down hill scardy pants

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I knew you would answer, Oak.
Since I have to go down a hill (that curves to the right) every time I leave my house, I know where every curve and pothole is. And every day I say "this time I am going to do it." Get in the drops and go. Instead, I start drifting to the left, squeeze the brakes, and go down the hill at about 15 or less. I just freeze up and freak out. Like I said, I've given up. Maybe I need a sports shrink??

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Yo both make me feel better. I'm out here visiting in Virginia and ACK!!! The roads curve!!! ... oh, and I'm talking about driving ;P My brother says I drive like a novice 16-year-old afraid of wrecking Mom's car, which is precisely true since I'm in a rental (and we were going up a dirt road in the mountains). (He wasn't faulting me for it... simply observing after I brought up that having been without a car for two years....)
Im similar on the bike, which may be why I rode so much more when I moved to the plains. When I did TOMRV, with so many hills and curves, I had 'em put my name as "ICORNERSLOWLY" so people gave me room (and advice as if I were a novice, which I didn't mind either since it generally applied).
Gonna go check out hte motorcycle page...

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Yeah, and I just don't get the "line" thing. How do you know what your "line" is? Is there some magical secret?
I can get up to 30+ or so if it's straight, but if I have to turn, forget it. I still feel like I have no control of the bike and I will find myself not where I want to be. Yes, I look ahead, lean in the direction of the turn, put the leg down, etc. It is not my bike, it's me... I will be over on the wrong side of the road if I start going over 25 on a right hand turn. I do better with lefts for some reason. Then there's the fear. Since I have been riding for almost ten years, I have given up. It's actually getting worse. On group rides I am the only one who loses time on the descents.

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I might be reading this wrong, but are you turning your handlebars in the same direction the turn goes? I found my cornering improved 100% after reading Zinn's stuff on counter-stearing, i.e. actually turning the handlebars slightly in the opposite direction of where you want to go in a corner - makes the bike lean over more and means I no longer end up on the wrong side of the road. Took some getting used to but works great!!!!

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Originally Posted by Crankin

But, when some of those weak climbers pass me on the descents, I get pissed.

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Then you'd be pissed at me!!! ;) I'm guessing those weak climbers probably weigh more than you. I'm not a strong climber, but I make up for it on the descents and do pass a lot of people. I'm not overweight. I'm 5'9 and weigh about 145, while my shorter friends weigh 10 to 20 pounds less than me simply because of their height. I also have a higher gear than some people, so can pedal at higher speeds on a downhill ... and I take advantage of the downhills whenever I can to catch up and/or improve my over all time after the climb I just crawled up!

I'm trying to lose weight, mostly for the purpose of being able to climb better. I do wonder how much that might slow me down on the descents, but if it helps my climbing, it will be worth it to me.

Sorry people like me tick you off! Well ... not really. ;)

Losing weight won't hurt your descending.... remember Galileo and the Leaning Tower of Pisa? It's all about aerodynamics, and a few pounds aren't enough to really change the profile you present to the wind.

No matter how much weight you lose, all else being equal, your shorter friends will still descend quicker than you. Just because they're shorter. :rolleyes:

And they're useless to draft behind, too. <cue Randy Newman's "Short People">

At 5'3", I can say it. :p

Well, I don't know if my shortness helps with anything...
I don't turn my handlebars. I try to lean my body and look in the direction of the turn. But I think what mostly happens is I slow down, stiffen my body, squeeze the brakes, and just pray to get down the hill.

Jiffer, I am not really *pissed* at people like you, I am more pissed at myself. And I suspect you probably climb faster than me, too. I spin up everything, sometimes at extremely slow speeds, but I get up pretty steep grades.

You know, I can't remember how I went down hills as a kid. I lived in a hilly neighborhood and rode my 3 speed Raleigh everywhere. In fact, I don't know how I got up some of those hills on that bike!

Try steering the opposite way (just slightly), i.e. in a right turn steer to the left and vice versa - it's worked miracles for me, I can actually stay on the right side of the road now rather than being carried way out!