4 ms·
The article is keen to stress that going super aero on the descents for amateurs is best avoided. I second this. A lot of descending skill gets learned in teen
by Theodores 6y ago
The article is keen to stress that going super aero on the descents for amateurs is best avoided.
I second this. A lot of descending skill gets learned in teenage years. Those that grow up in hilly areas enter adulthood with innate ability that those who grow up in flat areas struggle to emulate. You can't just take chances.
For absolute amateurs wanting to descend like the kings of The Tour on charity rides the trick is to have properly inflated tyres, so that means using a track pump and not some small hand pump. The track pump has a guage and the tyre has a figure to inflate to.
On a charity ride with properly inflated tyres and some ability to take the correct line it is possible to cruise past people that are in a full aero tuck and pedalling furiously. The chances are that those you pass have all the gear but haven't got that tyre pressure detail right.
Clearly this won't work when riding with people who are pro or have ambition to be pro. But there is great joy to be had when freewheeling down a hill on a boring flat bar old man's bike with mudguards and steel components to pass fully lycra-d riders with fully aero carbon fibre steeds.
- jessaustin 6y agoI've only ever been the most amateur of cyclists, but I find the "Pantani" position (or perhaps the nearest facsimile of it that I can perform) is the most comfortable and stable for descending steep hills at speed. With my stomach on the saddle, I never worry about pitching forward and my arms are aero yet still able to steer.
- loeg 6y agoAnd having your weight back means you can brake a little bit without going over the bars.
- kevin_thibedeau 6y agoI can do high speed descents faster on a slick tired mountain bike than on a road bike simply because the added mass bumps up the terminal velocity so it's less of a struggle. You're not proving much beating roadies with a heavier rig.
- Theodores 6y agoAs an amateur the aero tuck looks like a tempting way to get a marginal gain in speed on the descents. It costs no money and does not demand superhuman fitness. It is easy. But if you get it wrong you get hurt. My point was that an easier marginal gain is the tyre pressures. So often overlooked, tyre pressures are often gauged by feel for the rider to think their tyres are rock hard for them to actually be half inflated. If you don't have fitness or an expensive bike then the air in tyres idea is better than the aero tuck for getting some speed. Regarding your anecdotal MTB speed experience, you have changed quite a few variables - suspension might better suit the road surface, disc brakes might give you quicker braking, the upright bars might help you pick a better line, the smaller wheels might be more aero, the higher bottom bracket might enable you to pedal out of tight turns, the situational awareness from the upright position might give you more confidence on the road and familiarity with the MTB rather than the Sunday special road bike might also be part of the apparent speed gain.
- LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago27x1 1/4 at 8 Bar and I'm good.
- wiredfool 6y agoGive me 650bx42 at 27psi.