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Recently I did the dragon ride and it was absolutely epic. It was my first time riding in Wales and it certainly didn't disappoint. The climbs and the views were absolutely spectacular. What wasn't spectacular were some of the descents. Ordinarily, I live for The descent. However, on some of the descents on the dragon ride once I got past around 65 km an hour, the crosswinds were lethal. I don't have the deepest of rims on my road bike but I think they're 45 or 50 mil. And I understand that the crosswinds were gusting up to about 80 km an hour. When one of those gusts hit you side on, it seemed to me as though my entire bike moved half a metre, thankfully closer to the mountain. It made descending really quite scary.
Other people seem to have similar profile wheels but they were going even faster than I was and didn't seem to be being impacted by the wind as badly as I was. Is there some kind of technique or is it just if you're heavier is not a massive issue? Also on one of the descents I had spun out completely and was in a full aero tuck and some people were flying past me.... I think my biggest gearing is 56x11 and I can't imagine they're going to be much bigger than that. So I'm curious to know how they were going past me. At least 20 to 25 km is now faster than I was going.
Does anyone have any tips for how to descend on a road bike in significant gusty crosswinds, keep up the speed and be the fastest man on the mountain?
Ps - I've already signed up for the bigger dragon ride next year! Can't wait to ride those roads again. I can't wait to do those climbs again.
50mm (or slightly less) rims are fairly deep if you're riding in heavy crosswinds. When you say other people weren't affected as much, was this from watching them descend or from talking about it afterwards? I wonder if it's possible you're feeling like you're being pushed around a lot, but for someone watching, it doesn't look as bad as it feels. Similar with the full aero tuck - are you sure you're actually getting as low and aero as the people overtaking you? I've watched videos of myself of when I felt like I was very aero but my position still had much to improve on.
I did a lap of the National Road Race circuit (mid Wales) last week, also in blustery conditions and one of the descents was absolutely lethal for the same reason. Cross/head winds and multiple changes of direction throughout the descent.
It was genuinely quite scary at times.
Descending properly fast, once you reach the limits of gearing is all down to aero position and confidence in your kit, especially tyres. Being able to carry momentum through a corner and out the other side adds a lot to your average speed.
The variations in descending skills on display during the race was really something. Women's race in particular, some would come out the bottom of the descent 30-40m clear without expending any extra effort. In fact that's how the break got established, a group of riders who just slipped clear because they were much better at descending than the others.
weight will come into it on descents as you have more force pushing you down a hill but similar wind resistance. A tandem is significantly faster coasting downhill to give an example - twice the weight but only 1.5 times the wind resistance
Everyone has to make their own choice on the day and it makes a huge difference if you know the road/surfaces.
I love a fast (safe) descent and (usually)don't have a problem clicking over 50,but I rode the Snow Roads Audax a few years ago and the (side) winds when descending from the Lecht were crazy.
IME,side winds don't care how aero you are.
However, on some of the descents on the dragon ride once I got past around 65 km an hour, the crosswinds were lethal.
So don't go over 65 kph! I love a fast descent and regularly clock 80 kph or more, but there's a time and a place. Strong crosswinds call for a bit of caution.
Riding on the road with 80kph wind gusts is dodgy at best, even a 50kph side gust can knock you significantly off line (not something you want to be doing in a mass start event with people passing you).
Were you tucked using the drops or tops? I find it makes a big difference to controlling unexpected side winds (going past a farm gate etc.) if I'm on the drops. As for spinning out, I tuck and freewheel even before spinning out a 50x11, weight definitely helps...
I've had a gust (passing a farm gate) almost blow me into the oncoming lane... I had a S frame, with quite shallow Alu rims at the time. Proper puckered up. 😳
My mate (almost double my weight, riding a L frame) didn't move as much, so a bit of extra mass helped... and he had a longer wheelbase too.
Lots of factors to consider I guess.
I did the dragon devil this year too (well, nearly all of it, span back after the penultimate stop via Neath, rather than the last Rhigos climbs, so still 286km, but mate wasn't faring so well so that seemed a bit of an easier option) and the crosswinds/headwinds were pretty grim at times. There was one descent in particular, just as you came round the top of the climb that you just got absolutely battered with it.
On those descents, especially as it was pretty wet at times, I'm happy to sacrifice a bit of speed to stay safe. On gearing, I'd be slightly surprised if you had a 56 on the front as that's a bit of a beast, compact is usually 50/34 and standard 53/39. But a good aero position will get you loads of speed (conditions allowing).
Shallow wheels are great if it’s windy. Use your training wheels on a hilly event if the forecast is for gusty winds even 50mm deep can be problematic/scary.
It’s not weight that makes you a faster descender it’s all about aerodynamics. At high speed the aerodynamic drag makes a huge impact. Your head and body position can really slow you down. Aerodynamic drag increases in proportion to the velocity squared. So if you want to go faster downhill first look at your position then how aero your bike helmet is and your clothing. An aero road helmet and a one piece road suit can make a hell of a difference as long as your noggin is not sitting up 2 foot above your handlebars. The other issue is of course cornering skills, carrying your speed through corners and good braking techniques. Just look at videos of Tom Pidcock for a masterclass.
hi all thanks for all the replies !
it seems that yes i do have a 50/34 on the front 🙂 and that i just need to grow a pair ( aero) and trust my tyres and thats how i get faster on the descent ! next year i think that a shallow section rim may be on the cards - i might grab my hope gravel rims from my other bike and put them on as they will be less impacted by the wind. Re aero position - i think i just need to practise and gets someone to watch me as what i think is a full sagan tuck might not be as tucked as i think !
re Tom pidcock i saw his last video - the man is not only insane but also able to defy the laws of physics !
thank you all i now have loads to think about
i just need to grow a pair ( aero) and trust my tyres and thats how i get faster on the descent !
More than just trusting your tyres, you need good tyres!
I went out to Spain a couple of years ago on new wheels which came as a whole wheel/tyre system (Mavics). I've been to that part of Spain before, I know the roads but my descending was nowhere near as good as normal and it's because the tyres were crap.
The following year, same place but on new Specialized tyres, my descending was spot on.
The only way you learn it is by doing. Most people don't ride anywhere near enough (especially in bad weather) to begin to learn the limits of their kit or how it behaves in crosswinds / rain etc. One of the main issues we faced on ride-leading was folk who had the fitness from riding on smart trainers but didn't have any real world riding experience. First hint of bad weather, they'd be on the turbo smashing out a Zwift course. In the real world where you actually have to steer a bike on a wet road, they'd be off. I think the record was a guy who got a mile down the road on Day 1 then fell off on a wet manhole cover. He'd never ridden in the rain before.