Too slow going down hills

purpletrilady

flyaway wrote (see)

I managed over 50kph on my mountain bike yesterday. For some reason this seemed considerably faster than 46mph on a road bike!

I like KPH - makes me feel less of a wimp

There was a really nasty accident  yesterday, and it was on a downhill so it rammed home to me the importance of safety over speed. I went past just after it happened and it made feel quite sick going past. Apparently the road was shut for 4 hours afterwards and the girl has to be air lifted to London. After seeing that I'm not going to worry about my speed,  I am sure my speed to gradally go up the more i cycle.

Soup - its the steep downhills I hate, I crawl down them. On a slightly downhil or on the flat after a downhil I can zoom along.

waff - Thx, feeling a bit better today but the legs are agony!

fat buddha

mine wasn't on HBH - although that is also quick - I did mine at IMCH on the downhill section from Forch back to the lakeside but before they banned you using tribars on it (too many crashes from those who were). likewise, mine was on Lap 3 of IMCH before they changed the course - the first 2 goes told me what was possible so I just went.....span out on 53*11 and let gravity do the rest - and with me, gravity works very well!

and as Nick says, you daren't look at the bike speedo when you're doing it as one mistake and you're roadkill.......and anyway your eyeballs are usually jiggling around too much to get a good view!!

Little Ninja

Soup - you need to give yourself a bit more credit. You'll blitz RP next time you go there.  Look how much you've improved in just a few weeks.

Bouncing Barlist

I only saw my topspeed when checking the bike comp at the end.  Id have been on the brakes well before 58mph had I known.

There was a nasty accident last year FB, the decent from the top of The Beast into the small village, a car had driven across a cyclists path, there was a massive dent in the side of the car and the bike was in about 3 pieces. 

I didnt see the cyclist but the damage to the car and the bike turned my stomach.

purpletrilady

Well I am pleased to report I have finally managed to break 30 mph.

At Bala hit a max speed of 34.5mph

Thanks to Seren and Little Sister, I followed them in at the end and trying to keep up with them I finally managed to go a bit faster.

Next target 38mph

[Deleted User]

Well done PTL

Looking at my garmin now.... 33.5mph at Bala! 

IrOn Little Sister

Well done on your new record!! Hat to think what speed I was doing then!

[Deleted User]

I have just purchased a sexy new bike and thought where best to try it out ? so i decided Lynton-lymnouth and porlock ! if you wanna go fast this is the place coming back from Porlock going into lynmouth is insane & panoramic, super fun!!!! just be careful at the very end last 200yds very steep with a left hand bend if wet could be very painful..
top speed confidential as i might get into trouble lol

Tommygun2

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club

FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph
Barley 58mph 
Tommygun2 51mph 

Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  31mph
PinguPongu 30pmh, I knows cos one of the speeding signs flashed it up!
Purpletrilady 28mph
Soup Dragon 29mph

That was a few years ago but more recently 45mph just got to find a hill steep enough and long enough to get a bit faster.Shame I can't go up as fast

[Deleted User]

Now this is interesting !!!! who holds the 68mph and where was that ???
my top speed on my first ride out was 64.2mph but that was after i rode from barnstable over to lymnouth out to porlock up the burning clutch filled hill regained my lungs and then hit the decent on the other side !
i went back last weekend to beat it but the wind was to strong and it got a little hairy so backed off gracefully with all limbs attached lol

[Deleted User]

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club

FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph

Barley 58mph 
Tommygun2 51mph 
Exiled Claret 49.8mph (Garmin said 49.8, bike computer said 50!)
Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  31mph
PinguPongu 30pmh, I knows cos one of the speeding signs flashed it up!
Purpletrilady 28mph
Soup Dragon 29mph

[Deleted User]

Is anyone here doing the Dartmoor Classic ? Sunday 27th june and if so have you got any spare empty pockets i can fill with food!!!!! i just don't seem to be able to carry enough?

M...eldy

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club

FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph

Barley 58mph 
Tommygun2 51mph 
Exiled Claret 49.8mph (Garmin said 49.8, bike computer said 50!)
Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  36mph (Bala 2010) 
PinguPongu 30pmh, I knows cos one of the speeding signs flashed it up!
Purpletrilady 28mph
Soup Dragon 29mph

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M...eldy

Oooh .. thats pretty!

purpletrilady

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club

FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph

Barley 58mph 
Tommygun2 51mph 
Exiled Claret 49.8mph (Garmin said 49.8, bike computer said 50!)
Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  36mph (Bala 2010) 
PinguPongu 30pmh, I knows cos one of the speeding signs flashed it up!
Purpletrilady 34.5mph (bala 2010)
Soup Dragon 29mph

ooh - how did you do that M.eldy?

M...eldy

I closed my eyes and shouted 'wheeeeeeeeeeeeee' of course 




*in fact I think it was 36.7 but I need to check because obviously that is highly important  !!

purpletrilady

M...eldy wrote (see)

I closed my eyes and shouted 'wheeeeeeeeeeeeee' of course 




*in fact I think it was 36.7 but I need to check because obviously that is highly important  !!

If so I would definately round up and call it 37

M...eldy

I dont want to cheat so I will leave it at that and check when I get home  

Iron Pingu

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club

FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph

Barley 58mph
Tommygun2 51mph
Exiled Claret 49.8mph (Garmin said 49.8, bike computer said 50!)
Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  36mph (Bala 2010) 
Purpletrilady 34.5mph (bala 2010)
PinguPongu 32pmh, (Bala 2010)
Soup Dragon 29mph

Purpletrilady, you're beating me now!!! 

After reaching the giddy heights of 32mph, I am gob smacked at the speeds at the top of this list!!!  I was gripping on for dear life!

Maddy.

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club

FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph

Barley 58mph
Tommygun2 51mph
Exiled Claret 49.8mph (Garmin said 49.8, bike computer said 50!)
Maddy 39.4MPH + -
Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  36mph (Bala 2010) 
Purpletrilady 34.5mph (bala 2010)
PinguPongu 32pmh, (Bala 2010)
Soup Dragon 29mph

........then my eyes watered too much for me to see the display - I must get round to downloading my garmins data soon - haven't got to that bit in the manual

I love the downhills its the only time I can beat elite athletes - might be short lived but my ego is easy to please 

Its just practise and as you get to know the roads you are on you get more confident - I am going to find some bigger hill s- should be spoilt for choice around here

Soup Dragon

I'm getting worse at downhill!  Just downloaded my stats from yesterday's London to Oxford and I was going downhill on 3 descents at 9.5mph.  In my defence on the first one it was 10% with loads of pot holes, and on the second we were told to go slow by a marshall at the top who called it a "dangerous hill" and an ambulance was in the road tending to a cyclist half way down.  At that point I totally bottled it and got off and walked the bike round the next sharp corner.  What I can't understand is that I can happily go at 20mph on the flat without getting scared but the descents just make me feel totally out of control.  I suppose its just pactice?  Am I alone in being this cr@p to begin with?  I'm starting to question whether racing on a bike is the right thing for me - I'll feel a real plonker going down at the Vit at 9mph.  

Some kind words would be appreciated but am prepared for loads of chicken impersonations.  

Soup Dragon

Vitruvian Chicken! 

Gyraffe

Soupy - maybe you just need to relax a bit and then practice, practice, practice. Descending while clutching the brakes is terrifying - if you're rigid with fear and have no momentum you're not going to be in very good control anyway. The harder you brake the worse it gets. Don't worry about speed, just concentrate on building some confidence and control. An easy way to get started is to find an 'easy' hill and practice going down that until you don't need any brakes - then move on to something steeper or with some bends in and practice that until you're happy. The more hills you can conquer the more confidence you'll have on unknown routes. But don't worry - downhill speed isn't everything and confidence should come with practice.

If you want to come over to Bath I'd be happy to do a hill practice session with you sometime.

Little Ninja

Nice easy no bend hill

The Wheeeeeeeeee Club
FB 68mph
Rosey 66mph
Barley 58mph
Tommygun2 51mph
Exiled Claret 49.8mph (Garmin said 49.8, bike computer said 50!)
LN 39.8 mph
Maddy 39.4MPH + -
Trogs 38mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds  36mph (Bala 2010) 
Purpletrilady 34.5mph (bala 2010)
PinguPongu 32pmh, (Bala 2010)
Soup Dragon 29mph

purpletrilady

Soup, I vary masses depending on how steep the hill is and the state of the road. When I hit my top speed in Bala, it was a long rolling downhill on an A road - which sounds completely different to the roads you were on at the weekend.

I am gradually getting faster but I will always be a coward and slower than most.

Soup Dragon

Thanks everyone - I think I do need to relax more.  Its got to be a psychological barrier now cos I brake before I've started the descent! Getting used to gentle hills and working "up" sounds a good idea.

<makes clucking noises>

Iron Rose

Where you based SD ?

Soup Dragon

I'm in West London Iron Rose. 

flyaway

Not terribly close to Rosey then Soup Dragon, but you're not that far from me - Hampshire. I'd be happy to spend some time with you on some hills. I think it really is just about some self confidence and realising you can be safe and happy whilst descending - once you get it you'll never look back.

My max speeds are just under 50mph on the road and 51kph on single track which was absolutely terrifying. What was more terrifying was watching The Major shoot off ahead of me. I wasn't sure which would have been worse - me coming off, or watching him come off at that speed! Still, we're both live for lunacy another day....

Iron Rose

I am in Londonium all next week but it might be too far for you, flyaway's offer sounds good