11 Tips to Descend Better and Faster

Don’t try any crazy aero tuck positions

by Patricia Schwager, ALP Cycles Coaching

There is no better feeling than flying down a descent on your bike. At lest for me – I just love going fast and the feeling of (high) speed on my bike.

Good descending skills are an advantage; races can be lost or won on descents. I think I’m allowed to say that I’m good at descending fast, but that wasn’t always the case. Of course, many years of racing experience play a big role. But, I also had to put in some work in my descending skills; my skills weren’t just there from one day to the next. 

Like any skill, the best way to become better at something is to really work on it. Ask someone that is good at descending to ride with you – follow that wheel while descending. You can learn a lot of things that way: how to choose a good line, when to brake and how to move your body on the bike.

Here are some tips on how to descend better and faster: 

1. Trust yourself and your bike. Start small and at low speed – to to an empty parking lot, set up some cones or water-bottles and train the basics. Get your cornering dialed in before you ride long, fast and tricky descents.
   
   
2. Hold your handlebars correctly. Have your fingers at brake levers but don’t cramp – relax. Place your hands in the drops, elbows bent and tucked in, if you aren’t pedaling keep pedals level, knees slightly bent and tucked in too.
   
   
3. It is very important that you stay relaxed. If your body is tense it will transfer to your bike and makes it much more difficult to control and steer.
   
   
4. Don’t try any crazy aero tuck positions. It looks cool and is very fast but it isn’t safe, and doesn’t allow for much recovery.
   
   
5. Steep descents: sight slightly back in the saddle to move the weight more back.
   
   Pedal as long as you can – if you are running out of gears then you can coast. This is also better for your muscles – it helps to keep them warm.
   
   
6. Look/think ahead and that means far ahead. Looking just in front of your wheel is a bad choice when descending fast. Because of the speed, you need a lot more time to react. Look through a corner – put your focus on the exit of the corner. Your bike will go where you focus your view!
   
   
7. Brake late but brake before the corner – and use both brakes.
   
   
8. Lean your bike not your body. Lean in the direction the road bends and you will go through turns nice and smoothly. No need to turn the handlebars or lean your body more than your bike.
   
   
9. Choose a good line, outside- inside- outside. Approach a corner from the outside. Going to the outside of the road helps you to have better visibility as you process where the apex of the corner is and start looking for the exit.
   
   
10. Then hit the apex (center of the turn) on the inside. This allows you to take the straightest line and maintain the highest speed through a corner. Take your line to the outside again at the exit of the corner.
    
    
11. Cornering: brake before the corner pedal position: inside pedal is up/outside pedal is down (very important is to put pressure on the outside leg/pedal!) going into turn – push inside hand – keep head and shoulders over outside foot!

ABOUT PATRICIA SCHWAGER

Patricia Schwager began cycling in 1998, racing as a junior. After racing on the domestic level and completing her Diploma as Pastry Chef, she got her first pro contract in 2006. 2015 will be here 10th year of professional racing. Patricia has a lot of experience racing in the European peloton. In 2013 she started working with Shawn Heidgen (Current ALP Cycles Coach) as her personal coach. In 2014 she changed her focus to racing in the US. Patricia is a 6 time national Swiss champion and has represented her home country, Switzerland, at the World Championships 12 times.

For 2015, Patricia will race for Team Tibco. Along with racing she’s looking to share and pass on her knowledge in her new role as an ALP Cycles Coach. Visit her online at http://patriciaschwager.com

About ALP Cycles Coaching

ALP Cycles Coaching is located in the mountains of Colorado, and is a cycling coaching company with over 25 years of professional sports experience. ALP Cycles Coaching is unique in that we have 4 coaches, Alison Powers, Jennifer Triplett, and Patricia Schwager who each brings her own coaching strengths and personal experiences. We work together to create a training plan that works for each and every person. Visit them online at http://alpcyclescoaching.com

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