Descending - Tips appreciated.

[Pale Rider]

If you need to slow down, avoid feathering the brakes.

A better technique is let the bike build up as much speed as you are comfortable with, then pull the speed down firmly to slower than your top speed, let go, and repeat if needed.

 

[NorthernDave]

The only thing you have to fear is fear itself.



And get hydraulic disk brakes - they're awesome*


* - won't solve every situation (you can't rewrite the laws of physics) and someone will be along shortly to tell you that they're actually rubbish...

 

[S-Express]

If you need to slow down, avoid feathering the brakes.

A better technique is let the bike build up as much speed as you are comfortable with, then pull the speed down firmly to slower than your top speed, let go, and repeat if needed.

I don't understand this at all.

 

[Pale Rider]

I don't understand this at all.

It's mostly aimed at looking after the brakes.

They are less likely to overheat if used firmly for short bursts, rather than used lightly for long periods.

We don't have many long descents in the UK, so I've found I rarely need to repeat the process more than once or twice in order to keep under my preferred maximum of 30mph.

 

[Vantage]

If you need to slow down, avoid feathering the brakes.

A better technique is let the bike build up as much speed as you are comfortable with, then pull the speed down firmly to slower than your top speed, let go, and repeat if needed.

Terrible advice.
Braking gently decreases the chances of the brakes locking up on a sudden slippy surface.
There are few places in the UK where overheating brakes are of any concern and usually only associated with heavily laden touring bikes.

 

[Pale Rider]

Terrible advice.
Braking gently decreases the chances of the brakes locking up on a sudden slippy surface.
There are few places in the UK where overheating brakes are of any concern and usually only associated with heavily laden touring bikes.

I was rather hoping the OP had enough common sense not to brake so fiercely as to lock the wheels.

But yes, braking too firmly on a slippery surface is not a good idea.

Overheating brakes is not a big concern in the UK, but I experienced some disconcerting fade on Magura discs before I adopted my technique.

 

[Vantage]

It's not much concern on dry roads, but on wet roads it's hard to tell the greasy spots from the normal wet spots and that's where braking force can either save us or have us ass up in a ditch.
My own 'moderate' braking a couple days ago over a hump back bridge had both wheels locking up momentarily. How the hell I stayed upright is beyond me.
One method of preventing overheating brakes I heard about was using the brakes alternately. Brake on the front for a bit, then on the back for bit and so on. I've never had cause to try it out much though.

 

[Tin Pot]

I seem to always chicken out when descending. Mostly it's because of blind corners or bends, and I'm wary of traffic, junctions, or walls. But even when I have a straight, clear descent, I find myself (rather dangerously) being overly hands on with the brakes.

Any tips for descending and to an extent, cornering at speed?

Imagine you were driving.

The roads are built for cars, a car would take that corner or bend at 40mph minimum. Is it really going to have a death trap hidden from view?

 

[NorthernDave]

Some tips on descending and braking here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/acti...How-to-cycle-with-the-technique-of-a-pro.html

 

[TheDoctor]

For descending and cornering, there's a few things to bear in mind.
If you sit reasonably upright - hands on the hoods or tops and straight arms - you'll stay limited to around 30 mph by wind resistance. This doesn't hold true so much on long and steep hills, but even so. There's no hills near me where I can exceed 35 mph without getting into as aero a crouch as I can.
Be comfortable and relaxed on the bike. A death-grip on the bars will not help!
Finally - look at where you want to go, rather than where you don't. Target fixation is indeed a thing.
If you keep your eyes locked on a hazard, you will hit it!

 

[Vantage]

Imagine you were driving.

The roads are built for cars, a car would take that corner or bend at 40mph minimum. Is it really going to have a death trap hidden from view?

I don't believe the op mentioned any specific corner or bend. How do we know if it/they can be taken at 40mph minimum? Personally speaking, 40mph on my bike around most fast bends is a scary experience due to twitchy handling. Not all bikes suffer from this, but im sure many do. Debris in the middle of the road or more likely in the UK a big pothole at that speed would indeed be deadly to a 2 wheeled cyclist. Not so the case if driven across in a car with 4 wheels and airbags. A hidden danger on wet roads such as an oil or diesel spill also affects the grip level of 4 tyres less than 2.

 

[Tin Pot]

I don't believe the op mentioned any specific corner or bend. How do we know if it/they can be taken at 40mph minimum? Personally speaking, 40mph on my bike around most fast bends is a scary experience due to twitchy handling. Not all bikes suffer from this, but im sure many do. Debris in the middle of the road or more likely in the UK a big pothole at that speed would indeed be deadly to a 2 wheeled cyclist. Not so the case if driven across in a car with 4 wheels and airbags. A hidden danger on wet roads such as an oil or diesel spill also affects the grip level of 4 tyres less than 2.

Fine, be afraid then.

 

[Vantage]

Fine, be afraid then.

It keeps me alive

 

[PK99]

I was rather hoping the OP had enough common sense not to brake so fiercely as to lock the wheels.

But yes, braking too firmly on a slippery surface is not a good idea.

Overheating brakes is not a big concern in the UK, but I experienced some disconcerting fade on Magura discs before I adopted my technique.

I cooked and exploded a front tube on and MTB on a long on-road descent on the C2C not long after I started riding.

 

[Jody]

Know your bike handling limits and stick to them. No point in pushing too much as you are likely to end up in hospital. See it all the time in MTB and you just know which ones are out of their comfort zone. At least on a MTB your not going to meet a car or lorry if it goes wrong.