Originally Posted by
Racer Ex
Hey, what do I know. I've only got a couple of 250 GP Championships. Try this video of one of the fastest descenders in the pro peleton, start at 19s:
Here's the front view:
Or just Google "Andy Schleck Descending Skills". On the off chance there's an actual video, do the exact opposite of what you see.
If you look at Ex's picture you'll see that he's basically in line with the bike. No exaggeration leaning more or less, regardless of how it "feels". I've seen pictures of guys in corners where their shoulders are another foot or so to their right (if using Ex's picture as the "baseline"). Meaning their left shoulder was about where Ex's chin is in the picture. That's what you probably don't want, at least not in dry weather. What I find is that when I get scared and do the exaggerated body-to-the-side thing I can't do much to tighten up my line quickly. Inevitably I'm nowhere near the limits of traction so when I want to tighten up the turn (say I go into the turn conservatively and realize I can be a bit more aggressive with the apex) I find that I can't.
At the same time if you lean the bike way more, again in an exaggerated way, you end up committed to a pretty aggressive line. (Davis) Phinney and Cancellara are two guys that seem to like to dive into turns by dropping the bike down practically to the ground. It works but it's hard to adjust your line doing that as well since it's harder to "pick up" the bike once you've pushed it down so far. Minor adjustments, okay, but say the guy in front of you slides out. You can't tighten your line by dropping the bike because your bars are practically on the ground already and it'll take a half moment to get the bike up a bit.
Both techniques have their situations but they're more reactions/adjustments rather than baseline.
This coming from someone that hasn't been on a motorcycle faster than about 25 mph
