Downhill Position

Flasheart
Flasheart Posts: 1,278
edited September 2009 in Road beginners
Apart from getting onto my drops and getting "aero", if I'm coasting on a winding steep descent, how should I position my body on my bike?
Should I put my weight over my back wheel or over my front? :?
The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ...Stapp’s Ironical Paradox Law
FCN3
http://img87.yfrog.com/img87/336/mycubeb.jpg
http://lonelymiddlesomethingguy.blogspot.com/

Comments

  • Watch some videos of the pro riders descending. They shift their weight backwards.
  • Mister W wrote:
    Watch some videos of the pro riders descending. They shift their weight backwards.

    could you point us in the direction on these videos please? it would be interesting to see.
  • Try sitting on the top tube while on the drops with your nose near the stem. Make sure to carry a lot of your weight in your legs though as you don't want to get caught out by unexpected bumps :wink:

    BTW, I wouldn't try this on a busy road if it's your first time. The bike can feel really quite twitchy but boy will she fly! Works great for me as I'm tall so have the seat post up pretty high which makes me very unaerodynamic!
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    Head down as far as you feel comfortable\confident - push down with your back side, - I would move gradually to this position on hills you know. When I don't know the hill I tend to be more cautious !
  • daveclow wrote:
    Mister W wrote:
    Watch some videos of the pro riders descending. They shift their weight backwards.

    could you point us in the direction on these videos please? it would be interesting to see.

    A pretty good video in regard to position.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kZSzB4k ... re=related
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    edited September 2009
    Most weight on the pedals so you can move your body weight easily. If the hill is fairly winding and you need to brake for bends then you should be low but central on the bike. Make sure you can use the brakes easily and your chin will not hit the stem if you hit a bump. Transfer weight to outside pedal on bends. On long straights you can try the more extreme positions that the pros use but the are not very comfortable or safe for us fatter and less flexible types.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Try the Flamme Rouge website for descending techniques, excellent site run by Tony Williams.
  • Flasheart
    Flasheart Posts: 1,278
    Excellent video Firecrakka & thanks for the advice all others.
    As I have only been a "roadie" cycling since the start of this year I had never watched the TDF before and this year when it was on I managed to miss 90% of it as I was in Portugal on holiday when it was on.
    On Sunday I was messing around with different positions on the descents and was hoping that I was doing it correctly. Thankfully it seems that what felt right at the time was the correct way :D
    Shame that most on the bends on descents around here are blind corners. I don't fancy becomming a "hood ornament " for a car or bus :oops:
    The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ...Stapp’s Ironical Paradox Law
    FCN3
    http://img87.yfrog.com/img87/336/mycubeb.jpg
    http://lonelymiddlesomethingguy.blogspot.com/
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    Following on - how do you take a corner at speed - I know one comes up - and you sort of lean in, raising the knee - Ive done it leaning (although I probably don't that much) both ways, which is correct ?

    As soon as I am out of the corner, I get out of the saddle, and put a bit of effort in - this seems to give a great burst of speed for minimal effort - again this is something I just do, because it feels good ...don't know if its correct.