Descending tips

phreak

Are there any tips for descending better? I'm not very big and whilst that's an advantage on the hills I can easily lose all of those gains going down the other side. I would think heavier riders have an advantage but are there any other tips for descending better?

redddraggon

Confidence - don't drag your brakes - brake hard for the corner only.

Take a good line - I don't know how to explain that any better ( I just picked up lines from years of playing driving video games).

Get low once you hit 40mph and it's still steep.

dombo6

This is quite useful:

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... escend.htm

teagar

Press the outside pedal hard when you go around a corner. Did wonders for me.


I've never known how to deal with longer corners when decending though? I've been told that breaking whilst cornering is a surefire way to fall off, but so is going way too fast... End up scrubbing which isn't fast to be honest.

And how d'ya know you've reached the grip limit without sliding/falling? Or don't you...

Mister W

Leave your brain in a jar at the top.

Feltup

http://www.videojug.com/film/cyclefilms ... descending very useful video!

The Mechanic

Don't touch brakes whilst cornering. Don't make any sudden changes of direction. Keep inside pedal up. Sitting up will scrub off speed, Don't open eyes whatever you do. :x

iain_j

I used to fret about not being able to descend fast but it doesn't bother me anymore. I was in a sportive once, on a road with a long succession of ups and downs - I'd pass people on the climbs, then they'd pass me on the descent, then I'd catch them again on the next hill and so on - we yo-yo'd past each other for miles

I'd rather take a minute longer to get down a hill with my nerves intact than go faster than I can handle confidently and crash. Of course it's different if you race (I don't).

Monty Dog

Keep all your braking before the corners and in a straight line - braking and turning is a recipe for disaster. Use the camber of the road to your advantage - try and use the inside of the camber to your advantage at the apex of your bend - most people run wide, hit the apex on the negative camber and loose traction - you can 'rail' around the inside - I've seen experienced cyclists get this wrong including one 'expert' who writes bike reviews extensively on the web and for magazines. As soon as you exit the bend give it maximum power - get to the front of the bunch and set up 'your' line for the next bend. Practise lots and relax your grip on the bars - understand the effects of moving your weight back and forth and the effect it has on handling - get to know what marginal grip feels like without loosing skin!

nickwill

Relax!! If you are tense you will unbalance the bike and be a knackered nervous wreck by the time you get to the bottom.
Look at where you want to exit a corner, not at hazards. If you look at the hazard, you will head straight for it. Don't steer round the corner, lean your bike over instead.
Brake before the corner and power out of it.
Enter and leave the corner on a wide line and aim to clip the apex of the bend.
Above all relax!!!

keef66

Monty Dog; good point about the camber. I made exactly that mistake once on the London to Brighton and found myself on the outside of the bend with the camber trying to acquaint me closely with the trees. Far too fast into the corner, wet leaves at the sides of the road, daren't steer or brake, just had to lean and pray. Fortunately Allah got me round.