Descending

[han-grrl]

I would like to "steer" the discussion back to road descending...

they are similar but not the same...

[RoadRaven]

Steering back...

I want to enjoy my road bike. I really do. But i have a problem - descending. I freak out, almost quite literally. I can be pedalling a flat at 35 km/hr but turn that into a descent, and i feel genuine panic.
I feel unstable, not sure where to position myself...

OK... I am guessing this is to with positioning and where your centre of gravity is.
So you have shims on your brake levers now - but are you using the drops? Eden and BleeckerStGirl both suggested this too. Have you tried it? If you feel uncomfy in the drops, then use them on the flat and get used to being there.
The reason you want to be in the drops is because it lowers your centre of gravity, making you less "top-heavy" and therefore it is easier to control the bike/yourself.

The other thing to do is to 'scootch' back in the seat. Slide your buttocks back a little so you are more stretched out. This spreads the weight more evenly across the bike and therefore it feels easier to control / more responsive.

But the other problem is i don't know where to look and how to be...

Where to look? Look at where you want the bike to go.

If you look at where you don't want to be (the ditch, the tree, the driveway) that is where you will begin to head.
So watch the line you want the bike to take.

For example:
I travel about 40-65km downhill if there are no corners, and I tend to focus on the 10-30 metres in front of me, and look up from time to time to see how much of the descent is still waiting.

My partner travels downhill much faster than me, even with corners and a slow descent for him would be 50kph. He reckons if you travel at 80-90kph, you need to be focusing 80-100 metres ahead because you cover the ground so quickly.



Of course, if all else fails to work, just close your eyes, trust Obiwan and use "the force"

[han-grrl]

Hey RoadRaven

Yes i am practicing being in the drops - i realized how many bad habits i have been getting myself into from the previous set up, so at first i feel nervous then i feel comfortable because i CAN ACTUALLY REACH HURRA!