Downhill at speed... is it normal to be terrified?

[yello]

Another tip; don't look at your computer/gps when descending. It's not about numbers, it's about feeling comfortable and safe. Keep your head up, looking for hazards etc.

You can look at the numbers after your ride.

 

[Boo]

Thanks very much for all the replies / advice.
I'm inclined to agree with the 'It'll get better.' contingent. It's the first time I've been riding for 20-odd years, and thus far I've probably done less than 100 miles, so still 'settling in'.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who gets a bit unnerved though!

 

[vickster]

Thanks very much for all the replies / advice.
I'm inclined to agree with the 'It'll get better.' contingent. It's the first time I've been riding for 20-odd years, and thus far I've probably done less than 100 miles, so still 'settling in'.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who gets a bit unnerved though!

I think it's sensible to have some degree of self preservation. Look at that poor chap recently who came off at high speed thanks to a speed wobble and has completely mashed his shoulder (among other things)

It's not like you'll shave much time off, especially if you have hills to go up too (the mind boggling maths of that was also recently discussed)

 

[machew]

You know when you are going to fast down a hill, and that is when you overtake a marked police car.

 

[Brandane]

I love going downhill; it's so much easier than the other option! My fastest so far was just over 50mph somewhere on the Way of the Roses route near Grassington (actually it's NOT on WOTR, I diverted to Grassington for a B&B).
If you have confidence in the mechanical integrity of your bike, it helps. I suppose being a motor-biker also helps as you get used to traveling at speed on 2 wheels, downhill OR up!

 

[Dayvo]

all I could think about was wobbling, or hitting a pothole, and then sailing through the air, followed by an deeply unpleasant tarmac/face interface incident.

Just thank your lucky starts that this wasn't you!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTfu0hjVtzE

 

[ColinJ]

@colin J you are one lucky blighter living in Hebden Bridge. I've never ridden in Yorkshire before but was up there for the tour this last weekend and absolutely loved it.

Riding fast down roads you've never ridden before means skirting a fine line between excitement and terror. I absolutely loved the climb out of Hebden Bridge and the descent into Oxonhope, hitting 47mph despite a knackered headset that was juddering underheavy breaking. I had a grin as wide as the valley.

A short while earlier the same day I was scared witless cycling down Stocks Lane into Luddenden, really bumpy surface, steep, narrow in places with some very sharp hairpins that had me wondering 'oh crap am I going to make this?'. I'm not easily scared but that descent did it for me.

After 2 days in Yorkshire I came back to Essex for day 3, while dawdling along the flat very slowly my metal bottle cage totally snapped away from the securing bolts, falling into the road with the full bottle still attached, seemingly having been shaken to breaking point by the state of the UK roads. It made me worry a lot about if it had happened the day before on one of those descents and gone under my back wheel, it could have been very messy.

I can only conclude its best not to think about it, the minute those 'what if' thoughts enter your mind you cease to enjoy it and start descending like Wiggo in the wet. I may well have to be surgically removed from a wall/sign/hedge/fence at some point in the future, and it will be entirely my own fault, but I'd have enjoyed it, up until that point anyway.

Yes - the climbs and descents between HB and Oxenhope in both directions are fun. (Sadly though, a motorcyclist was killed on the descent to Oxenhope a few weeks back. I am not sure the inquest has even been held yet.)

The Stocks Lane descent is definitely the kind that I would be very cautious on. I am not sure I have ever done it in that direction. I can only ever remember climbing it, and it is tough! Example.

 

[Arjimlad]

I well recall cycling up the Kirkstone Pass in the rain and thinking crikey, how on earth am I going to get down safely on the wet roads ? Have hit 44mph on some tasty descents round home but only where there are no junctions/driveways !

 

[Big Nick]

I don't look at the speedometer!

My max is 40mph on my road bike tucked in, helps to put some weight over the front and use your knees to grip the top tube when the bike gets a shimmy on!

Must of looked fairly fast as a few lads going up the hill were watching open mouthed at my large frame hurtling down the hill!

 

[tiswas-steve]

Only time I get edgy on descents is on blind corners because it only takes a car to wander a wee bit over that white line to cause serious damage. I've been down Westerham Hill at 50 + mph, Star Hill at 40 + ( more technical ) and the buzz is awesome but I only let loose on roads I know well. When I do ride down a unknown steep descent I'm always aware of tight corners, loose gravel, oncoming traffic coming up and cover the brakes.

 

[Stonechat]

Look at what happened to COntador.
was descending at speed and took one hand of to fish out a gel or something, and hit something

 

[beardy01]

My top speed before last night was 39 and wanted to break 40mph so my pal took me down titsey hill nr oxted, kent. Had only ever gone up it and its steep at the bottom and less so after half way, we hit 55.6mph coming down not only does it feel fast but the jump up from 39 was what surprised me the most. It also makes you concentrate on the fundamentals of coming down hill, i just tried to relax and enjoy the ride wont be rushing back in a hurry .. dont want to tempt fate cos at that speed you are coming off at some point law of averages dictates that!!!!!!!

 

[mcshroom]

Just go as fast as you feel comfortable doing. You'll probably speed up a bit as you get more confident with the bike, but if not then just coast down at whatever speed feels right. You don't have to drop like a stone

 

[slowmotion]

I feel a lot happier going downhill on a straight bar bike rather than a drop bar one. The wide hand grip gives me more confidence . I wish I could practice on good tarmac. It doesn't seem to exist any more. I'm terrified of a bad bit of road surface at speed. You can't always spot it in advance.

No more than about 32 mph here. Pitiful.

 

[Keith Oates]

As others have said it's not the actual speed that concerns me (although obviously I do have a limit) but it is the condition of the road, tight or blind corners, side streets coming onto the road etc. that governs the speed I go at !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!