Descending

Mike39496

I recently got a road bike and on my first ride I crashed downhill round a corner. This has made me extremely cautious going downhill (doing 10mph downhill when hitting 20-25mph on the flat) and spent most of the descent on my brakes.

So the question is, does anyone have any tips to make me feel more confident and stable going downhill? I constantly feel like i'm about to slip out and i'm not confident enough to let my speed go up just incase I go sliding across the tarmac again.

The temptation is to get some wider tyres (mine are 23's) but I'm not sure if this will really help. I've also started going downhill on the drops which makes me feel more stable but in reality my downhill speed is pretty much the same.

Thanks.

grizedaleforest

You need to learn the right line through corners: best way to do this is to cycle with others and follow them through.This'll also help you get the right approach speed and balance. If you cycle on your own, try finding some descents you feel comfortable with and ride them regularly. Try different lines, position your body and bike differently. You'll get there eventually - just stick with it. Once you get it, your cycling will be even more fun
tony

kingrollo

Bizzarre as it may sound - go down onto the drops, finger over the brake - that improved my descending anyway.

daysofspeed

Thankfully no incident for me but I have to say I properly s h i t myself on fast decents. Fastest has been 30MPH. I feel like my wheels might go or the vibration will see me slip off the bars. Also worry about about braking and skidding!

I'm hoping I just get used to it!

rick_chasey

Press as hard as you can on the outside pedal when cornering.

Makes the bike feel like it's on rails.

Monty Dog

Sounds like the OP grabbed too much front brake and washed-out the front wheel. Keep all braking prior to the turn and in a straight line - braking mid-turn upsets the handling of the bike. Practise on roads you are familiar with, particularly without blind bends and ride it a number of times - increasing speeds. Try and practise with faster riders, in particular to learn how to use the camber of a road to your advantage.

thegreatdivide

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBtWB8TM9wg

John.T

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_factsheets/constant/descend.htm
Have a good study of this then go out and practice it.

roger_merriman

i personally love downhills, take it smooth don't take silly risks.

race tyres gives impressive grip, this said like for like wider will give you more grip.

realistic with road bikes once you've lost the front, its not going to end well, and frankly you'll loose naff all time. it's the uphills that do that. so take your time and let it come to you.

mattshrops

descending is free speed- its the only damn thing im any good at
Practice, think about a racing line thro a corner,take more care in the wet.Get your confidence back in the dry weather.

robbo2011

It's probably already been said, but become familiar with a descent which has a good road surface and you know where the corners are etc. Then get on the drops, brake before corners and not during and just keep practising. Finding a good road surface is key. In the UK the roads are so bad I was often scared getting up to 30mph whereas here in CH, 40mph+ is no problem. You need to judge the conditions and match speed accordingly.

styxd

Make sure you look where you want to go - i.e. look round corners at the exit, dont just look 10 yards infront of you. Pick your line. Lean forwards on the drops, get some weight over the front wheel.

neilo23

I used to be a fearless descender but as the reckless days of my youth slip further away I have become more cautious. At one point I became pretty scared on descents, especially after a friend fell off a high building which stuck in my mind and made my vertigo worse. Two things helped me overcome my fear:

1) Sounds daft, but I practised basic bike handling skills on the flat as if I'd just started out cycling: proper braking technique, leaning into corners, position on the bike etc. After I'd proven to myself that I had these things mastered my confidence improved.

2) Clear your mind of negative thoughts (easier said than done). I started worrying that my forks would snap or that my front tyre would blow. Eventually I just thought "f**k it. If it happens it happens. Just enjoy youself".

Alternatively you could try listening to slow classical music whilst descending. It's what cycling legend Gianni Bugno did to cure his fear and he went on to win the Giro!

neilo23

And if you or the bike feel a bit "wobbly", press your knees against the top tube with your feet parallel to the ground (in the "quarter to 3" position).

Muffintop

John.T wrote:

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_factsheets/constant/descend.htm
Have a good study of this then go out and practice it.

+1 for this. I'm still taking corners slowly but I'm coming out of them much faster and reciting to myself "Break, look, knee, lean" is much easier than going 'Shit, shitshitshitshitSHITSHIT SHHHHHHIT, AAAAARRRghh!!!!*shuts eyes*"


Mx

schweiz

I was a terrible descender and a club mate took me to one side and spent a couple of hours one evening on a local section of hairpins doing them repeatedly.

Pretty much what has already been said but:

1. Relax
2. Get on the drops
3. Scrub off speed before the bend
4. Don't brake around the bend, if you must use the back brake only
5. Look all the way round the bend. Look for the exit as that's where the bike will go
6. Inside pedal at 12 o'clock, outside pedal at 6 o'clock (even Lance Armstrong came a cropper on a roundabout a few years ago)
7. Push down hard with the outside foot (if you ski it's exactly the same)
8. Use the width of the road, you don't have to stay in the gutter

I'm still not the fastest but can hold my own and people are far happier to be cycling behind me.

schweiz

neilo23 wrote:

And if you or the bike feel a bit "wobbly", press your knees against the top tube with your feet parallel to the ground (in the "quarter to 3" position).

I disagree. Get your outside foot down and press hard!

neilo23

schweiz wrote:

neilo23 wrote:

And if you or the bike feel a bit "wobbly", press your knees against the top tube with your feet parallel to the ground (in the "quarter to 3" position).

I disagree. Get your outside foot down and press hard!

I meant on the straight bits, not cornering. This cuts out "bike wobble".

schweiz

agree!

Mike39496

Thanks for all the replies. I'll have a read through that article and let you know how my next ride goes!

Just one more thing, is it worth me getting 25's instead of 23's for more grip? It'll be like £60 for some GP 4 seasons but I want to make sure they'd actually make a difference before splashing out.

John.T

Changing from 23 to 25mm tyres will not make a big difference. The quality of tyre will make more. Any good tyre will have more grip than you think. Most skids are rider error rather than pushing the tyres too far.