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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16451
Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
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 Posted: 07/02/04 - 12:18 Post subject: Downhill biking
Anybody know the best way to use a downhill most effectively when biking? One of the routes I have on my commute home, there is a serious drop that's about a mile long from when the hill begins it's slightest downgrade to when it absolutely eventually flattens out. By the time I reach the bottom, it's no problem to over 30mph.
The thought occured to me, how do I get the most out of it? Do I pedal hard even before the downgrade begins so I'm already in my biggest cog and gain even more momentum? Or is that too defeating in that I really can't pedal that biggest cog over 30mph anyway?
Is the better approach to simply let the grade of the hill be the reason for shifting up and try to time the biggest cog to happen in the middle of the hill when I can actually use it for the longest period of time and potentially not reach the highest speed?
Or should I conserve strokes on the hill, maybe even initially coast some of it and then pedal hard on the tail end of it and try to keep the momentum as far beyond the hill as I can and work on having to downshift further and further beyond the hill as I train?
Thoughts? Insane blunderings of a shallow mind?  TIA
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TriBob
Member
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Joined: 29 Aug 2002
Posts: 5771
Location: Lost in Transition
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Posted: 07/02/04 - 12:38 Post subject:
Pick up as much speed as you can at the top. Work your way up the gears. Then when you are ready to 'coast', level out the pedals, slide way back on the saddle (my thighs are on the saddle and my butt is basically off the back), knees into top tube, chin as close to the stem as you can do. Keep you arms relaxed to absorb any vibration or bumbs. It is easy to get a death grip as you hit new max speeds.
After you level out, you can start pedaling again and you will slide back up on the saddle. You should be able to maintain a higher then average speed for a while if it stays flat.
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Cappy
Excelent
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Joined: 16 May 2002
Posts: 27368
Location: Spreadsheetylvania
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Posted: 07/02/04 - 16:57 Post subject:
I agree with what TB said, I typically will work my way through the gears and shift down as I regress the hill
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Maddies Wench
Flailing Homosapiens
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Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 6103
Location: Seeking out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go.
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Posted: 07/09/04 - 08:56 Post subject:
Now me, I'm afraid that someone's going to try to shoot out a side street just as I'm whizzing by and cream me. 
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