How to learn to ride *down* hills?

[shadon]

I'm realizing that riding down hills is really intimidating and scarey for me. For those in the Bay Area, think of the Lincoln Blvd hill in the Presidio. Last week I took it slow and steady (bless the car that creeped down the hill behind me!), but it was scarey.

Is some of this a question of strength? That is, as I get physically stronger through my weight training and continued cycling, does riding down these sorts of hills get easier?

[alpinerabbit]

Perhaps the most progress in going downhill, you will notice, happens as you get more courage....


May I ask why you feel you require strength going downhill?

[Trek420]

Shadon,

I'm borrowing this verbatim from my "other board" Lorri L Lown of the Velo girls wrote one of the best set of downhill tips I've found, thanks Lorri if you're lurking here:

"regarding descending technique, your comfort level will improve if you can focus on your skills. It sounds like you're doing it right. Here are some additional tips.

On a road bike, you should descend with your hands in the drops. This lowers your center of gravity, puts a bit more weight on the front of the bike, and is the most stable position. If possible, keep your hands firmly on the bar. I know we all want to have quick access to the brakes, but moving your hand up near the lever is less stable. Keeping a couple of fingers in front of the lever causes you to grasp the bar with just a finger and a thumb -- easy to lose grasp if you hit a bump.

Always look ahead (down the road) in the direction you want to go. If the road veers to the right, look right. If it veers to the left, look left. You want to look with your head (not just your eyes). I use the phrase "steering with your chin". There is no reason for you to look down at the bike or at your front wheel, so don't do it.

Utilize counter-steering. This means that your outside leg is down and weighted (you're standing on it) and your inside arm is weighted as well. Steer with your chin, lean the bike into the turn and lean your body the opposite direction. Let your butt float over the saddle.

If you've got a straight, fast descent, you can keep your feet parallel (six and nine o-clock), but understand that this is a committed position. When doing this, scoot your butt back behind the saddle, keep your elbows relaxed, and try to put weight on your feet (not your butt).

Feather your brakes to control your speed. Feathering means touching and letting go, touching and letting go. It's a very gentle motion. Do not jam on the brakes. Also, remember to apply pressure to both brakes evenly. Your front brake is your power brake and your rear brake controls lateral movement. Whenever you brake, especially if you have to brake hard, make sure to move your weight back behind the bottom bracket -- this will keep you from going over the bars.

Use your brakes to control your speed throughout your descent. And remember not to brake during a curve/turn. When you brake, your bike will pull upright, and this will change the line of the descent. Control your speed before you enter a turn.

If you're not comfortable screaming down the hills, you can ride them at whatever pace you feel confident with. Remember, there's a big learning curve in cycling, and you should try to improve incrementally. If you feel okay descending at 20mph, don't let yourself get in the position of screaming down a hill at 50mph until you've slowly increased your speed.

Smile (seriously). This helps you relax and will replace the screaming voices in your head.


ps -- I don't recommend clipping one foot out. Clipless pedals help you stay connected to the bike -- much more stable for high-speed descents. If you're unclipped and hit a bump or a hole, you could be jostled to the point of losing control."

I'm sure there's more to add to that but the one thing I would add is; look where you want to go. Find a safe clear line and look there. You'll see objects you want to avoid but don't look at them becasue if you see the pothole you'll go to the pothole. So steer with your eyes as well as your body and let your eyes follow the safe line and the road.

Also while I'm thinking of this and I know it's months ahead but looking ahead to your ALC ride you have some amazing downhill runs. It's approx 26,000 foot climbing and since you start and end at sea level, it's equal ammount of downhill. Especially on some of the big ones like after evil twins your job is to be careful, find the safe line, ride as far to the right as is safe to do, stay out of loose gravel etc.

There will be folks bombing past you at 50+, if they yell out "on your left" you just hold your line if you are where you oughta be. Don't just jump to the right and end up in....whatever. It's up to them to pass you safely.

[RoadRaven]

Thats a great little explaination from Lorri, thanks Trek for pasting it here.
I wish I had read something like that when I first began... alot of it is about confidence... the fastest I go down windy hills is about 35km/hour (about 20 miles?) but on a long straight flat I have gone over 60 km (about 38 miles?).

I don't like to go down fast on hills and when out riding with others, if I manage to keep up with them going up the hill, I inevitably get dropped going down the other side.

One thing to add to what Trek has posted and that is to reinforce the looking where you want to go... not where you want to miss.
Recent research of motorbike crashes showed that they were often with telephone/power poles, or some other object that has heaps of space either side. Why were these bikes crashing into the only thing in metres and metres of space?
The researchers found that the bikers would see, for example, a power pole on a corner, and be watching it to make sure they didn't hit it, but by focusing on it, they ended up taking a line straight into it.
So notice the hazards on the rodside, but don't focus on them... focus on the clear bits of road - not the pile of rubbish or stones on it; focus on the line you will take around the corner - not the tree you want to avoid; focus on the road a metre out from a parked car - not the door that might open as you pass...

Good luck with your increasing confidence, it happens with time and as your bike becomes more and more a part of you.

[BikeMomma]

Just learned something....thanks Trek (and Lorri, if you're watchin'). I've been riding up in the higher elevations the last two Saturdays, so this info is handy. There are a couple of really fast descents that I can use these tips on.

Incidentally...Flicka reached a new max speed last weekend...43.8! Whee!

(I need to look in the back archives of TE more often....good info back here in the dark and forgotten corners....)

[RTP1031]

All that is great information. What also helped me is something my coach said. "Commit to the turn." Which means stay in good form, feather the brakes and don't do anything rash or quick, like sitting up suddenly or slamming on the brakes. Slow down before you enter the turn and ride in your comfort zone, which will increase with practice. I love to zip down our desert mountain roads and just hit 53mph this week on a long straight downhill. WHEEEEEEEEE