Downhill Fears

Rollett

I just recently have been fighting downhill fears as well. And the only thing that works IMHO is practice, the more I go down hill the more comfortable I have become, yesterday I hit just shy of 40 mph going downhill. Other then that nagging fear in the back of my head that if I biff it I will be in a world of pain, I just look forward and go into the drops and enjoy the rush. I keep it in the back of my head no to brake hard or to over correct on steering to try to avoid something, seems to work well.

the_cyclist_of_catan

Pilot Pete wrote:

Unless you hit gravel or diesel oil or a wet patch the bike won't slip from under you....trust it.

Or a wet manhole cover. Ten bloody months off the bike that cost me, and there's now almost as much Ti in my leg as there is in my bike. Added to which another good fall on that side might see my hip explode into one of those impossible jigsaw puzzles.

Came down a 13% descent last Sunday (I've been back on the bike nearly six weeks now). At the top, I was ten yards behind my club mates. By the time I got to the bottom, they were pretty much at the top of the climb on the other side! I went down that one at little more than walking pace, and when I eventually caught up with the rest I had to explain away my tardiness by muttering something about a change of underwear.

If I could find a ride that only mixed flats and climbs, I'd be in heaven. As it is, every ascent comes with one of those rather scary descent things

RookieCyclist

Its been great hearing peoples advice on here, as well as finding relief that other cyclists have felt the same about downhills.
Well I went out for a spin last Sunday and I came across various descents on my journey. I applied all the advice I have been given on this thread and it worked. I felt in control of my bike and it gave me a boost. I placed my hands in the drops, shifted my weight and focused on where I wanted the bike to go. And I actually started to like it.
Admittedly I've yet to come across a tight bend in a descent (and no doubt I will) - but this was the practise I needed.
So thanks for all the comments on here. You are all very wise.

apreading

Not sure what happened here: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... ent-222146

or why the fact that he was wearing hi-viz was worthy of mention...

sloppyschleckonds

There are two types of cyclists in the world, those who have crashed and those who are going to crash.

apreading

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

There are two types of cyclists in the world, those who have crashed and those who are going to crash.

But if you are in the former category, you are probably still in the second category too...!

pilot_pete

St50vec wrote:

Practised some of what has been mentioned above this evening was going well until I met a milk tanker coming up the hill on single track road luckily the hedge was soft. Is it normal to have a feeling like your going to go over the bars when going down? I've shifted my weight right back

Firstly, remember 'wiggle room'. If you go hell for leather on a single track lane that you cannot see around the bends on, then what you describe is bound to happen at some point. Even if you know the road and the bends well, you need a little caution in such a situation. Save the hell for leather for the sweeping bends on open countryside with clear sight lines, no hedges etc.

To answer your second question, no it is not normal to have the feeling like you are going to go over the bars when descending. Is your position on the bike correct, i.e. your setup? If your weight distribution and position is not comfortable and confidence inspiring to start with, adding any of speed, bends and downhill is going to highlight problems further.

Also, it is assumed that your bike is in good mechanical condition and working as intended. It is also assumed that the bike itself is of a reasonable quality to start with. A badly handling cheap (or expensive) bike will never inspire confidence, whereas a good handling cheap (or expensive) bike will!

So, assuming mechanically and quality wise your bike is up to it, the next thing to look at is your position/ setup.

PP

pilot_pete

Just to add, another tip came to mind whilst descending today.

On anything other than lovely smooth Tarmac (good luck finding some of that, especially if you live in Cheshire like me!), if the surface is rough, rippled, a little loose, bumpy etc then descending completely seated can bounce you around all over the place and unbalance you.

If the hill is steep enough for you to be freewheeling, put your pedals at 3 and 9 o'clock and lift your weight off the saddle. I don't mean stand up, I mean just lift your bum an inch or so off the saddle. Use your inner thighs to hold onto the nose of the saddle, which will allow you to keep control and to steer the bike (remember your steering comes from weight shift on fast descents, not really from turning the handlebars).

This position allows you to use your legs as shock absorbers, so the bike can bounce around slightly over the rough surface underneath you, but you stay steady and in a more comfortable position. Shifting your weight back a bit whilst in this position also helps and you can really shift it back from here under braking so your bum is well behind the back of the saddle.

Enjoy

PP

dnwhite88

Speed come with practice, but always remember bikes have a habit of going where you're looking!

apreading

I have recently concluded that I was actually shifting my weight TOO far back on the bike, effectively unweighting the front wheel and leading to a nervous, twitchy feeling. Making sure I have enough weight on the front has made the bike feel a bit more confident again, as has having a bike fit which put the brake levers in a position where I can reach them on the drops better.