I am DONE with going fast down hills!

[Andrew_Culture]

When I got my first road bike I got a real kick out of being able to go downhill at 30mph, then it crept up a bit and I could get to 42mph even on Suffolk roads, then I went up North and got nearly to 55mph. It was when I reached nearly 55mph that I realised the cheapo audax frame I ride isn't really cut out for speed. A realisation I soon forgot. Until today.

I was descending a hill in Richmond Park, just about to knock it into my highest gear and go into an aero tuck when an oncoming Merc pulled onto my side of the road to overtake a cyclist. I feathered the brakes, feathered some more and decided to try and squeeze through the gap that would be left between the car and the kerb. Not ideal, there was a fair amount of gravelly debris in that narrow margin. As I tried to relax my grip on the bike and continued to attempt an emergency deceleration the bike started leaping about under me like a bucking bronco. I really had to work hard to keep my calm but I was loosing control fast so had to go where the bike wanted to take me, which was off the road. I managed to stay upright somehow and came to a halt at the end of a deep furrow carved by my wheels in the grass.

That's it. I'm DONE with descending fast, at least until I get a bike fit for purpose

 

[ScotiaLass]

Eeek! I'm glad you're okay!! Well controlled that man.
I hate going fast...coming down a hill on the road from the canal towpath one day. I looked down at the speed at It was 20mph!
I almost fell off! I have hydraulic brakes now....not going that fast again, it sacred the life outta me!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I feel it's a younguns game!

 

[ScotiaLass]

I feel it's a younguns game!

Maybe, but I just don't like speed! I'm 50 now but remember commuting on a road bike when I was doing my nurse training and the hills scared the life out of me then too!

 

[mattobrien]

I think you have already identified the solution, n+1

 

[HLaB]

Brown trouser moment indeed If there's any possibility of something happening I descend like a granny (no offence meant Gran); I can only ease of the brakes on a perfectly straight and clear rural road

 

[jhawk]

I feel it's a younguns game!

I once clocked 27MPH going down a hill... I was scared beyond belief! I felt the bike shaking beneath me. Never again...

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I think you have already identified the solution, n+1

Known that for years

 

[EltonFrog]

I once clocked 27MPH going down a hill... I was scared beyond belief! I felt the bike shaking beneath me. Never again...

Pfffffft! That's not fast.

 

[asterix]

Alpine descents can be tricky. You watch the pros do it on the telly and it looks ok, then when you try it for real it suddenly dawns on you that they actually have the road closed for their events and not only do you have to keep to your own side but you may meet some idiot on a hairpin failing to keep to theirs.

Still good fun tho'.. My bestest ever so far was 32km down into Prades, raining, roadworks, narrow villages, a real challenge.

 

[Jonny Wright]

Stopped looking at the Garmin when it showed 41mph, decided to watch the road after that..

 

[L14M]

Most i've been to is 35mph -my bike was stable but on the edge 40 and it'd be poo me thinks!

 

[ColinJ]

I'm glad that you got away with it!

I was checking my GPS before yesterday's forum ride and found that the maximum speed stored on it was 80.9 kph, or about 50.5 mph. I remember resetting it a year ago, but I couldn't say when I did that particular ride.

You've got me curious now ... I'll download the tracklog for yesterday and see what my maximum was. I would guess about 65 kph (40 mph) coming down from the Trough of Bowland summit.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Hmm, out of the three lines from the three times I was on that hill can you tell which didn't work out too well?

 

[oldfatfool]

You've got me curious now ... I'll download the tracklog for yesterday and see what my maximum was. I would guess about 65 kph (40 mph) coming down from the Trough of Bowland summit.

I touched 70kph yesterday, nearly ended up as a hood ornament on an old mini mind, the shout of car down came at the last minute and nearly lost the rear under heavy breaking on the marbles in the middle of the road. Still didn't some one once say it is only at the point closest to death that you feel truly alive?