Yep Knee out pressure on outside foot, inside handlebar...literally as all articles quote. The major factors are trust in your abilities and equipment... slowing for bends is logical, slowing on a straight section with only the sun shining and birds singing is a waste of speed (unless ur behind FB on a MB -who's a decending god btw)
You can read about technique but it takes a bit of guts and a lot of perseverence to get it. Good luck people!
Having one of the same as bassys "old Kuotas" that may explain why I 5hit myself downhill. But nevertheless, 43mph is my best. And then it runs out of revs.
FWIW, the big descent down into Weymouth via Preston past the white horse garage is the cracker. I hope my wheels never give up there! But deffo no bottle to do it on the tri bars!
"My Garmin said over 100mph yesterday can that count"
wearing it whilst driving doesn't count....
bassy's comment about a "tank slapper" is an important one to take on board. this is when the bike starts to wobble around at speed and the handling feels awful - known as a tank slapper from motorbikers who can suffer the same and their legs slap the fuel tank during the rapid wobbling. once you've experienced one you really don't want to experience it again - last time for me was at the Vitruvian on the fast descent on the middle Ripple - speed, deep rims and a sidewind were the cause and it had my fundus puckering for a while!
Slow isn't always good! One of our group had a slow speed crash the other day with a very bad result - taken to hozzie for an emergency op on a dislocated elbow and compound fracture! He had a 2nd op yesterday. Perhaps it wouldn't have happened if he'd been travelling faster.
humph .... I need to get myself off the bottom of the wheeeeeeeee parade. UIW you are right (as always!). If I'm going to fall off at 25mph I'll hurt myself just as much as 30mph. Not sure about 68mph though, so I think I'll leave that for now! I'm off to Richmond Park tomorrow evening with the aim of beating Purple. So you'd better watch out tri lady as I'm throwing the gauntlet down for last place.
Soup - my aim is for 30 this weekend.....but I don't hold out much hope! I'm sure it wont be long before I am bottom, however I am very competetive......mmmmm need to find some more beginners to put on list
Ooooo a real contest then! I was aiming for 28mph to even up the bottom end but it seems Il'l have to close my eyes a bit longer if I'm to get to 30. Or I like your idea of recuriting some slower beginners to pull us out of the bottom end - thats much less scarey.
I used to be rubbish - mainly because I didn't trust myself to control the bike and was afraid the tyres would explode and I'd be thrown under a passing tanker or whatever.
FB said - leave brain at top of hill. Don't over think it.
Crash Hamster said - find a hill and descend as quick as you can. Repeat. When you've conquered that hill find a steeper / longer hill and do it again.
Someone else said - relax. If you're tense (and using the brakes when you don't need to) you won't be balanced and are much more likely to crash.
These days, if the road is dry and clear and there's a good steep descent I just relax my body, get down on the drops, repeat to myself "FB's a plank" and go for it.
42 mph
But still actually very scared - that doesn't go away, you just sort of ignore it until it's too late then just hope for the best.
I forgot to set my garmin yesterday but I felt slower on my new bike anyway. It still feels like its running away with me. But getting to used to one hill before moving on to a steeper one sounds like a good idea. And I'm aware of being tense so I'll try and relax more. Thanks. I won't be cycling this weekend cos of Brighton marafun so Purple you have a head start..........
It's all about taking your brain out isn't it. You can improve but unless you are naturally mental you are never going to enjoy it once the speed gets much above 40mph.
As for MTBing - I reckon it's the same thing - if you enjoy downhilling on a MTB then you probably have the right mindset for descending on a road bike - not sure MTBing really improves your descending with road biking more that if you like bombing down some mud track on a MTB then you probably have that lack of fear you need to go downhill fast on tarmac too.
On the road, my max is 44.3mph. Off road, I am slightly more of a wimp, and I think the fastest so far is 38kph (which is only about 23mph I think?) but it's much harder to pick up speed downhill on a MTB as you don't tend to get the lovely long descents where you can see for miles in front of you, nor do you get as aero as on a road bike. The Major leaves me for dust going downhill though, so I know I have room for improvement!
In the interests of fairness though, I think we should express max speed as a function of weight, as I maintain FB has a significant advantage over me when it comes to gravity!!
Had a fab days training ! Did 80 miles on the bike and felt brill, legs were good and no punctures. Using the counting trick and definately fely I was going much faster down the hills. lots of steep hills and windy lanes so still not broken 28mph.
I am really pleased that I finally seem to have made progress
Hope everyone else had a good day...weather is fab here
Well done Purple - thats sounds like a brill ride.
Marathon was hard and I got my slowest embarrasing time ever at over 6 hours. I fell apart at mile 18 and had to walk to mile 25 when I managed to get running again. It was so hot. I'm ready for a beer now.
I really don't know how some of you lot manage such high speeds!!!!, I went out today and on a nice slight downhill, with the wind behind me, I was pretty much pedalling my arse off, and I STILL only managed 34mph!!
Must be a gearing thing, my Allez Elite has 50-12 as the highest gear.
Soupy - sounds like a hard day at the office - but it was very hot. Hope the recovery is going well.
PTL - yay, fab stuff. You are really flying now.
Danowat - maybe the hill wasn't steep enough. My best speeds have been when I've got my nose on the handlebars, elbows tucked in tight, eyes closed, thighs clenched.... sorry what were we talking about?
K9 35mph Saffers 34.5mph Melds 31mph Purpletrilady 28mph Soup Dragon 25mph PinguPongu 30pmh, I knows cos one of the speeding signs flashed it up!
I would add myself but its a bit silly as I think I am ok decending and thats not the point of the thread
I used to chase 50mph as a target, then someone directed me to a thread showing pictures of people that had come off at speed. It kinda changed my priorities
That said I have clocked 63mph guessing it was the same day and hill as FB.
They had speed restictions on the same stretch last year, not on the hill before though and I saw the gastly hole a cyclint made in the side of a car which had apparently pulled across their path.
Comments
Yep Knee out pressure on outside foot, inside handlebar...literally as all articles quote. The major factors are trust in your abilities and equipment... slowing for bends is logical, slowing on a straight section with only the sun shining and birds singing is a waste of speed (unless ur behind FB on a MB -who's a decending god btw)
You can read about technique but it takes a bit of guts and a lot of perseverence to get it. Good luck people!
I've added FB as the target to aim for!
The Wheeeeeeeeee Club
FB 68mph
K9 35mph
Saffers 34.5mph
Melds 31mph
Purpletrilady 28mph
Soup Dragon 25mph
PinguPongu 30pmh, I knows cos one of the speeding signs flashed it up!
I would add myself but its a bit silly as I think I am ok decending and thats not the point of the thread
Having one of the same as bassys "old Kuotas" that may explain why I 5hit myself downhill. But nevertheless, 43mph is my best. And then it runs out of revs.
FWIW, the big descent down into Weymouth via Preston past the white horse garage is the cracker. I hope my wheels never give up there! But deffo no bottle to do it on the tri bars!
68mph FFS what was Lance pedalling !!
Note to self don't put disc brakes on road bike.....already have suffered gravel rash, messed up face and near broken shoulder....
My Garmin said over 100mph yesterday can that count
wearing it whilst driving doesn't count....
bassy's comment about a "tank slapper" is an important one to take on board. this is when the bike starts to wobble around at speed and the handling feels awful - known as a tank slapper from motorbikers who can suffer the same and their legs slap the fuel tank during the rapid wobbling. once you've experienced one you really don't want to experience it again - last time for me was at the Vitruvian on the fast descent on the middle Ripple - speed, deep rims and a sidewind were the cause and it had my fundus puckering for a while!
Soupy if u took up MTB you could wear body armour, won't stop you coming off but you'll bounc better.
Soup - my aim is for 30 this weekend.....but I don't hold out much hope! I'm sure it wont be long before I am bottom, however I am very competetive......mmmmm need to find some more beginners to put on list
Ooooo a real contest then! I was aiming for 28mph to even up the bottom end but it seems Il'l have to close my eyes a bit longer if I'm to get to 30. Or I like your idea of recuriting some slower beginners to pull us out of the bottom end - thats much less scarey.
I was gonna get something similar to this fitted on TEN-B
I used to be rubbish - mainly because I didn't trust myself to control the bike and was afraid the tyres would explode and I'd be thrown under a passing tanker or whatever.
FB said - leave brain at top of hill. Don't over think it.
Crash Hamster said - find a hill and descend as quick as you can. Repeat. When you've conquered that hill find a steeper / longer hill and do it again.
Someone else said - relax. If you're tense (and using the brakes when you don't need to) you won't be balanced and are much more likely to crash.
These days, if the road is dry and clear and there's a good steep descent I just relax my body, get down on the drops, repeat to myself "FB's a plank" and go for it.
42 mph
But still actually very scared - that doesn't go away, you just sort of ignore it until it's too late then just hope for the best.
Ahhh at last the special words to utter!! They are not as it would seem 'wheeeeeeeeeeee' that makes you go faster but
'FB's a plank'
I think even I can get 40mph out of that one
Lots of hills planned for this weekend ..... watch this space.
It's all about taking your brain out isn't it. You can improve but unless you are naturally mental you are never going to enjoy it once the speed gets much above 40mph.
As for MTBing - I reckon it's the same thing - if you enjoy downhilling on a MTB then you probably have the right mindset for descending on a road bike - not sure MTBing really improves your descending with road biking more that if you like bombing down some mud track on a MTB then you probably have that lack of fear you need to go downhill fast on tarmac too.
On the road, my max is 44.3mph. Off road, I am slightly more of a wimp, and I think the fastest so far is 38kph (which is only about 23mph I think?) but it's much harder to pick up speed downhill on a MTB as you don't tend to get the lovely long descents where you can see for miles in front of you, nor do you get as aero as on a road bike. The Major leaves me for dust going downhill though, so I know I have room for improvement!
In the interests of fairness though, I think we should express max speed as a function of weight, as I maintain FB has a significant advantage over me when it comes to gravity!!
Had a fab days training ! Did 80 miles on the bike and felt brill, legs were good and no punctures. Using the counting trick and definately fely I was going much faster down the hills. lots of steep hills and windy lanes so still not broken 28mph.
I am really pleased that I finally seem to have made progress
Hope everyone else had a good day...weather is fab here
Soup - hope marathon went well
Well done Purple - thats sounds like a brill ride.
Marathon was hard and I got my slowest embarrasing time ever at over 6 hours. I fell apart at mile 18 and had to walk to mile 25 when I managed to get running again. It was so hot. I'm ready for a beer now.
I really don't know how some of you lot manage such high speeds!!!!, I went out today and on a nice slight downhill, with the wind behind me, I was pretty much pedalling my arse off, and I STILL only managed 34mph!!
Must be a gearing thing, my Allez Elite has 50-12 as the highest gear.
Soupy - sounds like a hard day at the office - but it was very hot. Hope the recovery is going well.
PTL - yay, fab stuff. You are really flying now.
Danowat - maybe the hill wasn't steep enough. My best speeds have been when I've got my nose on the handlebars, elbows tucked in tight, eyes closed, thighs clenched.... sorry what were we talking about?
That said I have clocked 63mph guessing it was the same day and hill as FB.
They had speed restictions on the same stretch last year, not on the hill before though and I saw the gastly hole a cyclint made in the side of a car which had apparently pulled across their path.
Be safe.
Luckily no one saw me overtaking a caravan on the wrong side of the road over solid white line at 40+ mph at Bala last year
Norty Barley.
Speaking of descents, here's the map for Regensburg 2010.