taking a drink on long quick descents

nunowoolmez

I am just wondering what are good techniques to develop ability to drink while on long quick descents?

I am happy descending at speed on Alpine roads but haven't yet developed the skill of taking a drink from a bottle while doing this. Usually this wouldn't bother me as I would wait for an opportunity on a less steep bit or a bit of flat. However, I am doing La Marmotte this year & am well aware of the long stretch from the base of Galibier/Lautaret down to the Alpe, I will certainly need to take a drink on this bit, otherwise I will get dehydrated. I don't ecpect to be like Sammy Sanchez or Cancellara, but it would be cool to be able to do it! The descents on my hill circuits in North London don't really lend themselves to practice!

Any hints & tips much appreciated :-)

DeVlaeminck

I'm not saying don't practice it but the vast majority of the Lauteret isn't that steep and some of it actually uphill so I wouldn't worry too much about it in the context of the Marmotte.

Wobblehead

With the amount of cars and trucks going down, I'd be keeping both hands on the bars..

BrandonA

How long do you expect to be descending for? Can't you hydrate on the way up? I'd have thought that getting down would require little effort as you'd be rolling most of the time and therefore the need to drink would be less. I think you're looking for problems where you don't yet know they exist.

You could always drink when the decline is shallowest or even stop at the side of the road. If you were that bothered your could even wear a hydration pack which would remove the need to remove your hands from the bars.

twotyred

Like a previous poster said a lot of it isn't that steep- especially after the top of the Galibier so there's plenty of opportunity to slow down a bit to drink. Also you are likely to have a windproof on from the top of the Galibier and, unless you're good at no-handed riding, you'll probably need to stop somewthere to take it off which for me was the top of the Lauteret which will again give you an opportunity to stuff some food in your mouth and get a good long drink down.

nunowoolmez

Thanks for most of the useful replies. I understand that from the Lauteret it is about an hour to the Alpe, alot of it descending at speed, that is the only bit of the Marmotte route I haven't ridden, so am well aware of the rest. A hydration pack? Is that a serious comment. I'll take it with a pinch of salt along with the rest of your helpful post Brandon.

Thanks to DeVleaminck who has found the context of my question.

But clearly it is important to take fluids on board in that long stretch before the final climb. I am clearer about it now, but taking a drink doing 40+ mph would be handy to learn :-)

Lookyhere

learn to take out and put back in a bottle without looking down - tbh though drink on parts of the descent that arnt hi speed and drink on the way up too.
At 40mph + I would probably have both hands on the bars but as I said, not all of that descent is at that speed

briantrumpet

I drink going up long climbs, keep my hands on the bars going down quick ones (there are few properly non-stop quick Alpine descents that are going to be much over 30 minutes or so). Then I'll probably fill up a bottle or two down the bottom, and start the whole process over again.

nunowoolmez

Lookyhere wrote:

learn to take out and put back a bottle without looking down - tbh though drink on parts of the descent that arnt hi speed and drink on the way up too.
At 40mph + I would probably have both hands on the bars but as I said, not all of that descent is at that speed

Thanks, but I learnt to do this some years ago. I am not a beginner! It's ssorted i've not done La Marmotte before & wrongly or rightly i had in my mind the descent down from Lauteret to the Alpe as long & quick & therefore thought i might need to skill up on drinking at speed to hydrate. Now it appears that the descent has some slower bits I can easily take a drink on.

Sorted.

olake92

If you need to drink on a descent, I would suggest keeping your front break covered, using the hand that usually covers the rear brake to hold the bottle. This is because heavy braking on the rear wheel encourages it to lock up, which doesn't happen as much (if at all) with the front wheel. This means that, should you suddenly need to brake sharply, you won't lock up the wheel.

pianoman

Get a Specialized Shiv with its fuel bladder..........problem solved

davidof

nunowoolmez wrote:

Thanks for most of the useful replies. I understand that from the Lauteret it is about an hour to the Alpe, alot of it descending at speed

As the poster above said lots of flatter sections. The col du Lauteret is a good bet to grab a drink. The road from there is wide and not too steep towards Villar d'Arene, after la Grave it is pretty flat then a climb before the damn followed by more climbing afte the les 2 alpes turn off and a flat 6-7km before the AdH turn. I can see 6 or 7 spots to drink and eat even for a timid rider following a group. The ride down from the Galibier also offers a chance where the road joins at the tunnel.