Contents:
And the next time. Even though I was only on the road for a couple of hours, I still managed to get an idea of how disliked cyclists generally are. Almost as soon as I got onto a road, I was aggressively beeped at by the sort of pointlessly white Ranger Rover that only drug dealers and high-level hairdressers drive.
But, for the most part, the other road users were completely respectful. Soon enough, within the relatively safe confines of a bus lane on a stretch where I could pick up some speed, I started to see what the fuss was about. And I think I might start doing that.
The lesson was brilliant and alll I want to do now is get a bike. Who knows, with six or seven months of regular practice, I might even stop pleading with God to let me live every time I see a junction. You can contact Cycle Training UK through their website: Interested in finding out more about how you can live better?
Take a look at this month's Live Better Challenge here. The Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here. Topics Live Better Live Better: Order by newest oldest recommendations.
Show 25 25 50 All. Many of the best Tour riders scout the difficult sections of a race in advance, because it gives them an idea of what must be negotiated ahead of time. As you descend, you must feel the bike and connect with it so that you are a single unit. Get in tune with the pitch of the hill, the camber, and the way it banks, then climb back up that hill and ride it again.
Skill and confidence improve with familiarity. Also consider changing weather in the mountains, the potential for road hazards, sand, gravel, dirt, leaves, and freshly fallen rocks on sharp road cuts. If you are venturing into unfamiliar terrain, assume that the worst-case scenario awaits, and avoid speeds that compromise your personal skill level. Descending requires percent of your attention, so do not allow yourself to become distracted and never take your eyes off the road in front of you.
If you know a skilled and experienced cyclist who will ride with you and enjoys playing the gravity game, join him or her. Follow his lead, though not with blind abandon, and attempt to duplicate his moves downhill. Ask questions, and wait for answers. As a rule, the best line through a downhill turn is outside, inside, outside, but the quickest way down may be completely inappropriate in traffic.
The manner in which you are set up on your bike is also a factor. Triathletes on steeply angled, forward-positioned time trial bikes, need to reduce speed exponentially, as these bikes may compromise a safe descent. A fun way to learn descending techniques is to carve cones water bottles placed in an empty parking lot.
You can safely learn how to control and balance your bike on the flats, which will make you more adept at controlling it on descents. In case you are wondering, practicing these techniques on a mountain bike on loose surfaces translates well to a road bike. For example, sliding your weight back on the saddle, reducing your center of gravity, light feathering of the brakes, and adjusting the brake bias are skills common to both road and off-road riding.
It's hot out there! My story began in Take a look at this month's Live Better Challenge here. Ha ha, chapeau indeed! Listening to Bike Lanes by Jeffrey A.
A less common, although potentially terrifying experience for an inexperienced cyclist generally occurs when one's center of gravity is too high and the mechanical set up of the bike is not optimal. A very sudden loss of control, which is characterized by high-speed oscillation, can be corrected with a remarkably simple action: It also helps to drop your center of gravity by bending the elbows slightly and sliding to the rear of the saddle.
In case you think your discomfort with gravity is indicative of your cycling rank, consider the plight of a Gianni Bugno, who won two back-to-back world professional road-racing championships in the 90's.