<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
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berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
Thank you for taking time out from your busy day to give me an answer - just you remember - you won’t get that nano- second back again 👍😁
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
I'm still good for tomorrow's CC race, but I can't ride the Team IRL event tonight.
I've just ridden The Mendip Man, a hill fest set in Somerset with 3 'orrible climbs so I'm gonna put my feet up for the rest of today... 😉
mjd1988
Guru
Some people descend naturally and others have to learn.
A friend of mine I've often ridden with in the mountains, is in the first group, and I was firmly in the second. On our first trip to the Pyrenees, his approach was to follow the fastest descender in the group on the basis if he could do it so could he. My approach was to grip the saddle as tightly as I could with my arse and forge a very close, unhealthy relationship with my brake levers. I don't know how to describe my technique on hairpins!
My first 2 descents were down the Portet d'Aspet, with its unusually steep (for a French Col) 17% section and the Casartelli memorial (he died in a crash on the descent). That was an interesting start for somebody with so little natural descending technique. Having recovered from that, we then climbed the Col de Mente. 2 things stand out from that. Firstly, at the top we saw 2 German cycle tourists coming up from the other side, with heavily laden panniers, dressed only in Speedos! That sight is etched upon my mind! Secondly, someone said the descent is like Hairpin City. "Oh s*it" I thought.
There followed the most ridiculous descent in the history of road cycling. The more I approached each hairpin the more I gripped the brakes, and pairing that with a total inability to lean the bike, I came to a series of stops at each corner. At one time I started laughing and thought that I'd be up there all night!
Gradually, I got off the hairpin section and rode pathetically down the rest of the mountain unit l met my friend and the rest of the group. I can't remember how I explained myself. I think they thought I'd got lost somewhere!
In the end, I had to listen to others and learn what I had to do. The basic rules are stay low on the bike, hands in the drops so you can cover the brakes if needed, arse towards the back of the saddle, relax and stay loose, lean the bike beneath you (that's how you do hairpins) look well down the road to where you want to go (never look close as you'l brake and tighten up) and never, ever look where you don't want to go (eg over the side of the mountain or into a wall) because where you look is exactly where you will go.
I'll never ever be as quick as my friend down a mountain, but I'm quite close to him now, and while I'll never be a natural, I do enjoy descending now. So, if I can do it, you can do it too!
One last thing that helped me was I used to sing to myself in a self-deprecating way as I descended, which I found helped me to concentrate while reminding me of my limitations. You may remember the Freddie Mercury song that goes "Oh yes. I'm the great pretender"? I modified this to "Oh yes. I'm a crap descender". This got me all the way through the Raid Pyreneen, including descents of the Peyresourde, Tourmalet and the Aspin without an incident.
So, get out and practice and get yourself a song!
Had a proper giggle at "oh yes, I'm the crap descender"
I imagine I'd be terrible at descending a proper big climb, haven't really had much practice at all
Ha ha, this is spot on. I let the bike do the work. Like you say good look ahead, take the corner the best you can and then sprint to the next, repeat.Some people descend naturally and others have to learn.
A friend of mine I've often ridden with in the mountains, is in the first group, and I was firmly in the second. On our first trip to the Pyrenees, his approach was to follow the fastest descender in the group on the basis if he could do it so could he. My approach was to grip the saddle as tightly as I could with my arse and forge a very close, unhealthy relationship with my brake levers. I don't know how to describe my technique on hairpins!
My first 2 descents were down the Portet d'Aspet, with its unusually steep (for a French Col) 17% section and the Casartelli memorial (he died in a crash on the descent). That was an interesting start for somebody with so little natural descending technique. Having recovered from that, we then climbed the Col de Mente. 2 things stand out from that. Firstly, at the top we saw 2 German cycle tourists coming up from the other side, with heavily laden panniers, dressed only in Speedos! That sight is etched upon my mind! Secondly, someone said the descent is like Hairpin City. "Oh s*it" I thought.
There followed the most ridiculous descent in the history of road cycling. The more I approached each hairpin the more I gripped the brakes, and pairing that with a total inability to lean the bike, I came to a series of stops at each corner. At one time I started laughing and thought that I'd be up there all night!
Gradually, I got off the hairpin section and rode pathetically down the rest of the mountain unit l met my friend and the rest of the group. I can't remember how I explained myself. I think they thought I'd got lost somewhere!
In the end, I had to listen to others and learn what I had to do. The basic rules are stay low on the bike, hands in the drops so you can cover the brakes if needed, arse towards the back of the saddle, relax and stay loose, lean the bike beneath you (that's how you do hairpins) look well down the road to where you want to go (never look close as you'l brake and tighten up) and never, ever look where you don't want to go (eg over the side of the mountain or into a wall) because where you look is exactly where you will go.
I'll never ever be as quick as my friend down a mountain, but I'm quite close to him now, and while I'll never be a natural, I do enjoy descending now. So, if I can do it, you can do it too!
One last thing that helped me was I used to sing to myself in a self-deprecating way as I descended, which I found helped me to concentrate while reminding me of my limitations. You may remember the Freddie Mercury song that goes "Oh yes. I'm the great pretender"? I modified this to "Oh yes. I'm a crap descender". This got me all the way through the Raid Pyreneen, including descents of the Peyresourde, Tourmalet and the Aspin without an incident.
So, get out and practice and get yourself a song!
When I did the France Spain tour last year, me and my lad had some fun descents. Averaged 41.5mph on this one max of 47mph https://strava.app.link/9PVZ2wrv57
Had a huge grin on my face at the bottom
Once the 'soft furnishings' go in it's time to worry
Wow, I like that- goes right past my house so I'm definitely going to have to copy that ride!
In fact, would you mind posting the link to the ride on strava?
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<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
The best descender out of the cc lot I’ve been away with is @Breedon I think. Im still not sure if he’s naturally good at descending or if he just wants to die to be fair. Could make a very strong case for either!
It is very sketchy but I love descending it. In fact I love fast descending full stop. Reminds me a bit of when I used to race motor bikes, with the main difference being 0.5mm of lycra for protection rather than kangaroo leather and knee sliders
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
I stayed a few times near Bourg with a group from my cycling club.
One of the the group was an ex motorbike rider and he was a superb descender.
He overtook me down the Croix de Fer (on the Telegraphe side) as if I was standing still. To be fair, I probably was, but the way he leant the bike around corners had to be seen to be believed!
I remember the pros complaining that the descent of the Sarenne was unsafe when it was included on the Tour about 4 years ago!
One of the the group was an ex motorbike rider and he was a superb descender.
He overtook me down the Croix de Fer (on the Telegraphe side) as if I was standing still. To be fair, I probably was, but the way he leant the bike around corners had to be seen to be believed!
I remember the pros complaining that the descent of the Sarenne was unsafe when it was included on the Tour about 4 years ago!
