How to descend properly
08-28-19, 09:31 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
How to descend properly
I ride this road a lot, average gradient about 5% whole way, this guy is fast, REAL FAST!
This guy is taking 15mph corners at 34 MPH, and taking 20 mph at 43 mph. His lean angles are insane.
He's using 23mm tire front, 25mm rear tire. (anyone saying wider tires give more cornering grip need to reassess, because this guy clearly demostrate that you do not need wider tires to rail like mad).
Likes For woodcraft:
08-28-19, 10:19 PM
#3
Non omnino gravis
Dat lean angle. 
I remember SAFA from one of the Terry Barentsen Hotline videos from about a year ago. Doesn't surprise me at all that he descends like a bomb. Guy is nuts.
I remember SAFA from one of the Terry Barentsen Hotline videos from about a year ago. Doesn't surprise me at all that he descends like a bomb. Guy is nuts.
__________________
08-28-19, 11:28 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,410
Bikes: 2017 Specialized Allez Sprint Comp
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 850 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times
in
247 Posts
I also asked him what tires he’s using... his answer: “no idea”. It takes a certain level of not caring to send it this hard, and I guess at that point you wouldn’t care about your equipment either.
08-28-19, 11:39 PM
#5
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,627
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3870 Post(s)
Liked 2,563 Times
in
1,577 Posts
Attitude is everything. If you're not worrying about dying, you can relax, stay off the brakes, and point your bike in the quickest direction downhill.
Not sure how to learn that at my stage of life...
Not sure how to learn that at my stage of life...
Likes For ThermionicScott:
08-29-19, 04:39 AM
#6
Senior Member
08-29-19, 06:57 AM
#7
Senior Member
First - why does he ride on his top tube?
Second - if he has to ride on his top tube just to maintain 40 mph, it's not very steep.
Third - if he's ridden this road before and knows it pretty well, this seems like pretty standard stuff. If the got off the top tube and positioned himself properly he'd have better control over the bike through the corners.
Second - if he has to ride on his top tube just to maintain 40 mph, it's not very steep.
Third - if he's ridden this road before and knows it pretty well, this seems like pretty standard stuff. If the got off the top tube and positioned himself properly he'd have better control over the bike through the corners.
08-29-19, 08:19 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 4,848
Bikes: Schwinn Varsity
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1931 Post(s)
Liked 742 Times
in
422 Posts
IMO he's not going that fast. Standing up on a downhill? He's not spinning out (sit down and spin the gear out please)and has poor technic controlling the bike. People like this don't last long.
08-29-19, 08:43 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,546
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5223 Post(s)
Liked 3,579 Times
in
2,341 Posts
must be in his 20s when other things take over good judgement. I remember reaching 130mph in a Chevy Citation in my 20s. would never consider it now ~40 years later
looks like fun for sure but would also be fun to it the ride from his perspective, or is he afraid the helmet cam would slow him down?
looks like fun for sure but would also be fun to it the ride from his perspective, or is he afraid the helmet cam would slow him down?
08-29-19, 08:57 AM
#10
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,843
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1173 Post(s)
Liked 927 Times
in
612 Posts
Meh....
43 mph downhill on normal roads.....zzz
43 mph downhill on normal roads.....zzz
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Last edited by Homebrew01; 08-30-19 at 09:31 AM.
08-29-19, 03:08 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
He still damn near got the KOM. He’s not a roadie, he’s a fixie guy. Those guys are allergic to spandex and don’t wear it unless they have to. He didn’t because he got shuttled up the climb.
I also asked him what tires he’s using... his answer: “no idea”. It takes a certain level of not caring to send it this hard, and I guess at that point you wouldn’t care about your equipment either.
I also asked him what tires he’s using... his answer: “no idea”. It takes a certain level of not caring to send it this hard, and I guess at that point you wouldn’t care about your equipment either.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
08-29-19, 03:20 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Traveling through time, will return last week.
Posts: 730
Bikes: Bare Rum Sword Knuckle Runner
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 278 Post(s)
Liked 122 Times
in
64 Posts
was waiting for someone in a prius to pass him while in full tuck.
08-29-19, 03:31 PM
#14
Hump, what hump?
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SC midlands
Posts: 1,934
Bikes: See signature
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 337 Post(s)
Liked 227 Times
in
145 Posts
Um, the bike in the video has a rear derailleur, therefore is not fixed.
__________________
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1993 Cannondale RS900 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1988 Nishiki Olympic ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Ciocc Competition SL ** 19?? Roberts Audax ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1982 Mercian Olympic ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1993 Cannondale RS900 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1988 Nishiki Olympic ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Ciocc Competition SL ** 19?? Roberts Audax ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1982 Mercian Olympic ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
08-29-19, 03:32 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,633
Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 4,029 Times
in
1,427 Posts
I liked the little wheelie at 1:34.
08-29-19, 03:37 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,410
Bikes: 2017 Specialized Allez Sprint Comp
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 850 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times
in
247 Posts
Have you considered that maybe I follow this guy on instagram and therefore know a little bit about who he is and what his background is?
08-29-19, 03:47 PM
#17
Hump, what hump?
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SC midlands
Posts: 1,934
Bikes: See signature
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 337 Post(s)
Liked 227 Times
in
145 Posts
I just re-read your post describing him as a "fixie guy." I thought you meant he only rode fixed gear. Clearly this bike is not fixed. My bad.
__________________
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1993 Cannondale RS900 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1988 Nishiki Olympic ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Ciocc Competition SL ** 19?? Roberts Audax ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1982 Mercian Olympic ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1993 Cannondale RS900 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1988 Nishiki Olympic ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Ciocc Competition SL ** 19?? Roberts Audax ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1982 Mercian Olympic ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
08-29-19, 04:22 PM
#20
Non omnino gravis
Some more SAFA, that "fixie guy."
__________________
08-29-19, 07:22 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,656
Bikes: Paletti,Pinarello Monviso,Duell Vienna,Giordana XL Super,Lemond Maillot Juane.& custom,PDG Paramount,Fuji Opus III,Davidson Impulse,Pashley Guv'nor,Evans,Fishlips,Y-Foil,Softride, Tetra Pro, CAAD8 Optimo,
Mentioned: 156 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2323 Post(s)
Liked 4,937 Times
in
1,763 Posts
Well....it was entertaining, LOL!
__________________
Steel is real...and comfy.
Steel is real...and comfy.
08-29-19, 10:30 PM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
First - why does he ride on his top tube?
Second - if he has to ride on his top tube just to maintain 40 mph, it's not very steep.
Third - if he's ridden this road before and knows it pretty well, this seems like pretty standard stuff. If the got off the top tube and positioned himself properly he'd have better control over the bike through the corners.
Second - if he has to ride on his top tube just to maintain 40 mph, it's not very steep.
Third - if he's ridden this road before and knows it pretty well, this seems like pretty standard stuff. If the got off the top tube and positioned himself properly he'd have better control over the bike through the corners.
this is one of the iconic climb in the LA Socal area, it's a climb that anyone who's remotely a cyclist, from weekend warriors to top level pros, would train on, and believe me many pros even though they're training do not coast down they hammer hard in between corners. The Safa guy in the vid in waearing sailboat surfers clothes and missed the KOM by 3 seconds. The Safa dude doesn't have the top speed of the pros because them pros can hit 50mph in between corners, but Safa guy is fast due to his savage cornering speed and savant lean angle. But you 2 guys call him not going that fast? Time to put up your own video boys or you just armchair experts. Yep.
08-29-19, 10:49 PM
#23
- Soli Deo Gloria -
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,779
Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix
Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times
in
469 Posts
The lean angle and visual perception of speed are exaggerated because of the wide angle lens. I'm glad they posted actual speed metrics.
The premise here is descending properly. Sure, he goes pretty fast but personally, I don't think the video is a great example of proper descending skills. For one thing, he seems to be flicking the bike pretty aggressively at times. It looks dramatic, like drift racing, but it isn't the fastest way around a turn.
Watch some pros on youtube and they rarely if ever throw the bike around like that but are very smooth when entering and exiting the turns. Being smooth is key. If coasting through a turn they put their inside knee out, plant their outside knee against the top tube and weight the outside pedal. They are also very good at late, threshold braking. And hands on the hoods with forearms level is more aero than in the drops if you want to go fast.
I'd post a video of myself going 54 MPH on pavement and into the high 40's on gravel but I'm not in the habit of having cars follow me down the mountain at that speed.
-Tim-
The premise here is descending properly. Sure, he goes pretty fast but personally, I don't think the video is a great example of proper descending skills. For one thing, he seems to be flicking the bike pretty aggressively at times. It looks dramatic, like drift racing, but it isn't the fastest way around a turn.
Watch some pros on youtube and they rarely if ever throw the bike around like that but are very smooth when entering and exiting the turns. Being smooth is key. If coasting through a turn they put their inside knee out, plant their outside knee against the top tube and weight the outside pedal. They are also very good at late, threshold braking. And hands on the hoods with forearms level is more aero than in the drops if you want to go fast.
I'd post a video of myself going 54 MPH on pavement and into the high 40's on gravel but I'm not in the habit of having cars follow me down the mountain at that speed.
-Tim-
Last edited by TimothyH; 08-29-19 at 11:00 PM.
Likes For TimothyH: