Steep descents

[Mark1978]

I'm getting better at going down most hills. But I'm having trouble with the really steep stuff, that is the type that would be arrowed on an OS map.

I end up braking right down to walking pace afraid to go any faster as I might end up going to fast and be unable to brake.

The descent into Woolsingham was the first descent I considered getting off and walking!

Any advice?

[Vorpal]

There is nothing wrong with going slow to preserve your brakes It's much better than discovering you've gone fast enough to achieve fade!

I'm a fairly conservative descender myself. When I get to know a hill (near home or on a regular commute), I may go down it pretty fast.

[byegad]

Mmmmm! Dropping into Wolsingham is one of my favourites. I tend to clock 40 mph+(Record is 50mph! ) on the last stretch into the 30mph limit and let the trike slow before the junction with the main road.

[jezer]

I don't like fast decents either. I managed 58km per hour on Saturday, but it was really scary. One of our club members crashed on a decent on Sunday and had to be carted off to hospital by ambulance. She is ok, but it may have scuppered her chances in the Etape she was due to ride in It's not worth the risk, but what can you do when the competitive instinct kicks in

[Mark1978]

Mmmmm! Dropping into Wolsingham is one of my favourites. I tend to clock 40 mph+(Record is 50mph! ) on the last stretch into the 30mph limit and let the trike slow before the junction with the main road.

The one I mean is approaching from the South, over the bridge.

Peth Bank is another where I'm like 'oh crap, brake!!'

[consett k]

Mark have you ever gone from rookhope to westgate. There's a 20% hill I was doing 7mph DOWNHILL I was that scared. Covered in loose gravel not for the faint hearted. It's the only downhill I know where I feel like I've achieved something by reaching the bottom .

[Ellieb]

Watch & learn from the master. Cancellara is hitting at least 60mph on this descent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXqQqAc2pA

As the saying goes 'I'm Spartacus' .....NOT

[consett k]

Mmmmm! Dropping into Wolsingham is one of my favourites. I tend to clock 40 mph+(Record is 50mph! ) on the last stretch into the 30mph limit and let the trike slow before the junction with the main road.

Is that the approach from tow law? Great run down .

[Mark1978]

Mmmmm! Dropping into Wolsingham is one of my favourites. I tend to clock 40 mph+(Record is 50mph! ) on the last stretch into the 30mph limit and let the trike slow before the junction with the main road.

Is that the approach from tow law? Great run down .

It's nice up too. You approach and think 'oh crap this is going to hurt' but it's not too bad and a nice climb.

[MattyDeez]

Try the descent into Kettlewell over richmond area! Now thats a tough descent!

I love the descent into wolsingham, but the bridge side i always go up that hill!

EDIT: And, i cant really give any advice on descending without been freaked out. I just descend and brake where needed as i'll run off the road and down the side.

[consett k]

Hats off to the tour riders. Takes <inappropriate phrase removed> hit the speeds they do. Anything over 40 and I'm flapping. Hit 50 once on a hardtail heading into blanchland from stanhope direction. Terrifying was my memory of it.

[MattyDeez]

Fastest i've done is 52.6mph, i cant seem to find any longer hills and with a decent tailwind!

I got that coming off dartmoor to moretonhampstead.

[Aikon]

54.4mph on Hartup descent into St Johns Chapel on the etape Pennines last October, amusingly I had a guy on my wheel up the climb but dropped him on the descent, I bunny hopped the cattle grid.

[MikewsMITH2]

Loose gravel is the worst. Some of the tracks in the New Forest are very steep and with extremely deep and large chunks of "gravel". Worst experience was last year on a tandem. I think we owe our skins to the rear drum brake and the Marathon Mondiale tyres. After nearly losing the front end trying to slow down with the rim brakes, I had to let her "have her head" and just use the drum "drag" brake to keep her straight. Despite protests from the back seat, I daren't slow down and we just tobogganed all the way down. I saw 29mph on the computer before the vibration detached the wireless sensor from the forks (we found it on the way back )

She insisted on walking down the next steep hill

On the famous New Forest Gridiron we were doing 40mph in torrential rain down a narrow lane. A sharp bend appeared and the rim brakes did very little. Again the faithful Araya enabled us to navigate the corner safely.

I am now a big fan of the drum brake.

[consett k]

I hit 50.7 would be interesting to see the speeds that have been set by others and where. One thing I'd like to see in the tdf is the speeds they are reachng being shown on the screen as the race is progressing . Blows me away the speeds they generate.