The feeling of speed, the wind rustling through your helmet, and the beautiful views often make a descent a special experience. However, descending is not without risks. It is crucial to be prepared and careful. Today, we'll share ten tips to make your descent not only better but especially safer.
Photo: The correct posture when descending: looking at the end of the turn, hands in the stirrup, inner leg up, and pressure on the outer pedal. © Patrick Güller.
Safety should always be the top priority. Don’t get overconfident. Remember that you are not a professional rider and that you are riding on public roads. This means you must always be mindful of other traffic. Stay in your own lane and approach every turn and descent with caution. On a car-free course, you can, of course, use the other side of the road.
Make sure your bike is always in optimal condition. Your essential descent checklist:
The weather can change quickly in mountainous areas. Always check the weather forecast before cycling. Keep in mind that rain increases braking distance and accelerates brake pad wear. Cold temperatures, chills, and strong winds can also make it difficult to control your bike. Make sure you have the right clothing on or with you. In this article, we've listed the best weather apps for you.
Use apps like Komoot, Climbfinder, Strava, and Google Maps to prepare yourself. These apps help you explore the route, turns, and road conditions. Virtual training apps like FulGaz can even give you a taste of the descent.
Photo: In a gran fondo with a car-free course, you can take turns more widely.
Use the map view on your cycling navigation to anticipate turns and combinations. This gives you an overview of what's coming, allowing you to better adjust your speed and riding line.
When descending, make sure you finish braking before the turn so you can ride through the turn without braking. Ideally, you brake with 75% of your brake pressure in front and 25% in the rear. If you ride with a 160 mm disc at the front and a 140 mm disc at the rear, this distribution is already in place, allowing you to brake equally hard at the front and rear. If you ride with rim brakes, you need to squeeze harder on the left than on the right. The reason you brake more at the front than at the back is that when riding straight ahead, your front wheel will almost never slip.
If it becomes necessary to brake in a corner, always use the rear brake. Your front wheel will immediately slip when braking in the corner. This can also happen when braking at the rear, but it can often be corrected.
Photo: The safe variant of the ideal line: cut the corner wide, tight through, and wide out again but without using the other side of the road. © Patrick Güller
At higher speeds, it is essential to look ahead and anticipate what is to come. This helps adjust your speed and driving line in a timely manner, especially in hairpin turns. Look ahead a few turns to see oncoming traffic and adjust your line for a safer descent. Use this tip in conjunction with tips 5 and 6!
A good position on the bike is crucial for a safe descent. Keep your hands in the drops for better control and balance. Make sure the pedal is up on the inside of the turn and keep pressure on the outside pedal and arm to counteract centrifugal force. Bring your knee out on the inside of the turn to shift your center of gravity and create additional pressure on the outside. Keep your hands firmly on the handlebars (and in the drops!) to handle wind gusts.
The apex is a concept from cornering technique in motor racing and is also important when descending on a bicycle. It means taking a corner in such a way that you lose the least speed and maintain maximum control. You do this by reading the corner (see tip 7), making a wide approach, coming in tight, and steering out wide, always being mindful of oncoming traffic. In practice, you won't be able to steer as wide as in the picture below unless it’s a car-free course. For a detailed explanation of the apex, check out this motorcycling blog.
© The-apex.nl
Make yourself visible to motorists. Occasionally ride in the mirror line of the car in front of you, raise your hand, or use your bike bell to let them know you're there. Use car brake lights to anticipate turns and other traffic. Look through the windows of the car ahead to better see what’s coming up. If you want to overtake, make sure you are seen and signal your intentions. Check out this video to see how it works in practice.
Before you apply these tips in the high mountains, practice in a safer environment such as the Posbank, South Limburg, Voerstreek, Ardennes, or Eifel. Share tips with each other and, above all, enjoy the descent. Afterwards, you can brag, but mainly about the fact that you focused on descending safely. Share these comprehensive tips with your cycling buddies to help them enjoy their descents more safely and confidently.
Discount on event tickets up to 50% and much more.