Hills, speed and traffic.

[Steady]

Moving to a road bike from a dual suspension I instantly altered how I went down hills, I'm not bothered about going fast now, before I'd hit it at speed and pushed it as much as I could and I felt safe (and safe is always just an illusion of perception)

I'm more bothered about going too fast now on the road bike and just ease off probably before I even hit 20mph! I assume it's lack of confidence, but I no longer feel the need to push it either.

I think traffic always will be a personal thing, I never feel comfortable, I hate those "pulled out to close moments". In the summer I cycle early mornings to avoid it, sunrise early!

 

[morrisman]

Well @NorcoRichie after doing THIS today I can confirm that 15 mph average is not too shabby at all (mind you I am 61 and 15 stone and a bit). First time up from Ivinghoe village to the top of the beacon hill, not quite as hard as I expected managed to go up the steepest bits (~7 to 8%) at 9/10 mph.

 

[sidevalve]

Going down hills -sorry to sound boring but like EVERY other form of transport all you need to worry about is can you stop in the distance you can SEE to be clear ? Not should be clear, not what you think is clear but IS clear ? Yep this includes potholes too. Other than that go as fast as you feel comfortable with - there are no prizes for going faster than you want to and falling off.
As for is 15 mph ok - HAH !!! Of course not !! We are all men [and women] of steel with legs like piston rods and endless endurance. If you can't manage at least 30mph up a 1 in 4 with a headwind clear off !!!!
PS - I think 12 - 14 mph is ok so 15 seems pretty good to me !

 

[morrisman]

Going down hills -sorry to sound boring but like EVERY other form of transport all you need to worry about is can you stop in the distance you can SEE to be clear ? Not should be clear, not what you think is clear but IS clear ? Yep this includes potholes too. Other than that go as fast as you feel comfortable with - there are no prizes for going faster than you want to and falling off.!

That's the bit that is confusing me at the moment, quire happy doing 40 mph down hill on my tank of a hybrid, but get windy at ~30 mph on my new road bike. Sure it will come with time and miles

 

[NorcoRichie]

Hi All,
Big thanks for all your comments and advice I'll be making some changes on my next ride..
@morrisman that's a beautiful ride you did today; lakes, hills, forests, its rides like this that make me love cycling, but I live in Tring and know how tough those hills are! My rides normally involve me bursting into tears and sobbing on the way up these hills and then screaming in terror coming down the other side .

 

[MikeW-71]

This is the kind of thing that's near me

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4DldLagfvQ

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hi All,
Big thanks for all your comments and advice I'll be making some changes on my next ride..
@morrisman My rides normally involve me bursting into tears and sobbing on the way up these hills and then screaming in terror coming down the other side .

Same here
Once I had to stop while riding downhill, got myself scared

 

[raleighnut]

This is the kind of thing that's near me

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4DldLagfvQ

Nice bit of brake feathering. I was thinking what a shame about the Landy & trailer but then at least he booted it a bit & ran clearance for you.
Would'nt fancy the going back up much

 

[HLaB]

I bet folk could hit an impressive speed down the A6 from Buxton to Bakewell, I chickened out at 38mph, a mate hit 44mph and another was 50mph +. I'm a bit of a comparative wuss descending, after rounding a sharp and blind left hand bend at the bottom of a hill, still on my side of the road but 3/4 or more into the lane, to be confronted by a van cutting a corner. That was compounded by a mate fatally misreading a bend and seeing a few other offs on descents, my brother's front blow out and the two female cyclists died in the peaks within hours of me passing along the roads on Saturday. Take care folks