How To Descend Faster | GCN's Pro Cycling Tips

Descending is a cycling skill that's really fun to work on – here's how to improve yours.

As pro cycling races often show, being fast in the hills or the mountains isn't *just* about how fast you can ride uphill. While we're not suggesting that you go out and treat your local descent like a race course, becoming a better descender won't just help you to ride faster – it will, ultimately, help you to descend more safely too.

Here's our advice for working on your descending. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments and SHARE this video!

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Music:
Keep On Rising - Per Ljungqvist, George Nakas

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Leave us a comment below!

[horatioholloway]

Steven Kruiswijk should have seen this video before the descent from the Agnello Last friday! might have been able to keep up with Chaves and Nibali!

[Jake]

One thing I've noticed in club rides and just general observations of people I know, is, the people who are naturally good drivers, or have a keen interest in Motorsport etc are by far the best descenders. Those who drive there car like a grandad tend (not always) to be pretty slow and steady on the bike too, they also lack understanding on how to corner, and miss the apex by a country mile half the time 🤓 it's not always the case, but it certainly helps to know your racing lines and to just be more confident at speed...

[piano]

"Follow an other rider, one that is more proficient and also faster than you" Clearly Kruiswijk shouldn't have used this tip when trying to match Nibali's descending speed :)

[factsabouturmum]

Brotip: front brake has more stopping power but the rear lets you create a bit of drag while staying quite stable... And even if it does lock, it's much easier to recover the rear than the front... This is a beautiful thing on those hard drops that turn a lot. Also on wet roads.

[zerouk]

Does anyone else grip the top-tube with their inner thighs? Esp down sketchy 15%+ narrow lane descents (such as we have on Dartmoor). I find this a really good way to feel more secure/stable.

[matthewhoelscher]

NOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS...DESCEND AS FAST AS YOU CAN WITHOUT GETTING YOURSELF KILLED!

There you go, the above video summarized. But seriously, great work GCN, love your videos.

[stefancameron]

Four words to remember: Look, sweet, relax, late. Look where you want to go, stay in the "sweet spot" (where your weight is properly distributed), relax (don't be tense), and do a late apex.

Simon and Matt didn't talk about a late apex, but I find it works really well and helps you stay within the center line, especially if you discover the corner is a decreasing radius (which you may not know going in). A late apex means you move to the center line (or middle of the road) and stay there until the last possible moment, then you turn. Even if the corner is decreasing, you'll still be aligned to stay on the road and on the proper side rather than veering into traffic or even off-road.

[gunkshunter]

Want to descend faster? Chase Strava segments, it made me faster and also gave me road rash.

[RixterNow]

A videoo dealing with high-speed wobble and deep-section rims (particularly on windy descents) would be awesome too =)

[matthewkluge]

they both made it through alive ! I deem this video a success !

[jimmitchell]

How about a dropper post on a road bike? I know it isn't normal (yet), but why wouldn't it help descending long, twisty mountain roads? Wouldn't it make for a faster, more confident descent? There's already a wireless electronic dropper out there... Sounds like it would go with etap perfectly!

[matthewrollinson]

Just got back from a a week there, amazing amazing place to ride. Sa Calobra was everything I'd hoped for. Climbing back up was the best bit for me.

[ollyc]

Yesterday I overtook Ian Stannard at the top of a hill (in a car) and by the time i got to the bottom of the hill, he caught me up. Now that's fast descending

[veganmasterchef]

I needed this. I am great at uphills, but suck at going down.

[thisveterancan]

Thanks for the tips! I wish I'd seen the cornering ones two weeks ago when I wiped out in a 90 degree corner going flat out, in a Sprint Triathlon... Fully committed though, but was on the wrong bike - my Ducati would have gone round, no worries! Haha, (painful) lesson learned, but in the greatest traditions of our sports, I finished the race!

[rubezmess]

Matt.... Heino would be proud top sock work... chapeau

[VirtuousBicycle]

Great video guys, beautifully shot! My heart was in my mouth the whole time!

[jaytam]

Matt, like that little 'superman' curl sticking out of your helmet!!

[glenslough]

I know it was only a short video but it would've been worth mentioning counter-steering too i.e pushing the right arm forward to turn the bike right.

[alfiebrookes]

If you only had made this last week, we may of had a different Giro winner