haste!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

fossyant said:


> Not true. Hear many carbon bikes suffering this too. It's down to lots of factors.
> 
> My Ribble has done 55 and my Herety 60 mph. Rock solid.



Do you have same as mine? Mine isn't badged because it was bought by a wholesaler direct from the importer but it sure looks like a Ribble 7005. Although now I look I'm not sure it is.

Fascinating post hey...


----------



## fossyant (31 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Do you have same as mine? Mine isn't badged because it was bought by a wholesaler direct from the importer but it sure looks like a Ribble 7005. Although now I look I'm not sure it is.
> 
> Fascinating post hey...


 
No I have a Real Steel RIBBLE in Reynolds 653 built by Terry Dolan about 20 years ago. !!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

fossyant said:


> No I have a Real Steel RIBBLE in Reynolds 653 built by Terry Dolan about 20 years ago. !!



Does it flex much? My old steelie is really flexible, but I've never gone fast downhill on it


----------



## fossyant (31 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Does it flex much? My old steelie is really flexible, but I've never gone fast downhill on it


 
No. Doesn't flex, and neither does the Herety, which is Columbus SLX and has re-inforcing spirals running inside the tubes near the BB and headset. 

653 is a mix of 531 main tubes and 753 rear end. 

All depends upon the frame material. Quality steels aren't 'flexy'.


----------



## EltonFrog (31 Mar 2014)

I too like going fast down hill, but I have had a few oopsfarttilt moments. There is a Tube of U vid somewhere of me going down Kirkstone Pass on me 'brid at 45mph, a couple of years ago, and last year on the Ride London/Surrey, after going over the top of Leith Hill, I was enjoying the ride down Hollow Lane, hit a pot hole at 38mph according to my Garmin and blew the tyre out. I was most vexed.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

fossyant said:


> No. Doesn't flex, and neither does the Herety, which is Columbus SLX and has re-inforcing spirals running inside the tubes near the BB and headset.
> 
> 653 is a mix of 531 main tubes and 753 rear end.
> 
> All depends upon the frame material. Quality steels aren't 'flexy'.



I think quality might be lacking in the 80s steel frame I bought for £20 off the London SingleSpeed forum, even after the overall twist in the frame was corrected


----------



## fossyant (31 Mar 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I think quality might be lacking in the 80s steel frame I bought for £20 off the London SingleSpeed forum, even after the overall twist in the frame was corrected


 Ah,

My Columbus SLX frame cost £460, 24 years ago - think same price as a Colnago ! (same frame material).


----------



## Donger (31 Mar 2014)

I discovered today that, under certain conditions, (into a headwind and at about 30mph downhill), a map holder can act a bit like an aerofoil! Not at all pleasant. Mother of all wobbles. Took it easy after that.


----------



## User16625 (31 Mar 2014)

My highest ever speed was 50 mph. I thought it felt amazing. But I love speed.


----------



## Jon George (31 Mar 2014)

Glad you survived intact. Even though I've slowed down considerably over the years on my motorbike, I've had so many 'oh-this-looks-like-this-is-it' moments that I suspect I've built up a kind of mental immunity and gleefully hurtle down as many of the steep bits of Suffolk I can find on my cycles. (I did 38 down a certain hill in Ipswich yesterday, followed by a 41 down Wherstead Hill - this summer I aim to increase on these.) I am fully aware that at my age, broken bodily bits and pieces take far longer to heal than for young ones, but that thrill of driving down a hill on a cycle as fast as I can is part of my personality which I hope will never dim.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Mar 2014)

Jon George said:


> Glad you survived intact. Even though I've slowed down considerably over the years on my motorbike, I've had so many 'oh-this-looks-like-this-is-it' moments that I suspect I've built up a kind of mental immunity and gleefully hurtle down as many of the steep bits of Suffolk I can find on my cycles. (I did 38 down a certain hill in Ipswich yesterday, followed by a 41 down Wherstead Hill - this summer I aim to increase on these.) I am fully aware that at my age, broken bodily bits and pieces take far longer to heal than for young ones, but that thrill of driving down a hill on a cycle as fast as I can is part of my personality which I hope will never dim.



Reminds me of something someone once told me about that dangers of falling off motorbikes, namely that it's not the falling off that hurts, it's all the other motorists who go over you afterwards :x


----------



## asterix (31 Mar 2014)

jefmcg said:


> And even then, it can go badly wrong. Wouter Weylandt crashed on a descent in the Giro d'Italia, and was declared dead on the scene. I accidentallly saw a shot of him after the crash, and that's enough to make me carefully control my speed.



A few years ago I descended the Col de Portet d'Aspet. It's quite a vicious, gloomy descent overhung by trees and has several sharp turns. As I went down it I had in mind the memorial to Fabio Casartelli who died on it in 1995 and I was especially careful. Just after I rounded a bend well before the memorial, I saw crossing in front of me a mini digger being used to maintain the road and it was full on with the brakes. I managed to stop in time and can still remember the look on the digger driver's face! There were no warning signs earlier on.

Good video by someone else here:


----------



## Matthames (31 Mar 2014)

TheDoctor said:


> Done nearly 50mph on a few different bikes over the years, and it's a bit scary.
> 42mph on a Brompton was a bit



I did 43mph on a Brompton today, could have gone a bit faster had it not been for the car in front getting in the way. I reckon at a push I could get 48 mph before I start spinning out.


----------



## TheDoctor (31 Mar 2014)

That's a cadence of roughly 145-ish, assuming you have one of the BWR brommies on standard gearing. I'd maybe spin it up to there, but TBH I usually start free-wheeling long before then.


----------



## Cameronmu917772 (1 Apr 2014)

46.8mph then I ran out of road!!! Very quickly. I do need new front brake pads now. I have to admit I wanted to go faster and it dosnt bother me going quick. What dose bother me is other people coming in the other direction. I don't know what it is. Maybe guy martin (best northan lad ever) had an impression on me when he did 112mph on his bike


----------



## asterix (1 Apr 2014)

Matthames said:


> I did 43mph on a Brompton today, could have gone a bit faster had it not been for the car in front getting in the way. I reckon at a push I could get 48 mph before I start spinning out.



Down Holme Moss I reached 51mph on my Brommie. We'd a bit of a following wind and the bumpy road made it rather scary. What made it for me was overtaking this guy on a Pinarello. I only found out it was a Pinarello when we had to stop at the bottom for the marshall but I don't think the other guy could believe his eyes even then!


----------



## nickyboy (1 Apr 2014)

asterix said:


> Down Holme Moss I reached 51mph on my Brommie. We'd a bit of a following wind and the bumpy road made it rather scary. What made it for me was overtaking this guy on a Pinarello. I only found out it was a Pinarello when we had to stop at the bottom for the marshall but I don't think the other guy could believe his eyes even then!



I presume that you're talking about the S descent (away from Holmefirth)? You're right, the road has ridges and bumps in it near the top which I don't like at all. The really fast bit where you drop through the trees is much better. The N descent is safer (and faster) although you have to remember the 3 hairpins at the bottom of the straight!


----------



## 4F (1 Apr 2014)

My Columbus steel does not flex  However I have also experienced a front blow out downhill at the relative slow speed of 26 mph  and yes it hurt  and borked my saddle, front wheel and right hand shifter.


----------



## FeistySquirrel (1 Apr 2014)

Going down about 25mph with a 4x4 up my arse... Had to let go with one hand and indicate that I needed to move lanes (he bullied me into staying in the outside.. Gr).... As the wobbles kicked in, I'd never concentrated so hard on missing pot holes. 

I survived!


----------



## NorvernRob (1 Apr 2014)

Had the opposite at the weekend. We were going uphill, a car overtook us where it shouldn't have (approaching a bend on the wrong side of the road) then another cyclist came flying around the corner, all is heard was a WHOOOAAA as he shat himself at the sight of the oncoming car. He was ok though and didn't fall off!

There's nothing but hills around here and you just can't help but let the bike go on a lot of sections. I think there's only one 20 mile loop where I don't hit 40mph+.


----------



## Hip Priest (1 Apr 2014)

I'm a right wimp when descending. I'm getting better though. I think I'm up to 38mph now!


----------



## Sheffield_Tiger (2 Apr 2014)

Scariest moment was on the cycling trip where I touched 60+ down Blue Bank (North Yorks, Whitby road) overtaking a Wallace Arnold coach...but that wasn't the scariest

Going down to Grosmont from the Fylingdales Road, flying down the 1 in 3 and shaving speed off before the corner, the girl I was cycling with overtook me...now here's the thing, I'd taken her Raleigh Candice 6-speed and turned it into an 18-speed pseudo-tourer for this camping trip - but it still had long-drop single-pivot sidepull brakes on steel rims. So it was fine for tackling the hills UP - but as she passed me and scuffed the grass verge on the opposite side of the road taking the corner left here http://goo.gl/maps/vADqx - I had visions of me ringing her mum and saying "sorry, I've just killed your daughter"

No idea how she stayed on, and luckily no car coming uphill on the left


----------



## maltloaf (2 Apr 2014)

The roads around here aren't good enough for much over 30. There are pot holes, ruts and strips of missing tarmac everywhere.


----------



## Herzog (2 Apr 2014)

80kph on a 10km descent yesterday, can't beat the feeling!


----------



## Stonechat (2 Apr 2014)

Hip Priest said:


> I'm a right wimp when descending. I'm getting better though. I think I'm up to 38mph now!


No I have barely hit 30 nwhere near 38


----------



## Hip Priest (2 Apr 2014)

Stonechat said:


> No I have barely hit 30 nwhere near 38



I used to struggle to hit 25mph, but I've gradually grown in confidence.

My mates take the micky out if me because I use the brakes on a local steep (albeit straight) descent called The Ryals. Without brakes, you can easily hit 50mph, and I'm not ready for that yet!

I admire those who can reach these high speeds, but it isn't for me.


----------



## Leodis (2 Apr 2014)

Since a downhill off last Sept I have kinda lost my bottle, will get to 35-40 but any more has to be on the Ribble frame and not the boardman.


----------



## ska1903 (2 Apr 2014)

Best i have done is 52.6mph, according to Strava, down a local country hill  That was done on a cheap mountain bike, done in winter in the dark with card coming the other way, was totally bricking it and shouldn't of been going that fast. 

The hill is fairly easy to get a good speed on especially if you are drafting a car.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (2 Apr 2014)

Stonechat said:


> No I have barely hit 30 nwhere near 38





ska1903 said:


> Best i have done is 52.6mph, according to Strava, down a local country hill  That was done on a cheap mountain bike, done in winter in the dark with card coming the other way, was totally bricking it and shouldn't of been going that fast.
> 
> The hill is fairly easy to get a good speed on especially if you are drafting a car.



I think that's why us Suffolk folk are so astonished by speed, we just don't have any hills that last more than about half a mile.


----------



## HLaB (2 Apr 2014)

My speed initiated brown trousers moment was on the Dunfie-Inverkeithing back road, it only hits a max of 14% but thats steep enough to gather speed but there's a sharp left bend at the bottom! Went round just over 3/4 of the way out to meet a van cutting the corner  Held it at first but I thought sod the bike, I'm jumping, as I slid towards a following people carrier. Miraculously the bike and me were pretty unharmed.


----------



## middleagecyclist (3 Apr 2014)

Good thing about being a fatbastard is I get to descend fast although the bad thing is I do eat thru brake blocks. 

I laugh at the miniscule speeds described here. I have local descents I often touch 80mph before having to slow. Once I even went over a 100mph.


----------



## James Ots (3 Apr 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> I laugh at the miniscule speeds described here. I have local descents I often touch 80mph before having to slow. Once I even went over a 100mph.



Pah, that's nothing. People round here have to board up their windows to stop sonic booms from shattering them when I go past. That truck in front of Guy Martin when he did his cycling speed record? That was being pedalled by me.


----------



## Stonechat (3 Apr 2014)

James Ots said:


> Pah, that's nothing. People round here have to board up their windows to stop sonic booms from shattering them when I go past. That truck in front of Guy Martin when he did his cycling speed record? That was being pedalled by me.


You must be so fast you arrive before you left


----------



## nickyboy (3 Apr 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> Good thing about being a fat******* is I get to descend fast although the bad thing is I do eat thru brake blocks.
> 
> I laugh at the miniscule speeds described here. I have local descents I often touch 80mph before having to slow. Once I even went over a 100mph.



I can vouch for these speeds. I was right behind him, felling a bit naffed off he was holding me up


----------



## middleagecyclist (3 Apr 2014)

nickyboy said:


> I can vouch for these speeds. I was right behind him, felling a bit naffed off he was holding me up


You were wheelsucking though. Come and take the front all the way next time!


----------



## Joshua Plumtree (3 Apr 2014)

And you try tellin' that to the young folks of today, and they won't believe yer!


----------



## e-rider (3 Apr 2014)

HLaB said:


> Brown trouser moment indeed  If there's any possibility of something happening I descend like a granny (no offence meant Gran); I can only ease of the brakes on a perfectly straight and clear rural road


has anyone been so scared that they have lost control of their bowels? I'm sure it could be possible but I've never actually heard of it happening!


----------



## Edwardoka (4 Apr 2014)

Six pages into a thread about overcooking it on a descent and no-one has mentioned @Harry_Palmer79 's 50mph Arran Fun Time? (Sorry, Ross!)


----------



## MikeonaBike (4 Apr 2014)

I enjoy the speed of the descent but you need to know the road. The roads here in Northamptonshire are so bad that knowing the state of the road down the hill and at the bottom is so vital. Many hills have an accumulation of grit and broken tarmac at the bottom that makes life 'interesting' if the road has a bend in it!


----------



## Harry_Palmer79 (4 Apr 2014)

Edwardoka said:


> Six pages into a thread about overcooking it on a descent and no-one has mentioned @Harry_Palmer79 's 50mph Arran Fun Time? (Sorry, Ross!)


 
That's okay Ed... the irony of it is that I walked away from that tumble with minor cuts and bruises (though the bike was less fortunate) only to end up with six stitches in my chin after falling off on the (admittedly icy) flat at 2mph six months later!


----------



## Cyclopathic (4 Apr 2014)

I definitely do not have the courage for going downhill that I did as a younger man. Another factor is that the centre of gravity of me and the bike combined has rissen somewhat which can only be a bad thing as far as handling goes. Much over 20/25 mph has me squeezing the brakes now.


----------



## middleagecyclist (4 Apr 2014)

The other day we were up to around 40mph coming down the Trough of Bowland when I stopped to retrieve someone elses dropped bidon. I had to put a spurt on after that to catch up and was over 60mph for much of the rest of the descent, even touching 62.3mph at one point. There was a bit of tailwind to help though. It was great! Unfortunately the bullet cam battery died defore this point so I have no actual evidence to support this assertion.


----------



## Edwardoka (4 Apr 2014)

Harry_Palmer79 said:


> That's okay Ed... the irony of it is that I walked away from that tumble with minor cuts and bruises (though the bike was less fortunate) only to end up with six stitches in my chin after falling off on the (admittedly icy) flat at 2mph six months later!


Right there's the difference between using a concrete path to stop a fall and using yourself as a braking surface on a nice soft verge


----------



## Hip Priest (4 Apr 2014)

ska1903 said:


> Best i have done is 52.6mph, according to Strava, down a local country hill  That was done on a cheap mountain bike, done in winter in the dark with card coming the other way, was totally bricking it and shouldn't of been going that fast.
> 
> The hill is fairly easy to get a good speed on especially if you are drafting a car.



I wouldn't trust the top speeds on Strava to be honest. I've done 60mph more than once on Strava, and I know for a fact I've never been above 40.


----------



## Hip Priest (4 Apr 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> The other day we were up to around 40mph coming down the Trough of Bowland when I stopped to retrieve someone elses dropped bidon. I had to put a spurt on after that to catch up and was over 60mph for much of the rest of the descent, even touching 62.3mph at one point. There was a bit of tailwind to help though. It was great! Unfortunately the bullet cam battery died defore this point so I have no actual evidence to support this assertion.



Chapeau! If I went 62.3mph I'd be staggering round afterwards like I'd just got back from 'nam.


----------



## middleagecyclist (4 Apr 2014)

Hip Priest said:


> Chapeau! If I went 62.3mph I'd be staggering round afterwards like I'd just got back from 'nam.


I knew it was 62.3mph coz that's what the police officer said he clocked me doing after he'd pulled me. He was out to get speeding motorcyclists and thought i was one at first as i was running my B&M Luxos dynolight. He couldn't quite believe it!


----------



## ColinJ (4 Apr 2014)

Hip Priest said:


> Chapeau! If I went 62.3mph I'd be staggering round afterwards like I'd just got back from 'nam.


Hmm ... I wasn't hanging about on that descent on Saturday and I maxed out at 43 mph. Maybe it could have been pushed to 50 mph with a little less caution, but 62.3 mph is either imaginary or crazy!  (The road was wet in places, had bends, gravel, and some oncoming traffic, together with the risk of wandering sheep from unfenced moorland.)


----------



## middleagecyclist (4 Apr 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Hmm ... I wasn't hanging about on that descent on Saturday and I maxed out at 43 mph. Maybe it could have been pushed to 50 mph with a little less caution, but 62.3 mph is either imaginary or crazy!  (The road was wet in places, had bends, gravel, and some oncoming traffic, together with the risk of wandering sheep from unfenced moorland.)


You were taking it steady at the back though Colin. Us fast guys were in Glasson Dock by then


----------



## nickyboy (4 Apr 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> I knew it was 62.3mph coz that's what the police officer said he clocked me doing after he'd pulled me. He was out to get speeding motorcyclists and thought i was one at first as i was running my B&M Luxos dynolight. He couldn't quite believe it!



I can vouch for this speed, I was right behind him......again


----------



## Hip Priest (4 Apr 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Hmm ... I wasn't hanging about on that descent on Saturday and I maxed out at 43 mph. Maybe it could have been pushed to 50 mph with a little less caution, but 62.3 mph is either imaginary or crazy!  (The road was wet in places, had bends, gravel, and some oncoming traffic, together with the risk of wandering sheep from unfenced moorland.)



Ha! I think I've fallen for a bit of leg-pulling here.


----------



## middleagecyclist (4 Apr 2014)




----------



## PlymSlimCyclist (5 Apr 2014)

I can regularly hit 40 along one of the main roads in Plym (all flat, from a stop too), it's a great feeling to look at the speedo and realise your legs are causing that number.

Then I have to monitor the lights fast approaching.
Had a guy pull alongside me to shout I was doing 30mph on my old dual suspension apollo, and that was an even better buzz to know that than my small 40 accomplishment.


----------



## uclown2002 (5 Apr 2014)

> I can regularly hit 40 along one of the main roads in Plym (all flat, from a stop too), it's a great feeling to look at the speedo and realise your legs are causing that number.
> 
> Then I have to monitor the lights fast approaching.
> Had a guy pull alongside me to shout I was doing 30mph on my old dual suspension apollo, and that was an even better buzz to know that than my small 40 accomplishment.



40 mph on the flat?
You should turn pro!


----------



## User16625 (6 Apr 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> I knew it was 62.3mph coz that's what the police officer said he clocked me doing after he'd pulled me. *He was out to get speeding motorcyclists* and thought i was one at first as i was running my B&M Luxos dynolight. He couldn't quite believe it!



THE **** *** ****IN ***** DIRTY **** ************ **** cop!


----------



## Hip Priest (6 Apr 2014)

uclown2002 said:


> 40 mph on the flat?
> You should turn pro!



Two magnets.


----------



## Allweathershorts (7 Apr 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I feel it's a younguns game!




Ahhh I wish it was so, I'm terrible at descending!
My dad refuses to go out with me on the bike as I leave him for dust up hill but actually slow down when going down hill......


----------



## Andrew_Culture (7 Apr 2014)

Allweathershorts said:


> Ahhh I wish it was so, I'm terrible at descending!
> My dad refuses to go out with me on the bike as I leave him for dust up hill but actually slow down when going down hill......



I went out on my SingleSpeed yesterday and it's about as stiff as a month old jelly at the best of times so I cheerfully coasted down hills rather than pedaling. I still reached 36mph. Idiot.


----------



## Joshua Plumtree (7 Apr 2014)

Sorry to hear about your descending phobia ( try closing your eyes, I find it helps!)  but congratulations on having the best username on this site by far. Any arguments?  



Allweathershorts said:


> Ahhh I wish it was so, I'm terrible at descending!
> My dad refuses to go out with me on the bike as I leave him for dust up hill but actually slow down when going down hill......


----------



## Andrew_Culture (7 Apr 2014)

Joshua Plumtree said:


> Sorry to hear about your descending phobia ( try closing your eyes, I find it helps!)  but congratulations on having the best username on this site by far. Any arguments?



Seconded.


----------



## Fnaar (7 Apr 2014)

50.6 top speed for me


----------



## chernij (8 Apr 2014)

Went 20mph on my trail bike once, felt brilliantly stable. Then hit 40mph on my road bike and felt weightless...


----------



## Hip Priest (8 Apr 2014)

Fnaar said:


> 50.6 top speed for me



I was expecting you to say 69mph.


----------



## Fnaar (8 Apr 2014)

Hip Priest said:


> I was expecting you to say 69mph.


I don't go down _that_ fast


----------



## Hip Priest (8 Apr 2014)

Fnaar said:


> I don't go down _that_ fast



I don't blame you. You'd probably get blown off.


----------



## middleagecyclist (8 Apr 2014)

@Fnaar turns up and sexual innuendo starts. I wish I could do that!


----------



## Jon George (8 Apr 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> @Fnaar turns up and sexual innuendo starts. I wish I could do that!


It's a skill - but one that can learnt quite quickly with a willing partner.


----------



## mark 1 (9 Apr 2014)

My recent fastest speed was 45mph, down Thorseway Hill in Lincolnshire. Have cycled down this hill several times, one day there will be a tractor or car coming up the hill in the opposite direction, which would add an extra element of challenge to the descent methinks.


----------



## lay (9 Apr 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> When I got my first road bike I got a real kick out of being able to go downhill at 30mph, then it crept up a bit and I could get to 42mph even on Suffolk roads, then I went up North and got nearly to 55mph. It was when I reached nearly 55mph that I realised the cheapo audax frame I ride isn't really cut out for speed. A realisation I soon forgot. Until today.
> 
> I was descending a hill in Richmond Park, just about to knock it into my highest gear and go into an aero tuck when an oncoming Merc pulled onto my side of the road to overtake a cyclist. I feathered the brakes, feathered some more and decided to try and squeeze through the gap that would be left between the car and the kerb. Not ideal, there was a fair amount of gravelly debris in that narrow margin. As I tried to relax my grip on the bike and continued to attempt an emergency deceleration the bike started leaping about under me like a bucking bronco. I really had to work hard to keep my calm but I was loosing control fast so had to go where the bike wanted to take me, which was off the road. I managed to stay upright somehow and came to a halt at the end of a deep furrow carved by my wheels in the grass.
> 
> That's it. I'm DONE with descending fast, at least until I get a bike fit for purpose



WOW thats talent - DH MTB'ing perhaps ??? 

Glad ya kept it upright.


----------



## HLaB (9 Apr 2014)

Saw some cr@p cycling on Saturday (Tour of Flanders Sportive) and quite a few folk down. Going down a hill to an open right hand bend which you can see cyclists ahead going round; I shouted out anyway. An idiot sped passed and skidded straight in to my mate who was at the apex of the bend 50yards or so in front of me. (I loose too much distance on bends/ dowhill and waste energy sprinting back but thats another story). I can uderstand my shout of 'Easy' was probably foreign to him but any cyclist should be alerted by a shout even if they couln't interpret it. Luckilly in a way the damage was only mechanical, he spent half an hour at the following mechanic station getting it fixed.
In the meantime I saw the exact same thing again at another open (obvious) bend at the bottom of a hill, but that time the cyclist who overshot quickly assessed the situation (why he go in it in the first place is beyond me) and decided to go for the Lance Armstrong field technique instead of using another cyclist for a brake.


----------



## trj977 (9 Apr 2014)

Glad you manged to stay upright and undamaged. My fear in Richmond Park is that if you have to bail you could catch one of the small wooden posts after the verge. I particularly like the way they get hidden when the grass gets longer.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (9 Apr 2014)

trj977 said:


> Glad you manged to stay upright and undamaged. My fear in Richmond Park is that if you have to bail you could catch one of the small wooden posts after the verge. I particularly like the way they get hidden when the grass gets longer.



There were some very knarly looking trees I nearly became one with.


----------



## Jon George (10 Apr 2014)

You may find this interesting ... 







http://www.theguardian.com/sport/ga...d-attempt-bicycle#/?picture=434121110&index=0


----------



## Andrew_Culture (10 Apr 2014)

Jon George said:


> You may find this interesting ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What a great first sentence!


----------



## nicholasmartin (18 Apr 2014)

congrats,it seems you have enjoyed a lot,, thanx for sharing this with us.


----------



## Chrisc (18 Apr 2014)

Andrew_Culture said:


> When I got my first road bike I got a real kick out of being able to go downhill at 30mph, then it crept up a bit and I could get to 42mph even on Suffolk roads, then I went up North and got nearly to 55mph. It was when I reached nearly 55mph that I realised the cheapo audax frame I ride isn't really cut out for speed. A realisation I soon forgot. Until today.
> 
> I was descending a hill in Richmond Park, just about to knock it into my highest gear and go into an aero tuck when an oncoming Merc pulled onto my side of the road to overtake a cyclist. I feathered the brakes, feathered some more and decided to try and squeeze through the gap that would be left between the car and the kerb. Not ideal, there was a fair amount of gravelly debris in that narrow margin. As I tried to relax my grip on the bike and continued to attempt an emergency deceleration the bike started leaping about under me like a bucking bronco. I really had to work hard to keep my calm but I was loosing control fast so had to go where the bike wanted to take me, which was off the road. I managed to stay upright somehow and came to a halt at the end of a deep furrow carved by my wheels in the grass.
> 
> That's it. I'm DONE with descending fast, at least until I get a bike fit for purpose



Ooer Missus, scarily reminiscent.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (18 Apr 2014)

Chrisc said:


> Ooer Missus, scarily reminiscent.



Your post chilled me!


----------

