Regarding cornering - not only can and do you weight the outside pedal - you also point your knee to the inside of the turn - watch a youtube video of a pro. You also need to take the correct "line" entering and exiting. You can find info on that with diagrams on the web. also if you know a motorcycle rider - they can explain line choice to you. You should also countersteer - again look up that explanation. If you are doing 90 degree flat cornering - like in a crit you also need to have your pedals in the correct position to avoid catching your inside pedal.

Your bike has a lot to do with confidence and how it feels descending - bikes with a long wheelbase - (center to center of both wheels) corner more like a cadillac when going down hill vs a bike with a more aggressive geometry and shorter wheelbase that corners more like a sports car. When I switched from long to short it took me a long time to build back up my speed, which sometimes I still feel is lacking - but is a tradeoff for other features of the new bike.

No - fearlessness is not necessary - matter of fact I think it is a liablility. Build up to where YOU are comfortable - know where your personal limits are and respect them. Evaluate the road conditions - every road and day is different. Be safe - not sorry - I have seen some bad wrecks on descents ala a dog, gravel or too much speed.

Oh, and most of us can't descend as fast as a man - they weigh more and have smaller brains...ha ha.

debi