Descending

[Ravenbait]

Can't see the vids here. However, to add to the "crap at descending" camp, I used to be okay. Then I got a speed wobble on a fast descent during the Dalkeith triathlon a few years back, hit a sunken manhole cover (while wobbling) and had a sudden epiphany: I was doing getting on for 50mph on a pair of 22mm wide tyres while wearing very skimpy lycra and a plastic hat and I was on the critical tipping point of losing control and crashing into rough tarmac.

I still haven't managed to get my confidence back, and I wish I could. I was never great at descending but I used to enjoy it, at least.

Sam

 

[RedBike]

I never managed to get the fixie down without gabbing handfulls of brake.

 

[yello]

I never managed to get the fixie down without gabbing handfulls of brake.

ah well, quite! Descending on fixed is different again. I too am partial to scrubbing off a bit of speed if it feels like things are getting too hairy! That is, in my case, at around 150rpm.

 

[PpPete]

This is how you go down a hill. Text book...........

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RxXqQqAc2pA

lovely music too !


Descending on the fixed I'm on the brakes by 120 rpm !

 

[tyred]

I never managed to get the fixie down without gabbing handfulls of brake.

Same here, and what I find interesting is that I reach higher speeds on the flat on my fixed than I ever do going down a hill. I think I'm just not happy unless there is at least some resistance from the pedals.

 

[Rob3rt]

I agree on the fixed comment. I am always clutching the brakes on descents, I can spin fairly fast, but I like to keep the runaway train effect to a minumum. Its not the spinning that bothers me, its more so the level of control on bends (the constant pedal motion seems to complicate matters even where pedal strike isnt a realistic danger and I tend to go wider) and I like to have some level of speed control in my legs even if I know that my front brake is there.

That said, i primarily ride fixed, so maybe my sucking at descending fixed, is just a reflection of an unknown level of sucking in descending in general

 

[dellzeqq]

http://www.whiskywheels.co.uk/ventoux_07.htm

a joy. 25 minutes of joy

The author is an occasional visitor here........

 

[fossyant]

I'd say watch Fab going down hill. Very relaxed. I'm no demon descender but you do need to relax. I do however take it easy with cross winds........ getting a 'wobble' at 55 MPH is botty clenching. That said, I gripped the top tube with my leg, controlled the wobble, and attacked again. The wind had caught my front wheel.

Practice and practice more.

 

[zizou]

For some reason I lost my confidence descending late last summer. That had a knock on effect - wasnt relaxed on the bike, breaking too heavily at the wrong points (like midway through a corner) and it just made me lose even more confidence. Ive somehow managed to regain my confidence and can enjoy them again. The grit and dirt on the roads is a problem at the moment though, that is the thing that scares me more than gradient, turns or potholes (which can usually be spotted and avoided).

 

[PpPete]

http://www.whiskywhe.../ventoux_07.htm

a joy. 25 minutes of joy

The author is an occasional visitor here........

video link broken ?

 

[yello]

I like to keep the runaway train effect to a minumum.

That's my deciding factor too. I'll quite happily spin out if I can see it's controllable, but if I feel I'm not on top of it then I'll be braking to scrub off speed and get things back under control.

 

[pepecat]

The Cancellara vid is great, but he has the knowledge of no traffic coming up the other way or too close behind him. Descending on normal roads isn't quite that sweet.

My brain definitely goes into my back pocket when i descend. Down on the drops (lightly gripped), shift the weight back (sometimes crouch behind the saddle to keep it lower) and off we go. Wet conditions and potholes / patched roads do make me twitchy though, so I don't go as fast then, but other roads, no problem. I kinda 'forget' about traffic too, which isn't really the best way of cycling.......
It's only when i get to the bottom of a hill and the girly 'if i'd hit a stone / drain then i'd have been off and badly scraped' thought enters my head. Then i worry. But that's usually afterwards, not before!

 

[asterix]

The Cancellara vid is great, but he has the knowledge of no traffic coming up the other way or too close behind him. Descending on normal roads isn't quite that sweet.

A good point. When I did my Raid Pyrenean last June the support leader stressed the danger of oncoming traffic.

We had some fabulous descents, my fave being down the Col d'Aubisque (it wasn't raining for once) and at the top you can watch other riders go down a long way before setting off. The hairiest was off the Tourmalet which we climbed first in rain then snow nearing the top. Despite trying to warm up in the summit cafe I was still cold when starting and there was till a snow shower. The only thing to do was get down fast and avoid shivering! Later we did a 32km descent into Prades that was also very cold but great fun.

 

[GrasB]

It reminds me; I rode a sportive this *last year (a rarity for me these days!) and was merrily climbing past folk, a 13km climb of around 550m... only for them to bomb past me on the descent. Most demoralising

Na, just shows that they need to take risks to keep up with a quicker rider.

It's interesting, I'm a very quick on descents up to a point. It's the AD training but I won't go faster than I have confidence in being able to stop in the distance I can see. Often I get overtaken on the tighter corners, I know I could take them faster but I'd be risking not being able to deal with what's out of sight. However most people who will risk an unsighted corner bottle well before me on the straighter section where visibility isn't a problem.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'd say watch Fab going down hill. Very relaxed.

Practice and practice more.

Oh..... that Fab....
I spent several days practicing in the Pyranean foothills before blasting down Ventoux, probably the most amazing 20 minutes of my life! 40mph average and highs of 49mph. The joy though is perfect tarmac, dry road and good wide sightlines and Michelin PR2s. It's amazing how much lean, grip and braking you can do on a bike in perfect conditions.
Yeeee haaaa

Practice is the key though.