jsdavis

When descending hills headed home, I often find myself standing and scooting my butt back such that the saddle clamped between my thighs. Somehow this feels more stable than staying seated. I cannot pedal well in this position but I do not care to do so either.

DX-MAN

I will do that if I'm descending STAIRS; if it's just a downhill, I lean forward.

jsdavis

I always feel like I am about to go OTB if I lean forward and apply the brakes. I have not attempted descending stairs.

DX-MAN

The trick with the brakes is:

1. SQUEEEEEEZE, not grab, the brakes EQUALLY.

BTW, I don't like going down stairs all that much, in fact, 5 steps is about my limit; it just happens sometimes. Haven't 'been there' yet on the new bike, a little curious how it will handle it -- the new bike has done SO MUCH BETTER than anything else I've ridden with SO MUCH of my in-ride silliness............

no1mad 

I tend to stand with my arse floating over and slightly behind the saddle, but I don't grip it with my thighs. Defeats the purpose of letting the legs act as shock absorbers...

seely

Everyday. I have one *really* steep hill on my way to work. I think its an old mountain biking habit for me -- I assume the position so to speak: butt hovering *just* above the saddle and back, knees out a bit fingers on brake lever tips. Old habits die hard I guess.

jsdavis

I am usually braking the whole way down on the steeper part, otherwise, I probably will be going 40+ MPH at the bottom.

There is a less steep route where I usually just let the bike go but I give myself about 200-300ft to stop.

hueyhoolihan

yes. occasionally.

Phil_gretz

Yup. Mountain biking habit. On a steep descent, I will stand, scoot back, and lean flat. I know it's silly on a road bike, that is to say not needed, but it's what I do. It's for stability, particularly if you're going to encounter some rough surface or unforeseen bumps...

Sixty Fiver

If the terrain is rough or it allows to to get more aero on a particularly fast descent, yes.

I see it is a habit among those of us who also ride off road where most descents tend to have things that will jump up and kill you and where un-weighting the front wheel is very important.

Breathegood

I try not to grip the saddle with my thighs, but yes, this is my descending technique. With my weight off the saddle and on the peddles I can use my whole body to drive the bike rather than just use my hands to steer and hold on for the ride. It also allows me more freedom to adjust my CoG as necessary.

Seattle Forrest

What kind of bike do you have?

What you're doing weights the rear wheel, and if you need to do a panic stop, it'll let you get a lot more out of your front brake, because of it. You're also using your arms and legs as a suspension. This gives you better control (and comfort!) over bad pavement.

I do all that sometimes if I need to descend a steep hill in a straight line. But most of the time when I'm descending, I'll get down in the drops. This weights the front wheel, allowing me to turn more quickly and with less distance, puts me in a more aerodynamic position which lets me pick up more speed, and also helps to stabilize the bike.

CACycling

On really steep and/or rough decents, I'll hover over the saddle with my butt further back to keep my weight centered. Otherwise I just go to the drops (if I'm on one of my bikes with drop bars) and get as aero as possible.

fietsbob

It is a common off road MTB technique for steep slopes, moves your CofG back.

Also useful when there is a big bump you see, and so, anticipate,
get off the saddle and let your legs be the springs.

MadCityCyclist

I do it over downhill bumps, but certainly not the entire hill.

modernjess

+1 mountain biking taught me this. On big steeps, and you take it to the extreme and get your ass way back almost rubbing the back tire which makes it's nearly impossible to go over the bars. A less extreme version I'll do even though it's not necessary per se on a road bike. It's just a habit and it make it feel like I'm more prepared in case of unforeseen obstacles, and there isn't a compelling reason to not do it.

ben4345

I do, going down a steep hill, you'll need to use your front brakes and more overall stability. I place my butt at the rear end of my seat, now I don't take if off it unless I am going over bumps. And I put my weight as low as I can, giving me as low center of gravity as I can.
I've wiped out or flipped on my bike to know when I need to do this.

genec

This is what I do too... but not an MTB habit for me, almost all my riding has been street.

Tigerprawn

Always on steep steep descents. Nothing on a commute, but it makes me feel a lot more safe during the steep stuff

DVC45

Standing up and forward here too, if it's a clear route. Love the feeling. Kinda like flying or like a ski jump.

Digital_Cowboy

It depends on if I'm sprinting/hammering or if I'm coasting. If I'm sprinting/hammering then I'm standing and leaning forward in as aero of a position as I can assume. If I'm coasting then I'm still assuming an aero position but have scooted back.

I haven't tempted stairs. It might be fun to give try sometime.

Agreed, that's why I'm "standing" while both hammering and/or coasting. So that I can use my legs legs as shock absorbers. I don't grip anything with my thighs.

me and my bike

not going to lie, sometimes i do so even on small hills cuz i feel like a bad a**

ryanwood

I have 2 pretty long descents on my route, and I usually stand for both of them. This is a habit from long touring trips where I take advantage of a few seconds of coasting to take the weight of my rear end and stretch a little bit.

JReade

I'll stand if I want to stretch, otherwise, I'm in the drops and maybe have my rear off the saddle for bumps.

badger1

Depends on the situation but yes (excluding the 'saddle grip') ... as with some others here, mtb habit transferred to the street/road. It's the mtb "attack" or "control" position: hover over the saddle/lightly cover the brakes; shift weight back when descending and/or braking hard, use legs as shock absorbers. Don't do it so much anymore (descending) on the open road, but in traffic (possible sudden stops) or when anticipating rough ground, using that position is pretty much instinctive with me.