More aero … 🤷‍♂️

I spoke of purposefully losing substantial weight. It certainly helped with climbing and endurance, but it also slowed descents.

  • I also needed to work on descending, getting into and comfortably maintaining a lower, more aerodynamic position.
  • To start, I slammed all of the stems on my roads bikes and installed a longer (110 mm) stem on my carbon racing bike. Surprisingly, I didn’t notice much of a change. I had been working on my flexibility and core strength.
  • Next, I would practice getting into a lower position with my back almost level to the ground, hands on the hoods, elbows tucked in and as low as I could get them. At first, this did not feel comfortable, but over time with consistent practice it became second nature.
  • And lastly, I worked on continuing to pedal throughout the descent. It felt awkward at first pedalling in the position, but not now.
  • After 2 years of work on this, I have become a reasonable, more confident descender.
  • 3 thoughts on “More aero … 🤷‍♂️

    1. I very rarely out-descend anyone. Being a lighter rider doesn’t help, but I’m also not all that good a descender and a little bit more “risk aware” than I was when I was younger. I try and make up that time on the climbs…

      • I feel much the same way. Some years ago I crashed at 65+ kph on a long descent, and ever since I have been more cautious. I don’t take unnecessary risks and whenever I get up near that 65 kph range I instinctively back off. I know a fellow that rode on the professional tour in Europe for 15 years. I asked him how fast he would descend on some of the stages. He said he once topped 125 kph. And I’m putting the brakes on at 50.

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