Practicing your descending

[Ian H]

I remember Nev Chanin's foghorn voice - Brakes are for emergencies only! - if anyone dared to slow him down on a descent.

There are a few hills round here where I'm comfortable descending at greater speed than feels safe in a car. My claim to fame is overtaking a motorbike going down Porlock Hill (he caught me up in the village, gave me a grin & a thumbs-up).

 

[Dogtrousers]

Think you can cycle downhill well?

View: https://youtu.be/99wJn5QBvyg

Pah, that's nothing

View: https://twitter.com/TotalMTB_/status/1630490497029488640?t=-sUxdp_JbyG0DTzYj8Z2hQ&s=19

 

[BrumJim]

Pah, that's nothing

View: https://twitter.com/TotalMTB_/status/1630490497029488640?t=-sUxdp_JbyG0DTzYj8Z2hQ&s=19

Been there many a time. The problem always was that his balance bike (in particular) only had a back brake. At that age, brakes are binary, i.e. either on or off. Applying the rear brake involved a rear wheel lock-up and him getting catapulted off the bike as the rear wheel tried to overtake the front. Only a front brake wouldn't have been any better.

So there you are, running (usually) behind a bike going faster and faster downhill, trying very hard not to yell "brake", because you know exactly what will happen when you do.

 

[figbat]

Pah, that's nothing

View: https://twitter.com/TotalMTB_/status/1630490497029488640?t=-sUxdp_JbyG0DTzYj8Z2hQ&s=19

She pedalled it out at the the bottom though!

 

[rogerzilla]

In the original video:

(a) it's not really very fast when you look at the speed (the lens on the camera makes it look faster). Not much over 40mph.
(b) unless that's a closed road, he's taking far too much risk by using the full width.

 

[Alex321]

In the original video:

(a) it's not really very fast when you look at the speed (the lens on the camera makes it look faster). Not much over 40mph.
(b) unless that's a closed road, he's taking far too much risk by using the full width.

While I'm not sure it was closed, the road is one-way (in the direction he was going), so he wasn't going to meet anything coming the other way.

 

[matticus]

While I'm not sure it was closed, the road is one-way (in the direction he was going), so he wasn't going to meet anything coming the other way.

Yup. And he also admitted to a few recce runs; riding down there the first time there is no way a sane rider would match those lines and speeds.

 

[richardfm]

In the original video:

(a) it's not really very fast when you look at the speed (the lens on the camera makes it look faster). Not much over 40mph.
(b) unless that's a closed road, he's taking far too much risk by using the full width.

For me, and I'm sure many others, "not much over 40mph" is "very fast".

 

[Dogtrousers]

While I'm not sure it was closed, the road is one-way (in the direction he was going), so he wasn't going to meet anything coming the other way.

He also had a car ahead of him. "It was a one way and there was a car ahead making sure all clear."
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pidcock-responds-to-safety-concerns-following-viral-descent-video/

 

[matticus]

This all reminds me of my (epic, epic I tell ya!) ascent of the Galibier. The road was closed (apart from "Access") turned out this was due to a Sportive coming DOWN the mountain.
Oh my days ...