Downhill Skills (or lack thereof I should say)

Like most things, descending is a learned skill. The more you do it, the more comfortable you'll become, and the better you'll do.

As for tips: Keep your knees in; keep your feet at 3 and 9 o'clock when coasting in straights; keep the inside leg at 12 o'clock when turning; put your weight on the outside (down) foot on turns; use a LIGHT grip* on the handle bars; steer with your body; brake as you approach the turn, coast through the turn, and pedal out of the turn.

*Keeping a light grip on the handle bars, or aero bars, is very important. The tendency is to grip the bars tightly which can cuase over turning.

Keep at it. Before long you'll be flying down the mountains at 50+ mph.


scott

Looking several feet ahead on the road and not immediately in front of my bike helps, especially going into the turns.

Enter an off-road downhill race. When you can make it to the bottom in one piece, you'll no longer fear bombing downhills at 50+ mph on a road bike

-Frank

Downhill is your friend because lots of people are scared. the key is to tuck your body in squeez the top tube with your knees and just go for it. Ive hit over 60mph on some mountians in West Virginia it alittle sketchy but when you go flying past cars on a mountian pass its sweet

im with you man. i recently bought my bike and have had about 6 rides. when i go downhill im so scared. but in the few rides and im actually staying aero longer and pedaling more through the downhill and getting some speed. im sure ive reached in the 40 mph range so im getting there.

Now don't everyone get mad but it seems like a lot of triahtletes don't have a clue as to how to ride. I only know what I see! I think the best way to get bike handling skills is to do some off road rideing. If you don't beleive me then take it from Armstrong he use to do both cylce cross and a few mountain bike races in the off season.

I agree Cyclocross is one of the best ways to learn bike handling. Its also one of the hardest things you can do on a bike

Descend more. Seriously, practice your descents. Work on relaxing. Find a hill. Find a speed that does not cause you to panic and descend at that speed. Repeat the descent with the goal of going "just a little bit faster". Time your self from top to bottom. Repeat the process several times over the course of a couple of months. If you sneak up on descending speed you can get faster.