I gots my Descending Mojo back!

[Trekhawk]

Wonderful news Jo!
Look forward to hearing some ride reports.

[Pedal Wench]

Good for you! I know that I'm a very cautious descender, and I'm really working on it. (Especially since I'm spending every day off climbing up in the mountains - for every climb, there's a descent to practice on before my big trip to Colorado.) I found that singing definitely helps.

On the bike I'm building up for this trip, I put on new shifters (the new 2010 Campy design) that's easier to reach the brakes from the drops. But, how does one, after years of descending on the hoods, transition down to the drops? I think about it and can't even imagine feeling stable enough. Do you try it on a gentle grade first to build up to the steep stuff?

[jobob]

But, how does one, after years of descending on the hoods, transition down to the drops? I think about it and can't even imagine feeling stable enough. Do you try it on a gentle grade first to build up to the steep stuff?

Well, in my case, it just happened. I know that's a non-answer.

I always descended on the hoods as well, which worked well with my previous set-up; the brake-only levers worked fine from the hoods.

But once I changed from bar-end shifting to the Ultegra dual shift-brake levers, braking from the hoods didn't work nearly as well for me, so I had no real choice but to start braking from the drops. It wasn't particularly easy for me to get used to that, and was a source of a lot of my descending issues. This was also back when the Shimano pads were still on my brakes, so I was not a happy descender.

The switch to the Kool Stop pads and the astonishing (for me) discovery that I could easily get way down into the drops and brake/descend well from there happened almost simultaneously.

Although I'm pretty sure were it not for the confidence boost the Kool Stop pads gave me, the rest wouldn't have happened.

[Pedal Wench]

The switch to the Kool Stop pads and the astonishing (for me) discovery that I could easily get way down into the drops and brake/descend well from there happened almost simultaneously.

Although I'm pretty sure were it not for the confidence boost the Kool Stop pads gave me, the rest wouldn't have happened.

One of my happiest descending was on a trip that I had the Kool Stops on my bike. I attributed it to the bike (Ti Colnago) but you know, it could have been the brake pads. The bike I'm building up could use new pads. Might as well go Kool!

[owlgirl]

hey jobob,

i just wanted to thank you for sharing your tips on getting over descending fears. I crashed last year, and I too am having lots of trouble with getting my mojo back. I'm not much fun to ride with anymore, as i get left behind on long descents, and i feel so bad holding people up. I am going to get some of the kool stops and I hope that will help me. I just got a new fit that makes being in the drops more comfortable but descending in them is still a little scary for me. i know it's about time for new brakes, especially since i've been riding them more fiercely since my crash, so knowing that these are an option gives me some hope for getting over my fear, since it helped you.

[Bike Goddess]

JoBob- This is such great news! And, as you say- descending is very much a part of the Death Ride. Glad to hear you had a "little talk" with the infamous MP- grandest of coaches around here!

My take on the drops- I have discovered that riding in the drops MOST of the time has given me more power, speed, and confidence. I had noticed a couple of people in our bike club (one who was a state champion a couple of years ago- Laurie Fenech) ride in the drops all the time. I figured they must be onto something so I started doing it this past year as well. One of my bike buddies (he also builds bikes) says that when you are in the drops you have MORE control and you are better balanced. Jobob's post confirms this once again for me.

I rode almost the entire Cinderella ride in the "drops" against a mean wind that wouldn't stop. At the end, I was tired, but not sore, PLUS I pulled others most of the time. Again, I felt more in control against the wind.

So, my advice- learn to ride in the drops. Bike fit is important here and, as JoBob and Veronica both say, flexibility helps as well. I do a lot of stretching as well as weight lifting which I know has made a big difference.