A lesson in descending!

[TxDoc]

2009 TdF stage 7:
Fabian Cancellara recovering a lot of time during the descent to rejoin the main field - and showing his best bike handling skills, as always!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgVmq4UBJs4

[Zen]

Today's descent was certainly a thrill ride.
I can't begin to imagine what that must be like.

[BikeDutchess]

Wow! Awesome video. I am such a speed wienie, I can't imagine doing anything even close to that. But a joy to watch.

[Miranda]

Just *watching* the descent makes me wanna p in my shorts chamois lol.


Great vid clip, thx for posting!

[lunacycles]

I find it impressive and a little annoying that much of his skill has to do with getting around all of the "traffic."

[papaver]

If you are impressed by that, then what about the motorcyclist who followed him and the cameraman who filmed him, standing on the motorcycle.

[tulip]

If you are impressed by that, then what about the motorcyclist who followed him and the cameraman who filmed him, standing on the motorcycle.

backwards at times!

[7rider]

backwards at times!

That reminds me of the comment that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire ever did - only backwards. And in heels.

Nice riding, Fab.

[smilingcat]

+1 with lunacycle.

On some corners, he was blocked from being able to go to the apex to maximize his speed.

One other thing I saw is one big NO NO on riding to get more speed by reducing his drag. Did you see? he popped his butt off the seat and his stomach was resting on the seat. I thought that was a violation? The move changes your CG way too far to the back and makes it unstable and is only good on a straight a way. Even then its dangerous because you can't do a bunny hop over a debris or a pot hole in the road.

Well let me rephrase it a bit. The move of riding with stomach on the seat, butt hanging off the back over the rear wheel is relatively stable for going straight but not in a turn.

Zen had asked about what can you do to go faster and I wouldn't tell her saying it was a dangerous move. But here it is about half way through the video, you see him doing it.

smilingcat

[OakLeaf]

I love Cancellara. Way to ride. Traffic is just part of racing.


I used to go behind the saddle on descents when I rode a narrower saddle.

Of course it shredded my labia every ride, 200 miles a week. What did I know? But I could sure get behind it on a descent.

With my 155 mm saddle, I can barely get my thighs far enough apart to get behind it if I wanted to, and if I did, I wouldn't be able to get back onto it. No thanks!

[Kalidurga]

One other thing I saw is one big NO NO on riding to get more speed by reducing his drag. Did you see? he popped his butt off the seat and his stomach was resting on the seat. I thought that was a violation? The move changes your CG way too far to the back and makes it unstable and is only good on a straight a way. Even then its dangerous because you can't do a bunny hop over a debris or a pot hole in the road.

Well let me rephrase it a bit. The move of riding with stomach on the seat, butt hanging off the back over the rear wheel is relatively stable for going straight but not in a turn.

Zen had asked about what can you do to go faster and I wouldn't tell her saying it was a dangerous move. But here it is about half way through the video, you see him doing it.

A lot of the pro riders have begun adopting that position. I first noticed it in last year's Tour. Obviously they feel the reduced wind resistance is worth whatever risk is involved. But then, the Tour is full of risk.

[wnyrider]

Is there a technical reason why he wiggled his both knees outwards and inwards several times at one point mid way down? I thought maybe to work out some thigh kinks. It just looked kind of funny. It was at about 5 min and 22 secs into video.

[Zen]

Did you see? he popped his butt off the seat and his stomach was resting on the seat.

I'll have to watch that again, I missed that.
What I have seen is riding on the TT, butt forward of the saddle.
either way.

[OakLeaf]

A lot of the pro riders have begun adopting that position. I first noticed it in last year's Tour.

It was 1987, or maybe 1988, when my training buddy and very casual amateur racer showed me how to do that.

Maybe its popularity has waxed and waned among the pros, but one thing it isn't is new.

[aicabsolut]

Is there a technical reason why he wiggled his both knees outwards and inwards several times at one point mid way down? I thought maybe to work out some thigh kinks. It just looked kind of funny. It was at about 5 min and 22 secs into video.

When you are hammering for a long time and then have to stop pedaling (because of the grade) for a long period, your quads start to seize up. Giving them a good shake helps keep them limber. Schumacher and Vino did that a lot too. I wonder if it's just a coincidence that they all have massive quads.