It negates that capability if one doesn't have razor sharp reflexes and a clear sight picture, not for general use on my narrow Hill Country roads w/ suicidal deer and rough surfaces.

-Bandera

No doubt!

Most of my descending is in areas where there can be quite a bit of wildlife (and I don't mean the happy hour kind). I've had quite a few near misses myself. To be honest, that is one of the reasons I keep my speed down. It's not what I can see and expect to happen ... it's what I can't see and don't expect that scares the poop out of me. :o

BTW: The guy in the pic descending at full chat is a Professional Racing Cyclist on a closed course descent that he knows from previous races and recons.
He has ridden more descents last year at top speed than we have in a lifetime at piddling pace, is perfectly fitted on top quality professionally maintained equipment and isn't worried about going to work tomorrow because he is at work. He also has a race doctor and ambulance following along behind the peloton.

Unless one has considerable experience, a calm and confident demeanor, total faith in one's equipment and perfect conditions emulating this style of descending may be ill advised. :eek:
That being said, when the wind conditions are right and the sight lines are clear there is one local descent that I still totally rip...........

Ride your own pace.

-Bandera

Hey, I have friends that actually descend like that!

I read an interview with a professional cyclist long ago, and he was asked if he enjoyed all those fast descents. His answer was interesting. He said something to the effect that he was a fearless descender only because he was PAID to do it, and it was necessary to win races. That was a perspective I hadn't thought of before.

And yea, when conditions permit, I say letter rip. Like I mentioned, just a few weeks ago found me going 53 MPH without even realizing it. :eek:

What is this '..full tuck...' that I see mentioned in this thread???
Something like sitting back and enjoying the ride down?

That picture is why I think pro race bikes should have dropper seaposts.

Now at ages 82 and 80 we limit the speed on our descents on our tandem to around 30 mph.
However, in our younger' days 40s and even into early 70s we still descended quite fast. Broke 50 mph many times here in the mountains in Arizona.
Weather and road conditions play big part in how fast we coasted down.
Pedaling, our top speed was 44 mph and both of us bouncing on the saddles on a slight and long downhill racing a couple of male/male tandem duos . . . No, they did not beat us.
Have crashed on tandem and on single at 38 mph . . . not fun!

I present no larger wind target and my butt is on the saddle. Note his leg hanging down, that grabs wind. I keep legs level. My chin is at times on the bars when pavement is smooth. Knees in tight to the TT and elbows nearly under your ribs.

The wuss of wussies here! My highest speed ever? 43 mph. I like my skin and don't want to lose it. Any of it!

That's no turtle pace, there.

Have hit 53 mph when I used a speedometer, no longer use one but I like to keep it under about 45, depending on conditions.
Have crashed at 25, have had friends crashed out by a deer, and have seen many people crash while overcooking a turn.

I have to go to work, I'm not going to get a prize for being the first one to the bottom of a descent. Keep it fun but use your head.

My fastest was 45.7 and I was not ready for that. Did it in the drops with chin level with the bars. Was on my S5. I try to keep it down to 40 or below.

Two of that guy still ain't "50+"!

My wife turned 60 this month. To celebrate she succeeded in pulling away from me on a decent when I was clocking 45 mph. We were on fully loaded touring bikes. She just tucks and goes for it. She is more streamlined than me, and an excellent bike handler.

A zippy turtle perhaps but certainly no hare! It was on the Technium PRE!

SI've only managed 43 on mine. Go Technium!

Is she from Pasedena?

As a much younger man, I crashed on consecutive days in training runs for a downhill ski race at 70 mph plus. Walked away from both. Sixty on skis feels fast but still doable and even fun at times. The one crash I've had on a bike that did not involve a car was at less than 25 mph. It took many of the king's horses, men and titanium rods to put my hip back together. If I'm over going over 50 on the bike, it's an accident.

I've absolutely no idea how fast I've gone downhill as I don't have a bike computer/speedo but I know it's nowhere near the higher end speeds mentioned on this thread. The hills around here tend to be short and bending and I have too much sense (or lack the requisite testicular dimensions) to really go for it down hills given my recent experiences involving falls/hard surfaces/pain/hospitals.

The last time I rode down an extremely steep and winding mile long hill near me the rims were red hot from all the braking. I think people were riding up it faster than I was descending.

I'm 61 and speed doesn't bother me yet, I actually love speed. Of course I'm not going to go fast on a rough road that is all pot holed up, but on normal road I have no issue with going as fast as the bike, or I, can go.

As far as wildlife or whatever appearing suddenly, so what? Stuff happens. You can't live your life in fear of something that might happen when in fact in reality rarely happens.

I don't have any long downhill runs where I ride so if I'm lucky I max out around 30. I've taken my bike on vacation and had some opportunities to hit just about 40 but that's about it. I think if I had more experience I would be more willing to let it rip.
Is the pure thrill of speed worth it? Maybe, maybe not. I've had crashes in the mid 20's and ended up with a hip replacement aside from the usual road rash so you don't need an epic descent to get messed up. I do tend to get sucked in when the opportunity presents itself but 50 - I'm afraid my wimp factor would kick in.:p

63y,o now, crashed at 40 mph at 59 y.o. broke a cervical vertebra. OK now. Routinely hit 40 -45 on descents, max was 56.7.
My cousin asked me how bad it could be falling off a bike. I told her that some time when she is driving along at 40 mph, open the door and get out.
Since the crash, I am more circumspect on roads I am not familiar with, but I'm not sure crashing at 30 would be all that much better than crashing at 40 or 50, and, as I said, I commonly get into the low to mid 40's.
If I stopped doing things every time I got hurt, I would not be doing much now!

This is so so true. We can't live in fear the rest of our lives because of an accident or some odd event. The old cowboy saying was "feeling down? then saddle up", meaning when you get thrown get right back on that horse.

Assume the position! I can out-coast most tandems, both for speed and roll-out.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...cs/menocom.jpg