descending - mmm, my favourite!!
natureboy
Posts: 155
Does anyone else find descending to be the best part of riding?
I love the speed and risk - just taking it that little bit further .........
I particularly love overtaking cars, especially going down the snake pass, winnats pass, holme moss, or when dropping down into hebden bridge from keigthly.
Its crazy, I know, but I can't help it
Am I alone?
I love the speed and risk - just taking it that little bit further .........
I particularly love overtaking cars, especially going down the snake pass, winnats pass, holme moss, or when dropping down into hebden bridge from keigthly.
Its crazy, I know, but I can't help it
Am I alone?
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Its also the best recovery part after the climb
Yeah that one into Hebden Bridge from Keighley really is awesome, did it for the first time last month.
Manchester Wheelers
I get a high from the physical exhaustion that comes towards the end of a hard ride through beautiful countryside I've not been to before -around hawes and settle in particular.
I feel at one with nature and this is what I call spiritual. Awesome! If I died whilst riding I'd be happy. Its better than dying in a sh*t nursing home. Like simpson said "put me back on my bike"
For some reason i decided to go to the extreme left of the road. (I usually take the decent in the middle of the road at full speed :twisted: ). I then checked my speed, rounded a bend, and guess what...there was a car there which i would have hit if i was any further out in the middle of the road.
Lesson of the day kids...don't be stupid 8)
You can take risks, and I mean big risks, but you have to do it progressively over the space of a few years.
When you get to this stage you can take risks consistently and use your judgement to pick your opportunities wisely.
Overtaking cars on blind corners on quiet roads can be done because there is a very slim chance of meeting oncoming traffic - its something like 90% chance of success
I am stupid, but I'm exceptionally good at it
There's a descent into Hawes that's pretty much straight and very steep at the top - just like a rollercoaster. Get a front flat going down that n you're in trouble!
P.S. Your boxer dog looks amazing!
They're fantastic. Like mini bears and very lovable. I still miss my boxer after he died 2 years ago
Although today all my descents seemed to be into the wind (along with the climbs and flat bits - I just couldn't win)
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Aah, that will be Fleet Moss then, I've recently hit 60 going down that beauty! Can't be many better roads in the country for reaching silly speeds on a bike. Btw, have you been up it? Park Rash seems to be generally regarded as the hardest climb in the Dales, but having been back up Fleet Moss the same day I went down it, I'm not so sure...
I have been up it once, and from there is another amazing, more twisty descent down t'other side. The whole area is truly amazing.
Climbing north from hawes there's a pass with the road running parralel to a deep valley on the right after you reach the top. When I was there it was raining heavily and the stream running down the other side of the valley dissappeared into the hill, then re-appeared further down!!!!!!
To those who say "its grim up north" I say f**k off n stay down south!
I thought it was grim down south, so I f**ked off up north! And now every time I go out on the bike/running I feel so fortunate to have such awesome countryside on my doorstep. Sounds like we have the same stomping ground; the road to the north of Hawes you describe must be the Buttertubs pass, and it is indeed a belter (wouldn't fancy negotiating the 90 degree bends straight after 1-in-5 descents in the wet though - that must've been interesting!). I'm not too familiar with the roads north of Hawes and the Swaledale/Arkengarthdale area, so it's my task for the summer to become so
Around hawes area must be the best in england - I think the lake district has less circular routes, so isn't as good in that respect.
I lived in plymouth for a year, and while beautiful around dartmoor, hawes and the peak district etc up north is far bigger.
Then again the ex pro Fondriest rates the descent of the Sustenpass in Switzerland as the fastest.
You could get a hell of a pace going down Winnats into Castleton,but my mind bottles it,due to it being SO steep :oops:
I got overtaken by 2 harley davidson riders near the top of winnats, but managed to retake them near the bottom! They didn't catch me until I reached the Spar shop a mile down the road.
Manchester Wheelers
Vermooten, you are bonkers. Fleet Moss from Hawes is awful, give me PR anyday!
I had the pleasure of driving up and down the Sustenpass a couple of years ago and was amazed at the speed some riders were getting on the way down when we stopped to take pictures. Now I've emiograted to Australia, I'll have to find some challenging hills here - they do have an Alps here after all........
Thanks,his name is Max.
He belonged to my parents but I used to take him for long walks and he stayed with me when they went on their hols.He died about 10 years ago.
Great dogs.
That figures since the ascent of Sustenpass was certainly the slowest I've ever done (at least in terms of time spent going up a hill). Down the other side wasn't particularly quick though as it was sleating.
My land speed record was 53mph going down Ilkley Moor from the Cow and Calf about 8 years ago. I've been searching for a faster hill ever since.
I frequently get 55 going down holme moss to the woodhead pass, but its dangerous because its very windy and the fastest bit is on a BIG cambered bend. On the cambered bend you know you're going fast enough because you can feel the force of gravity more than usual - you and your bike feel heavier!
That's my local hill! I doff my cap to you for getting 53 down there, I've done exactly 51 loads of times but never any faster. Going round the slight kink at the bottom of the really steep bit never gets less scary either.
Seriously, if you want a faster hill get to Fleet Moss - very steep, fairly smooth, straight and you can see the road for over a mile ahead from the top - unless there's a strong northerly wind 50 is a piece of cake; a southerly wind means the national speed limit's in danger!