+1 for pressure on the outside pedal-it's like carving a ski. It really lets you set the bike into the turn and get a feel for the grip you have on hand. Great vid, gents.
I like this video very much, but there are a few points to consider. In this video there is a clip where rider is exiting corner far too the left (wrong side of a road). One such a mistake could be fatal. And usually these mistakes are fatal. Roads are busy and one must always assume this is a fact. Second thing: holding your hands on the drops is an option but should not be a preferable option. It's good if you want to go faster, but then you also need to brake stronger. It is easily manageable also with your hands on the hoods. At least I find it easy to ride 65km/h and make a full stop with my hands on the hoods using rim brakes... Also your visibility is much better when your body position is elevated. So hands on the drops? Yes, if I really want to go 70km/h and above... Otherwise, no need for that technique. And third thing to consider: disc brakes are more powerful than rim brakes. That is true. But it is only true in perfect conditions. When road is wet or sandy or if there are leaves on the road, you must consider the fact that your tires will not handle the stopping power of disc brakes... This could lead to a disaster. So descending faster in wet conditions with disc brakes? No, because your tires will not deliver the necessary grip needed to manage the soaked asphalt... That is the reason we see bikes winning wet races with rim brakes...
Hey Teo. Some great points there. I'd always stress a safety-first approach, but some of the corners we used for filming had plenty of visibility out of the corner that the camera didn't pick up. I'm not up for playing with my life and can assure you that I wouldn't be using the wrong side of the road if I couldn't see that it was clear. I'd say that in wet conditions, disc brakes don't allow you to use more power. Like you say, the tyre can be quick to lose grip. I would say that I find disc brakes to offer a lot more control of braking power in the wet. They also work the same in wet and dry conditions, so are a lot more predictable. I'd suggest that despite what the marketing folks would tell us, the type of brake never decides a race. It is always about tactics and the rider's ability.
+1 for pressure on the outside pedal-it's like carving a ski. It really lets you set the bike into the turn and get a feel for the grip you have on hand. Great vid, gents.
Top tip - pick a Basso :)
Before really sharp and dangerous bends, there’s usually a sign by the road. So you don’t have to brake as hard if there is no sign.
On long Alpine descents I switch to the map on my Garmin to be able to see what is coming ahead and how tight the turn will be.
I like this video very much, but there are a few points to consider. In this video there is a clip where rider is exiting corner far too the left (wrong side of a road). One such a mistake could be fatal. And usually these mistakes are fatal. Roads are busy and one must always assume this is a fact. Second thing: holding your hands on the drops is an option but should not be a preferable option. It's good if you want to go faster, but then you also need to brake stronger. It is easily manageable also with your hands on the hoods. At least I find it easy to ride 65km/h and make a full stop with my hands on the hoods using rim brakes... Also your visibility is much better when your body position is elevated. So hands on the drops? Yes, if I really want to go 70km/h and above... Otherwise, no need for that technique. And third thing to consider: disc brakes are more powerful than rim brakes. That is true. But it is only true in perfect conditions. When road is wet or sandy or if there are leaves on the road, you must consider the fact that your tires will not handle the stopping power of disc brakes... This could lead to a disaster. So descending faster in wet conditions with disc brakes? No, because your tires will not deliver the necessary grip needed to manage the soaked asphalt... That is the reason we see bikes winning wet races with rim brakes...
Hey Teo. Some great points there. I'd always stress a safety-first approach, but some of the corners we used for filming had plenty of visibility out of the corner that the camera didn't pick up. I'm not up for playing with my life and can assure you that I wouldn't be using the wrong side of the road if I couldn't see that it was clear.
I'd say that in wet conditions, disc brakes don't allow you to use more power. Like you say, the tyre can be quick to lose grip. I would say that I find disc brakes to offer a lot more control of braking power in the wet. They also work the same in wet and dry conditions, so are a lot more predictable.
I'd suggest that despite what the marketing folks would tell us, the type of brake never decides a race. It is always about tactics and the rider's ability.