Descending Tips

[m@]

Can't say I'v ever had speed wobbles. Is it the conditions/speed/bike? Or combination of all?

This, plus the rider.

[Walsh95]

Can't say I'v ever had speed wobbles. Is it the conditions/speed/bike? Or combination of all?

This, plus the rider.

+1
A lot of its down to confidence in yourself to go as fast as you can down whatever comes your way but also to know your limits

[KL.]

Here is the info..

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2011/03/s ... -its-head/

and the video is half way down.

I can do what he does in the video...get it to wobble...and then grab the top tube just behind the stem...and it will still continue to wobble. But if I lean forward and take weight off the seat and put it onto my hands on the top tube (which in turn puts weight onto the front wheel) the wobble stops straight away.

Sam

Hi Strange Rover, that link has excellent advice and point 3 is the likely offender ... slightly raise your bum up from the seat and be in a strong tuck position with your arms very bent (even easier if your hands are on the drops). For even more control while in the tuck position, and with your shoes/pedals in a horizontal position, grip the seat with your inner thighs. You should feel better braking modulation and braking control, with this approach. You may also find that to get into a really strong tuck position that your pelvis will move slightly rearward and feel like it is positioned behind the seat a little

BTW, this is how you corner at speed ... your face needs to be close to the top tube and head stem but your pedal is usually down on the outside of turn, which helps pull your body down into a low tuck position on the bike (It feels like you are in a really low position on the bike but in reality you are simply in a really low, strong, semi rigid tuck position). It all happens quite quickly (unless it is a sweeping corner) and it quite alot of fun. I always like to control the lean angle by putting pressure (with my hand) on the same side of the bars that my leg is extended (outside of turn/corner) and relax the hand pressure on the opposite side of the bars (inside of turn/corner). I sometimes also extend my knee to the inside of the turn/corner (like you would do on a motorcycle) just to keep the bike in a little more upright position

OP, glad you were not hurt in any way, shape, or form

[singlespeedscott]

My descending tip. Get down low and go, go, go. That second video is a prime example of why you need to descend in the drops. Not the hoods.

Another point, which is a pet whinge of mine. Modern cyclist ride frames that are to small. It's all well and good to have this light, twitchy thing with the slammed stem for flat roads and criteriums but when you hit some real descents with some real speed, ie 70 km plus, you will appreciate the stability of a larger frame and the ease of being able to comfortably ride in the drops. That's what drops are for. Going fast and aero with control.

[KL.]

Sorry forgot this point which is just as important ... always look ahead and always look in the direction that you want the bike to travel. Looking ahead also helps slow everything down ...

Seems simple but when you start to panic you need to have a basic approach that keeps you calm

[just4tehhalibut]

Looking ahead is something you learn from riding an MTB on the trails, also falling and moving your weight about to control the bike.
Another tip is not to try to brake over rough surfaces, when the tyres are making poor contact with the road then you're just going to have to wait before you squeeze the levers. And pulsing the brakes is more effective than keeping them locked on.

I had a bad descent down Torrens Hill Rd in Adelaide once, was doing 70kmh+ when I found that I had a sharp righthand bend up ahead, a drop off behind that and an intersection with Gorge Rd too soon after. Had real trouble getting rid of speed as I kept hitting rough patches of bitumen, eventually had to push the bike right over to the left coming to the corner, swing my body over to the right and lean the bike over to the left while pushing my weight down through the cranks, managed to just make that righthand turn. Two days later while riding up Greenhill Rd the seat tube and half the bottom bracket shell came apart. The bike wasn't as important as surviving; do what you have to, you can always upgrade frames. Or brake blocks, rims, shoes, gloves ...