45 mph on an Alpine Decent. Brakes Fail. What to do?

snailracer

Pretre wrote:

snailracer wrote:

The problem with braking on long alpine descents is the inner tube (maybe tyre?) failing from overheating on the hot rim. The brakes themselves apparently don't fail. So the likely scenario is a blowout, followed by rapid loss of control due to loss of traction. Not sure if you even have time to think/react if that happens.

Has this ever happened to anyone that anyone personally knows? I was in the Pyrenees in Aug 2009 when it was 37C & my rims did get damn hot but not that hot & I brake much to much on descents.

Overheating rims is described in scripture from the Church of Sheldon, scroll down to the Hub Brakes section:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tandem-brakes.html

If you're not heavy and not riding a tandem, it is unlikely to happen to you, although another poster does claim it happened to his mate who was not on a tandem.

Monty Dog

There are a number I can think off where you'd just continue accelerating to over 100kph! The foot between the seattube and tyre would be my choice - having experienced some 'sideways' action at 80kph - anything that you do at this speed that results in dismounting the bike is likely to result in something painful and you'll be stinging for a few days after!

jim453

What's an Alpine decent?

cougie

Pretre wrote:

snailracer wrote:

The problem with braking on long alpine descents is the inner tube (maybe tyre?) failing from overheating on the hot rim. The brakes themselves apparently don't fail. So the likely scenario is a blowout, followed by rapid loss of control due to loss of traction. Not sure if you even have time to think/react if that happens.

Has this ever happened to anyone that anyone personally knows? I was in the Pyrenees in Aug 2009 when it was 37C & my rims did get damn hot but not that hot & I brake much to much on descents.

Er yes - me as I said on page 1. It was a scorcher of a year - but it was only due to all the post tour traffic coming down the alpe that I'd had to brake that much. If it wasnt then I'd not have overheated the rims, and not burst the tube.

dodgy

jim453 wrote:

What's an Alpine decent?

It's a typo, the OP meant descent.

rolf_f

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

cakewalk

Rolf F wrote:

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

Possible a quick route to less than 10 fingers?

term1te

Rolf F wrote:

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

As I was actually descending on an Alpine road yesterday (Gruyere cycling tour) at just under 50 mph, I was thinking of this thread. My first thought was also to squeeze the front calliper, but didn't have the bottle to try it. I was also trying to figure out how you put your foot between the frame and back wheel, but wobbled too much as I unclipped and tried moving my foot towards the wheel. I'm sure necessity is the mother of invention, but discretion is also the better side of valour, so I used my brakes, and they worked just fine.

schweiz

Term1te wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

As I was actually descending on an Alpine road yesterday (Gruyere cycling tour) at just under 50 mph, I was thinking of this thread. My first thought was also to squeeze the front calliper, but didn't have the bottle to try it. I was also trying to figure out how you put your foot between the frame and back wheel, but wobbled too much as I unclipped and tried moving my foot towards the wheel. I'm sure necessity is the mother of invention, but discretion is also the better side of valour, so I used my brakes, and they worked just fine.

Complete thread hijack, but how was the Gruyere? For a number of reasons, I've not done any sportives this year but was looking at the Gruyere or the Bodensee in a couple of weeks time (for which I've missed the application date).

bompington

balthazar wrote:

Let's not make this another "speed bragging" thread. There are enough of those already, if you want to exaggerate your dramatic exploits

Fixed that for you

term1te

schweiz wrote:

Term1te wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

As I was actually descending on an Alpine road yesterday (Gruyere cycling tour) at just under 50 mph, I was thinking of this thread. My first thought was also to squeeze the front calliper, but didn't have the bottle to try it. I was also trying to figure out how you put your foot between the frame and back wheel, but wobbled too much as I unclipped and tried moving my foot towards the wheel. I'm sure necessity is the mother of invention, but discretion is also the better side of valour, so I used my brakes, and they worked just fine.

Complete thread hijack, but how was the Gruyere? For a number of reasons, I've not done any sportives this year but was looking at the Gruyere or the Bodensee in a couple of weeks time (for which I've missed the application date).

Excellent. Perfect weather, no wind, some of the dodgy roads from previous years were resurfaced. New PB at just under 4 hours, feeling very pleased with myself.

rolf_f

cakewalk wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

Possible a quick route to less than 10 fingers?

Maybe not - wasn't suggesting actually gripping the calipers either side of the tyre - rather squeezing the arms. You'd be well away (well, wellish away....) from the spinny finger loppy wheel area then. And you are making use of the leverage the cables use.

Not that I plan to test the theory mind........

schweiz

Term1te wrote:

schweiz wrote:

Term1te wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Assuming nice smooth alpine road surfaces (ie not N Yorks potholes of hell), and nothing but cables broken, I think I'd just try to manually squeeze the front caliper arms together. Obviously, this is entirely based on desk theory rather than hurtling down a mountain practice

Still, it sounds less immediately painful than stuffing heels into rims........

As I was actually descending on an Alpine road yesterday (Gruyere cycling tour) at just under 50 mph, I was thinking of this thread. My first thought was also to squeeze the front calliper, but didn't have the bottle to try it. I was also trying to figure out how you put your foot between the frame and back wheel, but wobbled too much as I unclipped and tried moving my foot towards the wheel. I'm sure necessity is the mother of invention, but discretion is also the better side of valour, so I used my brakes, and they worked just fine.

Complete thread hijack, but how was the Gruyere? For a number of reasons, I've not done any sportives this year but was looking at the Gruyere or the Bodensee in a couple of weeks time (for which I've missed the application date).

Excellent. Perfect weather, no wind, some of the dodgy roads from previous years were resurfaced. New PB at just under 4 hours, feeling very pleased with myself.

I'd best put that on the list for next year then. Do you do it every year?

Pross

I had a mate who thought it would be fun to see what happened if you cycle into the escape lane at the bottom of the Tumble (yes, on purpose!). He got away uninjured luckily but I think I would rather take the option of going into a deliberate slide if no other option was avaiable.

Splottboy

"I expect to die, Mr.Bond..."

Headhuunter

bompington wrote:

Friend of mine had his handlebars fall off descending at 45mph

That's something I fear, has anyone had bars shear off one one side? I mean they take a fair pounding and it's possible that they could suddenly go like that, certainly more likely than BOTH brakes failing at once...

markos1963

Headhuunter wrote:

bompington wrote:

Friend of mine had his handlebars fall off descending at 45mph

That's something I fear, has anyone had bars shear off one one side? I mean they take a fair pounding and it's possible that they could suddenly go like that, certainly more likely than BOTH brakes failing at once...

A guy at our club road race managed to break off his bars at the stem during the run in to the finish, about 4 others went down with him.

dennisn

In case it hasn't been mentioned yet. Stand up on the pedals, bend forward as far as possible, put your head between your legs, and kiss your *ss goodbye.

Suffolkwheels

Jump up onto the seat, balance on one foot and do an almighty truffle shuffle whilst singing THE WINNER TAKES IT ALLLLL

lae

I'd hold the frayed end of the cable between my teeth and push the outer with one hand! Heh, or maybe not.

I don't know if you'd be strong enough to operate the caliper with one hand, but I reckon if you just grabbed one of the arms or the top arm that the cable goes through and gave it a really hard yank you'd probably get some braking force out of it. Or you could balance your chest on the handlebars and operate the caliper with both hands and steer at the same time!

I don't know how well you'd be able to put your feet down - saddle height would dictate that you couldn't put any real weight on them, unless you came off the saddle and sat on the top tube perhaps. Or undid your seatpost QR and let the saddle drop.

jacob2910

take off your shoes (very very fast) and jam them in the back wheel in a emergency jam one in your front wheel too

Dmak

Unclip, take a bottle in each hand (brakes), jump off the back and shout "FORE!"

OK, road shoe on the back tyre is probably the wiser option but no where near as good.

BlackdownBuzzard

I'd try to break with my feet then I would try to turn too fast and make the bike slide underneath me. Skate on the "inside" foot before I fall over and hurt myself.

I've done this before on my mountain bike, not because the brakes failed though, just went too fast around a sharp bend. Ended up just jogging after a sliding bike (not clipped in).

P.S. Why road shoe? Most people carry a metal pump on them anyway? I'd just use that.

rake

you wont slide on tarmac the same, youd be high sided and spat out.

cycologist

mrushton wrote:

A quick solution (but expensive and poss.painful) is just turn your front wheel left or right and leave it there. Bike stops,front wheel prob.collapses and you'll leave the bike v.quickly

Pretty much my experience in the Lakes a few autumns ago - except the turning of the front wheel was involuntary , caused by a stone and wet leaves. Fortunately, the front wheel didn't collapse and a couple in a car that were following me down the hill, stopped in time before running me over and then insisted on giving me a lift back to Langdale to where I was staying.

Mike Healey

Leave brick-shaped objects behind you for several hundred yards?