Increasing downhill speed

Dirk1978

Now I am sure the answer is going to be pedal faster and be more aero. However is there any training I can do to increase my downhill speed. I have taken part in some triathlons this year and on the bike leg my climbing is great, I am able to keep up a good speed and overtake people; however coming down climbs is a different matter, even if I feel like I am going full pelt people seem to fly past me. I was even overtaken by a guy on a hybrid last night :oops:

Any tips would be great.

Herbsman

Dirk1978 wrote:

Now I am sure the answer is going to be pedal faster and be more aero.

Well then.

Otherwise, make sure your wheel bearings are correctly adjusted.

jgsi

Herbsman wrote:

Dirk1978 wrote:

Now I am sure the answer is going to be pedal faster and be more aero.

Well then.

Otherwise, make sure your wheel bearings are correctly adjusted.

Hitting nail on the head in a roundabout way .... make sure your bike is 'sweet'... when was the last time you gave it a good clean and maintenance and tyres in good nick? My bikes roll very well downwards.. if I am in a group then I am covering the brakes quite a bit as others can seem a tad slower.. ok this is on non technical descents... when descents get to be quick and technical then my self preservation chip comes into play.
If you wanna play hard downwards then a 53/11 combo is your friend... on 50/12 compact setup you is twiddlin.

oldwelshman

JGSI wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

Dirk1978 wrote:

Now I am sure the answer is going to be pedal faster and be more aero.

Well then.

Otherwise, make sure your wheel bearings are correctly adjusted.

Hitting nail on the head in a roundabout way .... make sure your bike is 'sweet'... when was the last time you gave it a good clean and maintenance and tyres in good nick? My bikes roll very well downwards.. if I am in a group then I am covering the brakes quite a bit as others can seem a tad slower.. ok this is on non technical descents... when descents get to be quick and technical then my self preservation chip comes into play.
If you wanna play hard downwards then a 53/11 combo is your friend... on 50/12 compact setup you is twiddlin.

dont need 53/11, I have never been dropped on a downhill and I use 50 x 12, you will go faster in aero tuck than you ever will pedalling a 53 x 11. To the OP, use your breaks less or more effectively ie take speed on vefore corners so you carry speed out of corners.

ShutUpLegs

^
Any useful stats to back up those descending speeds using a compact :?:

jibberjim

ShutUpLegs wrote:

^
Any useful stats to back up those descending speeds using a compact :?:

http://app.strava.com/rides/221780#z7813|7882

73+kph with a compact, not getting dropped - indeed still doing regular 600+ watt efforts as we tried to keep a gap.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Dirk1978 wrote:

Now I am sure the answer is going to be pedal faster and be more aero. However is there any training I can do to increase my downhill speed. I have taken part in some triathlons this year and on the bike leg my climbing is great, I am able to keep up a good speed and overtake people; however coming down climbs is a different matter, even if I feel like I am going full pelt people seem to fly past me. I was even overtaken by a guy on a hybrid last night :oops:

Any tips would be great.

Apart from what's been mentioned, downhill skills are something to work on.

Aside from that, are you really losing all that much time overall (compared to the time spent on the flat and climbing)? Perhaps patience is in order. Heavier people will tend to ride faster downhill but they'll lose 5 times that time gain going the other way.

thiscocks

How much do you weigh? If you are a light climber then you will always get beaten by heavier riders downhill. It's only fair!

sancho_panza

88kph with 50/12 on wednesday. Tuck and go, on drops, elbows in. Slingshot drafting with another rider if possible. I weigh 64kg - aero wheels and quite an aero bike.

Miss Pootle

Maybe Soni could give us a few tips on increasing downhill speed - eat more takeaways!

ShutUpLegs

jibberjim wrote:

ShutUpLegs wrote:

^
Any useful stats to back up those descending speeds using a compact :?:

http://app.strava.com/rides/221780#z7813|7882

73+kph with a compact, not getting dropped - indeed still doing regular 600+ watt efforts as we tried to keep a gap.

Lollin at that cadence

kamil1891

Yesterday I went on my bike with broken front mech for fun ride... so I was only able to use 34t small ring. However, I've topped 86.5 km/h, without a single pedal stroke, on a descent in an aero tuck.. kind of that but I was seating closer to the top tube:

dw300

kamil1891 wrote:

Yesterday I went on my bike with broken front mech for fun ride... so I was only able to use 34t small ring. However, I've topped 86.5 km/h, without a single pedal stroke, on a descent in an aero tuck.. kind of that but I was seating closer to the top tube:

If you crash in that position you'll need more than a tyre lever to extract your saddle!

oldwelshman

ShutUpLegs wrote:

^
Any useful stats to back up those descending speeds using a compact :?:

It is nothiong to do with whether your using a compact or any other combination, you will go much faster in aero tuck.

rick_chasey

Rein it in a bit on the climb up.

Maybe you're just too spent by the time the road points downwards.

GeorgeShaw

"If you are a light climber then you will always get beaten by heavier riders downhill."

I'm light, but rarely beaten by heavier riders. An aero position, good bearings, and being able to take the speed through corners are much more important.