Please note - this is not Mount Stromlo ;)It was a small group of us (6) that met up on Mount Stromlo on Sunday 12th June to do a descending skills session with Michael (Doc :) ) Hanslip. Aaaah, long weekend in Canberra!
Attendees: Liz, Verity, Rach, Anna, Eleanora & Linda.
As we negotiated more traffic than I expected on Stromlo - I guess it must have been the cafe plus there was apparently a downhill MTB race next door at SFP - and a strong wind, we cycled up and down the hill (mountain?)several times learning how to descend using Michael's techniques and advice for safety and stability.
Before our first descent, Michael explained to us firstly the importance of using the drops, rather than the hoods, for descending. There are several reasons for this, including increased stability due to a lower centre of gravity, more braking power when needed (with the emphasis on when needed!) and to protect the bars and brakes when riding close to others. The idea of this was somewhat discomforting for some of us, who were used to riding the hoods mostly.
Michael also explained about the judicious use of brakes, as he said it is actually safer to brake as little as possible when descending in a bunch. He told a story of women that he recently coached in the same spot being disbelieving when he said that he set them a challenge to roll down to the bottom without using the brakes at all if possible. I was disbelieving too, and didn't quite manage to do any brake-free descents, but was using them a lot less by the end of the session.
Some techniques we learnt that help with keeping off the brakes, and maintaining stability, are looking ahead rather than down (this sounds familiar doesn't it!) as this helps with feeling more in control and a change in perception of speed, and using the front brake mostly when needed rather than the rear, 'feathering' rather than grabbing it hard.
Some other things that Michael got us to practice were following a 'good' line through the corners and keeping our feet level on the straights rather than coasting down with one foot up, one down the whole time. I think I need to do lots of work on remembering this one! Also on this point was the tip to practice with a different foot forward each time, as we tend to favour one leg over the other, which becomes the stronger one.
One final, very useful piece of advice passed on to us - if you get the 'speed wobbles', a phenomenon where the front end of the bike sometimes 'shimmies' in a very scary manner at higher speeds when descending - clamp your knees against the top tube. This dampens the vibrations that cause this to happen.
While I wouldn't say I'm now a great descender, I definitely felt more confident and safer doing descents at the end of the session, and more at ease with riding the drops, than I did at the beginning.
Thanks to Michael for running the session!
Linda H.
As we negotiated more traffic than I expected on Stromlo - I guess it must have been the cafe plus there was apparently a downhill MTB race next door at SFP - and a strong wind, we cycled up and down the hill (mountain?)several times learning how to descend using Michael's techniques and advice for safety and stability.
Before our first descent, Michael explained to us firstly the importance of using the drops, rather than the hoods, for descending. There are several reasons for this, including increased stability due to a lower centre of gravity, more braking power when needed (with the emphasis on when needed!) and to protect the bars and brakes when riding close to others. The idea of this was somewhat discomforting for some of us, who were used to riding the hoods mostly.
Michael also explained about the judicious use of brakes, as he said it is actually safer to brake as little as possible when descending in a bunch. He told a story of women that he recently coached in the same spot being disbelieving when he said that he set them a challenge to roll down to the bottom without using the brakes at all if possible. I was disbelieving too, and didn't quite manage to do any brake-free descents, but was using them a lot less by the end of the session.
Some techniques we learnt that help with keeping off the brakes, and maintaining stability, are looking ahead rather than down (this sounds familiar doesn't it!) as this helps with feeling more in control and a change in perception of speed, and using the front brake mostly when needed rather than the rear, 'feathering' rather than grabbing it hard.
Some other things that Michael got us to practice were following a 'good' line through the corners and keeping our feet level on the straights rather than coasting down with one foot up, one down the whole time. I think I need to do lots of work on remembering this one! Also on this point was the tip to practice with a different foot forward each time, as we tend to favour one leg over the other, which becomes the stronger one.
One final, very useful piece of advice passed on to us - if you get the 'speed wobbles', a phenomenon where the front end of the bike sometimes 'shimmies' in a very scary manner at higher speeds when descending - clamp your knees against the top tube. This dampens the vibrations that cause this to happen.
While I wouldn't say I'm now a great descender, I definitely felt more confident and safer doing descents at the end of the session, and more at ease with riding the drops, than I did at the beginning.
Thanks to Michael for running the session!
Linda H.
Sounds like it was a great session. Disappointed I didn't get back from Sydney in time. Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteI was in the drops on every decent on the way into work today. It's not that scary after all!
ReplyDeleteNice work Eleanora! Once you get in the drops, not being in them feels waaaay sketchier.
ReplyDeleteYay Eleanora! I think the drops thing is, like so many things on the bike, scarier in your mind than it is in reality. I'm going to make myself practice being in the drops as often as possible too now!
ReplyDeletehey - I can see the Aussie Butt Cream station wagaon there too!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the Vikings girls supporting our local regional event - Please come back next year - you added a lot of colour!
Petrina