downhill tips

saif

Hi

I was out today on solo ride and was trying this circuit ..

http://www.bikeradar.com/routes/?bpath= ... iendly-9am

Those who are familiar with this , might have noticed that there is very steep down hill between the Hessiers hill road and Beedlestead lane.

A lot have been said about climbing tips on this forum. Please do you have some good tips for descent on steep hills , I found that very challenging and had to dismount as this was the first time I encountered such down hill.

But apart from that It was a very good and challenging circuit for me , and managed to complete that in 2.5 hours ..hopefully would improve on this in my next few weekend rides .. any suggestions if I could avoid this for the time being ?

willbevan

one thing that seems incredibly obvious to me now (and maybe to you) after going out one club run a guy said to me

'See paul, as soon as he goes into a desent he goes into the drops, that way he has better control over the brakes and you don't need to worry about your hands coming off the handlebars as your weight is on them pushing them into the bars'

Every since i've been going into the drops on decents im a lot more confident, hope thats some help, or if you do this already, hope someone can give you some more useful advice

Will

Monty Dog

I guess Titsey hill is a bit dauting to the uninitiated - 20% does look steep! Descending is a lot about confidence - the more you try the better you'll get. What is it about descending that bothers you? Is it loosing grip on corners, skidding or losing control? Try and keep braking to a straight line - braking in a bend means you'll likely to slide. Braking is mainly on the front wheel - 70% front, 30% rear - too much back brake and you're likely to lock the rear. Practise on hills where you can see the run-out at the bottom - ride up and progressively let yourself go higher-up each time. Descending is a skill all cyclists can master - become proficient and the rewards are exhilirating. Get yourself to the Alps or Pyrennees and try something like the Galibier or Tourmalet for real high speed fun!

oldwelshman

willbevan wrote:

one thing that seems incredibly obvious to me now (and maybe to you) after going out one club run a guy said to me

'See paul, as soon as he goes into a desent he goes into the drops, that way he has better control over the brakes and you don't need to worry about your hands coming off the handlebars as your weight is on them pushing them into the bars'

Every since i've been going into the drops on decents im a lot more confident, hope thats some help, or if you do this already, hope someone can give you some more useful advice

Will

I only ever decend on drops if I can see I can go flat out and do not need the brakes.
If I am on a technical decent I always decend on the hoods and find I have better cotrol of bike and brakes from that position.Guess its personal preferernce.

Mikey1280

Bit offtopic here saif but what are those country lanes near Biggin Hill like? I've only ever taken the main roads around there for fear of being squashed flat by a wayward car.

saif

Hi willbevan and Monty

Thanks for you suggestions , would sure that these in my next ride and yes I would certainly give it a go with a small hill but steep which is very close to where I live to practice . I guess my fear is of 'unknown' than anything else . I'm new to cycling and every riding day is a new lesson for me. This is the best forum to ask any question and you get loads of helpful advise.

Mikey the country lanes are much better than being on the main road , Initially I was doing exactly that , but once I wondered off in the county lanes , now I cant bear to be on the main roads. Its very scenic , though you do get more traffic than you would think it being country lanes , but I guess people are used to cyclist in these lanes as I always end up into many clubs and solo riders. I love those lanes but would say that be extra cautious if ever you decide to venture into them.

Climber_Andy

Do you mean the descent of Titsey Hill (you pass a church in a sweeping left hander at bottom) or the gravelly top bit of descent on Beddlestead before the steady climb?

Either way, I'm a bit of a nervy descender, especially on Beddlestead, but just remember, you don't have to go as fast as possible. Use the drops, keep the bike straight if you're going over the gravel, then just ease the bike round the corner at the bottom.

bahzob

Agree re using front brake. I was a nervous descender but got a lot better since reading the late (and very much lamented) Sheldon Brown's article here
http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

As a result use front brake for 95%+ of braking.

Other thing I have found that helps descending is developing comfort in general bike handling skills. I have conciously been practicing no hands riding (when safe natch) and bunny hopping. As a result these have improved but I have also found I am more comfortable during descents.

PostieJohn

know your descent.

I incorperate the same 17% climb and descent on most of my rides, to the point that now I could go down it, maxing out at 40mph, with my eyes closed (when news of my fatality reaches you, you'll know i've tried. )
Anyway the confidence this me is huge, I know the road, all the bumps and dips, and most noticeable when on an unknown descent it's like back to basics again.

kmahony

Keep most of your weight on the pedals.

Mountain bikers tend to have low seats, so they stand on the pedals and hover their body over the back wheel.