Originally Posted by
echappist
say you normally take a 90 degree right turn at 25 mph (both roads are two lanes), how fast would you take the turn if a) the road is wet but there's no rain and b)when it's pouring?
I talked with a former TdF pro about how they decide cornering speeds on unfamiliar descents. He said you trust the tires and ride like it's dry. He was completely serious, even though the physics don't add up. Major bad news if you bust tail on the Tourmalet, come across in the top four, then get dropped because you're the only one using brakes.
So, scale it back from "ride like it's dry" to match your risk level. I usually slow down enough that I'm only sliding out by a few inches on half the corners.