Coping with the conditions

mcvw

Hi,

After falls on a muddy/wet section of road in Windsor great park, and on loose/scrabbly gravel when descending Whitedown my confidence in descending and riding on almost any surface (other than smooth dry tarmac) has hit an all-time low.

For example: I was on a Sigma ride in Kent the other Sunday morning and there was a relatively steep downhill section with a left hand bend (which was wet and littered with leaves/fallen branches) and pretty much immediately I was slowing down to almost walking pace in order to calm my nerves/get round safely.

I admit I'm not the best descender by far - even in the dry I'm a bit like 'driving Miss Daisy', but until my falls I cycled all through last winter - rain/sleet/even some ice - and all on standard Giant slick tyres.

I'm certain my issue is a mental thing (and not equipment/tyres) but is there anything I can do to improve my riding techniques when encountering wet/loose surfaces as I'm at the point where I'm considering hypnosis!

Thank you,


Mike

DeVlaeminck

First off I know you say it's not an equipment thing but consider some wider tyres and make sure your brakes are working well - maybe get some decent pads like swisstop or something - of course you may already do all of this.

Then it's just a matter of getting your technique as good as possible - descend in the drops, take the right line through corners, don't comfort brake etc - all the stuff that is generally discussed.

Finally try and forget about descending quickly but try and aim for smooth - the fact is to be a really fast descender entails a degree of risk but being a smoother descender with good technique, correct line etc should reduce risk. If you are thinking of correct technique your confidence will return in time - most likely you'll never be that fast downhill because that is not your character but you can be a good descender in terms of technique which in itself will probably make you as quick as most because it'll all feel more under control.

Or you could try a week in the Alps.

mamba80

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736094#p19736094]mcvw[/url] wrote:

Hi,

After falls on a muddy/wet section of road in Windsor great park, and on loose/scrabbly gravel when descending Whitedown my confidence in descending and riding on almost any surface (other than smooth dry tarmac) has hit an all-time low.
For example: I was on a Sigma ride in Kent the other Sunday morning and there was a relatively steep downhill section with a left hand bend (which was wet and littered with leaves/fallen branches) and pretty much immediately I was slowing down to almost walking pace in order to calm my nerves/get round safely.

I admit I'm not the best descender by far - even in the dry I'm a bit like 'driving Miss Daisy', but until my falls I cycled all through last winter - rain/sleet/even some ice - and all on standard Giant slick tyres.

Yes, stop worrying about it, you fell last year in dodgy conditions, as does everyone else who corners too hard on wet muddy leaves, so you were clearly going too fast last year.

Brake, in a straight line and go slow, relax whilst your cornering, so remember to breath, most people tense up, shallow breath, so making cornering harder, breathing properly helps against this.

fwiw i can quite descend well, but in the wet and mud of autumn, i go v slow, a broken collar bone would wreck my winter training.

fudgey

Dont panic.

you panic, you tense up - the bike wont go where you want it.

start off small and build up.

look through the corner, dont fix on one object etc as you will generally head towards what you are focusing on.

also get all braking done in a straight line when the bike is upright, not go in too fast, panic and grab a handful of brake.

mcvw

Hi,

Thanks for the comments guys. I do try - almost religiously - to stick to all the guidelines (be on the drops, brake in advance to the corner, relax, breathe, wide line in to the corner/look for the exit, let the bike flow out etc)

I actually spent 10 days in the alps this summer and my descending was improving greatly (via descents of the Madeleine, Telegraph, Galibier, Mont Cenis, Croix de Fer etc) but then one afternoon I went down the back side of the Mollard and it was wet and loose and I literally froze and all the previous good work and techniques went out the window

I'm convinced my problem is a mental one (fear of crashing/injury) and I'll continue to work at it. I also think I may invest in a pair of 28mm GP4Seasons for use between now until next spring - if only to boost my confidence

Cheers,


Mike

BikeRadarAdmin

Hi Mike,

Agree with most of the comments above.

A good friend said to me once if you aren't feeling confident on a descent, it's usually for a reason. As mentioned, stay calm and relax and over time you'll keep improving. I think the key is don't make yourself uncomfortable, you'll then gradually get better. Patience!

In regards to White Down, I rarely, if ever go down it. Off camber hairpins and the fact it's too narrow at times for both a cyclist and a car mean that stopping safely in even the best conditions can be difficult. Get and extra mile in and go down Ranmore Rd towards Dorking. Really safe and quick descent which will help you work on your line and confidence etc.

AK_jnr

Im not a massive fan of a lot of the british descents but I just take my time, and go at a comfortable pace that is inside my limits. Going abroad though I love howling down.

jgsi

For me, a winter training route is essential. On the overcrowded Cheshire/Staff roads with inbreds for drivers sometimes I have to leave it until the hyperrush hour is over.. after 6 30... but the back lanes now have coatings of mud until March courtesy of the farmin boys. .. so its a loop of cleaner A roads..I dont think you can ever equate summer riding in the Alps with British character building winter weather. Northern European it's basically just sh it.. Cheshire roads are sh it.. Belgium has sh it for weather. Holland has sh it for wind, just sh it.. and yes you might just fall...

daxplusplus

Go at a speed that you can relax at .. don't worry about how fast it is. In these weather sometimes very slow is exactly the right speed. Unfortunately with a bike you have to make your choice of speed before you encounter the mud\leaves\gravel.

If you do unexpectedly hit bad conditions travelling quickly then you can't really do very much but ride it out .. relax, let the bike do whatever it wants and try not to change direction too quickly (at all)

cycleclinic

I ride every day wind wet or cold on back roads. With leaves on the road mud and gravel I do take it more easy. Nothing wrong with that.

Try vittoria page's they grip like lost nothing else on wet slimey roads. Slow down before the bend so you can take the bend without braking through it. This will be faster. Of course in the dark this is more difficult. Essentially ride at a speed you are comfortable with.

Also relax and don't hold the bars to tightly. Tonight on a suffolk decent I could see no cars were coming so I used the full width of the road. Holding bars lightly at the apex was a good thing because I found mud there and the front wheel did it own thing at speed but sorted itself out. That is not luck the bike will often sort itself out if you don't fight it.

Try mountain biking you will quickly learn to hold the bars with a light grip and when things go awry you let the bike sort it self out. Trust the bike you only come of if you go into a bend to fast and have a lot of lean (did that in september). Get the speed right on entry and the bike will not wash out from under you if you hit mud or gravel.

Wide tyres help. I am using 30 mm challange strava bianca at 60 psi and while not a grippy as the pave's you can hit gravel at speed on a bend and you stay on the bike.