Hey.

So we've all experienced this at one point, usually when we start fixed.

You go downhill and suddenly you're at an "oh ****" moment--that second where you begin to lose control (mentally, at least) and your bike takes YOU for a ride. For many of us, this is perhaps the most exhillarating part of everyday riding. My friends like to bomb downhills with 30+ degree declines and an equivalent incline at the other side.

Of course, an experienced rider must learn to control this--YOU keeping control over YOUR bike, no matter the terrain--is a key component of mastering riding (do I sound like a roadie yet??).

So... some of us here must have a physics background, or at least a lot of experience in downhill control.

Exactly when does this "oh ****" moment occur? How does a rider gain a feel for how to control the ride? And exactly what percentage of backpedalling to normal pedalling should one exerpt throughout the sections of a hill for maximum control?

We all know of shaloming (sp?) and other techniques to control speed, like skidding or skipping. Let's keep this scenario strictly to backpedalling to start.

Ideally, I think, one should strive to be able to come to a conplete stop without a handbrake within 20 feet of the end of a decent--or BY the end of the decent, if an intersection occurs at such a point.

So... have at it.