I gotta new bike!
Well, kinda sorta. Riding with a group of TWWers up Mt. Hamilton on Sunday. On the descent, I was squirrely as usual, crossing over the centerline a number of times on turns, and moving at a moderate but not super fast pace.My teammate behind me passes me and then when we stop to repair a flat of one guy, he says, "It's easier to descend in the drops." Being the mountain biker I am, I preferred the more upright position for descending, so my hands were always on the hoods (not to mention the back would never allow me to spend that much time in the drops).
I thought, what the heck, give it a try. Well, let's just say that I had to tell myself to not be too overconfident with this new riding position. Dang*, was I hauling now. Crazy. Felt like a new bike.
Guess all the core stuff and yoga is helping with the back. I was in the drops for a long a$$ time. You can teach an old dog new tricks...
posted by ginmtb @ 7/05/2006
11 Comments:
At 7/05/2006,
X Bunny said…
and as a newbie myself
i can add the advice that when you are descending fast like that it is safer to be on the drops in case you hit a bump or something as far as keeping contact with the bars
not to mention looking cool
At 7/05/2006,
Anonymous said…
Okay, I think you said something about buying a Cross bike. So if you ever do go out and do a cross race, you best setup your bars so you can be comfortable in the drops. You come down a hill with bumps and you had better be in the drops, probably the only way to hang onto the bars. When you are in the drops, you feel just as connected as with the clipin pedals. If your back is bothering you, add a 1/4" spacer and get the bars up a little.
Humble advice for the wise one.
At 7/05/2006,
ginmtb said…
Oh the cross bike is all setup chopper like. Definitely more upright than my road bike. It does have the extra brake levers on the flat part of the bars too.
I love the longer wheelbase and more MTB-like angles - definitely a stable bike.
At 7/05/2006,
L. Christmas said…
my dog is 8.. i just taught her to heel off leash. she's doing a good job. it's like i have a new dog. :-)
At 7/05/2006,
norcalcyclingnews.com said…
yup, that'll do it.
btw, i love my cross brakes on my regular road bike.
there's nothing finer than dropping somebody through the downhill turns ... while on your tops.
- - -
i think solid descending has a lot to do with staying relaxed and letting your bike go where it needs to. i really don't think y bike ever actually wants to crash. it's just like the dirt ~ looking where you want to go through a turn will keep you from eating pavement (or dirt) 99% of the time.
damn, i love hearing about these kind of "ah-ha!" moments.
right on.
At 7/05/2006,
Ron Castia said…
Learnt me a bit o decending from big Chris Lindsey-Smith, look through the turn and trust the tires. The other good bit o info came from some boys who ride moto-cross, when in doubt, give it gas. Or on the bike cycle let off the break, speed is your friend.
Definitely need to be in a position other than hoods, somewhere so that your thumbs lock your hands on the bars. Slipping off the hoods = asphalt face plant.
Tops are OK, but a little too upright if you cook one a little to hot you can't toss her into the corner harder. See Davis Phinney turn.
At 7/05/2006,
maleonardphi said…
And you call me a rookie, sheesh. Even I decend in the drops, and I haven't even had my road bike a year.
At 7/06/2006,
X Bunny said…
did someone say 'cross bike'?
At 7/06/2006,
ginmtb said…
Yeah but you've ridden your road bike a ton more than me already Rookie Boy...
At 7/06/2006,
ginmtb said…
And don't people hook their hands around the hoods while descending in them? I've hit major bumps before and have managed to stay on the bike. Or are people just resting their hands on the hoods?
At 7/06/2006,
X Bunny said…
yes, you should be holding on on the hoods, but it is easy to get in the habit of being lazy and sitting on top...
you obviously have superb form
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