10 steps to success
Proven technique tips and gear advice to help you master the art of descending
01 DON’T FORGET YOUR MITTS
A good grip is vital on a descent so make sure you wear a quality pair of mitts. Gloves such as the Endura FS260 Pro Aerogel Mitts (£35.99) provide gel grip pads to boost your control, while the wicking fabric and open vents minimise the risk of sweaty fingers slipping on the brakes.
02 RUBBER WISE
If you make one upgrade to enhance your descending performance, grab a set of grippy new tyres. The Continental Grand Prix 5000 (£54.99) features the same BlackChili compound used by Geraint Thomas and Ineos Grenadiers for added grip and a Lazer Grip micro-profile on the tyre’s shoulder for enhanced traction on corners. But, whatever tyres you use, on wet roads it’s worth taking the pressure down to 85 PSI for a bit more traction.
03 LOOK UP
The art of descending will feel easier if you learn to look further down the road. Looking up will help you spot any hazards and give you more time to prepare for the bends ahead. “A lot of people just look straight in front of them, but if you can look through the corner to the next point it’ll give you a smoother racing line,” says Ineos Grenadiers rider Ben Swift. The faster you go, the further you need to look ahead in order to anticipate any changes in the surface or direction of the road.
04 GO LOW
Top riders such as Peter Sagan tend to get low and grab the drops when they’re descending: it lowers your centre of gravity to provide extra balance and improves your aerodynamics so you can enjoy free speed. “It feels safer because you have your thumb and forefinger pushing against the bars,” adds coach David Lines. But be prepared to adapt your position to the course. “On treacherous descents, I go on the hoods to get my weight more over my back wheel ready for any heavy braking before a bend,” reveals Lines.
05 FIX YOUR SPEED
Whether hurtling down a straight descent or swerving around a bend, finding the right speed is of paramount importance. “Once your speed
“Top riders like Peter Sagan tend to get low and grab the drops when they’ re descending”
is correct, anything you do after that becomes more about a simple control of your steering,” says Lines. “If you come down too fast you’ll end up grabbing a handful of brake so the back end
goes light, the front end goes heavy, and things start to go wrong.” Find a steady speed then nudge it up as your confidence grows.
06 BRAKE STRAIGHT
When you need to slash your speed before a turn, always do it while riding in a straight line. “If you brake on the turn, you’re likely to skid,” warns Lines. Aim to use more of your front brake than your back brake. “On a descent the majority of the power of your braking will come from your front brake. So go heavier on the front brake, and use your back brake just to modulate your speed further. If you go too hard on your back brake you’ll skid because your weight is pushed forward. Aim to feather your brakes but don’t squeeze too hard.”
07 LEAN IN When cornering at speed, try to
manoeuvre your bike by leaning, rather than steering with the handlebar. “If you start turning the handlebar, you lose a big surface area from the contact point of your tyre,” warns Lines. “It’s much better to lean your body instead.” Keep your shifts in bodyweight subtle and smooth to avoid losing balance.
STAY LOOSE
Even if you’re nervous, try to avoid tensing up. “Don’t be too stiff in the upper body,” cautions Swift. “A lot of people grip too hard as they feel nervous and you end up going round corners like a 50 pence piece. Stay relaxed and your movements will be more fluid.” Any excessive tension will be transmitted into your bike, resulting in twitchy, unpredictable movements.
So try to relax your shoulders and arms and keep your knees and elbows loose.
09 ENTER AND EXIT WIDE
When you approach a bend, try to stay wide as you enter the corner, cut through the apex of the bend, then exit wide. “The tighter the corner is, the later you should go into that corner, because it gives you a wider exit point,” adds Lines. “If you’re coming into the corner near the middle of the road you have nowhere to go when the corner starts coming back on itself, so you’ll veer onto the other side of the road. Stay out as wide as you can, for as late as you can.”
10 STRIKE SIX
As you corner, drop your outside foot to the six o’clock position. “It puts more weight on the wheels so you keep a good contact point between the tyres and the road,” says Lines. Keeping your outer pedal in the six o’clock position will stretch the tyre for extra grip but it will also raise your inner pedal to 12 o’clock so you don’t scrape the road as you lean in.
" A lot peoples grip too hard as they fee nervous and you end up going round corpers like a 50 peace pice"