Cycling Forums - View Single Post - Can a newbie teach things about descending?

01-21-2007, 06:22 PM

I'm heading down 84 (above Woodside, California) with my 14-year-old son
today; he's got maybe 500 (or less) road miles under his belt, while I've
got... geez, I dunno, but over 200k anyway. And I'm watching the way he
dives into some of the corners, and other times hanging way, way, way to the
outside. You know, that area where you might find a bit of gravel now & then
so you avoid it. And a few times I'm actually having a bit of trouble
keeping up with him, but figure no matter what, I'm riding behind him, so if
he does go down, I can keep any cars off his back.

He's taking different lines than I would, essentially testing the adhesion
of his tires in ways that I wouldn't. But he's doing so because, well, he
just doesn't know any better, because he hasn't become one with the pavement
yet. At least that's what I'm rationalizing. And yet I'm also thinking that
maybe I've just become too conservative over the years.

When I was racing, I would descend better for several months *after* a
crash, because there was that reassurance that hey, you survived it, no
biggie, things happen sometimes, don't sweat it too much. But then when I'd
go for a long period of time without hitting the pavement, I'd actually
start losing my nerve a bit and descend more slowly, thinking it was
something to be avoided at all costs, rather than, well, just one of those
things that happens sometimes.

Criteriums were always pretty easy for me; I figured that if someone else
could take that particular line, so could I. Never a big issue with nerves.
But there's something else going on when descending. Maybe there's too much
time to think? Sometimes it seems like you're totally on, and others, you
could swear your bike's handling screwy from a flat tire, but it's not.

If I've got a question here, I haven't quite figured out what it is. Maybe
just looking for what others have experienced themselves, and trying to work
through what to teach my kid about descending. I'd like him to have fun, but
wouldn't mind if he could learn the limits without losing as much skin as I
did growing up.

Thanks-

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

01-21-2007, 06:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mike Jacoubowsky Guest Posts: n/a	Can a newbie teach things about descending? I'm heading down 84 (above Woodside, California) with my 14-year-old son today; he's got maybe 500 (or less) road miles under his belt, while I've got... geez, I dunno, but over 200k anyway. And I'm watching the way he dives into some of the corners, and other times hanging way, way, way to the outside. You know, that area where you might find a bit of gravel now & then so you avoid it. And a few times I'm actually having a bit of trouble keeping up with him, but figure no matter what, I'm riding behind him, so if he does go down, I can keep any cars off his back. He's taking different lines than I would, essentially testing the adhesion of his tires in ways that I wouldn't. But he's doing so because, well, he just doesn't know any better, because he hasn't become one with the pavement yet. At least that's what I'm rationalizing. And yet I'm also thinking that maybe I've just become too conservative over the years. When I was racing, I would descend better for several months after a crash, because there was that reassurance that hey, you survived it, no biggie, things happen sometimes, don't sweat it too much. But then when I'd go for a long period of time without hitting the pavement, I'd actually start losing my nerve a bit and descend more slowly, thinking it was something to be avoided at all costs, rather than, well, just one of those things that happens sometimes. Criteriums were always pretty easy for me; I figured that if someone else could take that particular line, so could I. Never a big issue with nerves. But there's something else going on when descending. Maybe there's too much time to think? Sometimes it seems like you're totally on, and others, you could swear your bike's handling screwy from a flat tire, but it's not. If I've got a question here, I haven't quite figured out what it is. Maybe just looking for what others have experienced themselves, and trying to work through what to teach my kid about descending. I'd like him to have fun, but wouldn't mind if he could learn the limits without losing as much skin as I did growing up. Thanks- --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com