Building confidence on road bike
Discussion
Fairly new to my road bike - only about 2 months (having finally got comfortable after putting a new saddle on it) but well over 600 miles (and a loss of over a stone and a half of middle age)
I still havnt really found the same level of confidence on it as my MTB (running on slicks) - im slower round corners and on downhill sections. Problem 1 is that im a bit of a pansy and once I get to 30+ I cant help but think that shorts and a t shirt doesnt offer much protection. Im also not entirely sure ive optimised my riding position - Ive got the saddle well forward and stem flipped to give me a bearably comfortable ride. I wondered whether I may have my weight too far forward - I conciously unweight the bars (im riding on the hoods) a bit when cornering. Had been contemplating a shorter stem to enable me to get the saddle a bit further back towards neutral- is this a good idea ?
Any other feedback welcome
I still havnt really found the same level of confidence on it as my MTB (running on slicks) - im slower round corners and on downhill sections. Problem 1 is that im a bit of a pansy and once I get to 30+ I cant help but think that shorts and a t shirt doesnt offer much protection. Im also not entirely sure ive optimised my riding position - Ive got the saddle well forward and stem flipped to give me a bearably comfortable ride. I wondered whether I may have my weight too far forward - I conciously unweight the bars (im riding on the hoods) a bit when cornering. Had been contemplating a shorter stem to enable me to get the saddle a bit further back towards neutral- is this a good idea ?
Any other feedback welcome
I always use the drops when descending anything of moderate gradient - it feels a lot more controllable than the hoods. A road bike will never feel as confident compared to a MTB. Skinny road tyres do have a lot more grip than they appear to have and to a point you just have to trust in their ability - learning the limits of that ability is half the battle.
It's better to be a pansy in one piece than a hero covered in road rash ?
I wouldn't worry too much, you're still relatively new to road bikes and they are very different from an MTB. Apart from the tyre width they also run at lower pressures so the ride will feel smoother compared with a road bike on a 23c tyre at 100psi. Also the MTB's usually have a longer wheelbase with different steering angles which also make a bike feel more stable. So it's not just "you", you're getting used to a whole different style of riding and machine design.
There are lots of theories/advice on good cornering, but the big one is to relax as if you're tense then you are more likely to get it wrong. So increase your speeds slowly in good dry conditions and stay within your personal comfort zone, ignore what the speedo says. As for technique, the most useful I know is to weight the outer pedal. Simply put, when you're turning left, try to push the right pedal down and "under" the bottom of the bike. There's similar advice for handlebars although I think the pedal one is the most confidence-inspiring.
Brian
I wouldn't worry too much, you're still relatively new to road bikes and they are very different from an MTB. Apart from the tyre width they also run at lower pressures so the ride will feel smoother compared with a road bike on a 23c tyre at 100psi. Also the MTB's usually have a longer wheelbase with different steering angles which also make a bike feel more stable. So it's not just "you", you're getting used to a whole different style of riding and machine design.
There are lots of theories/advice on good cornering, but the big one is to relax as if you're tense then you are more likely to get it wrong. So increase your speeds slowly in good dry conditions and stay within your personal comfort zone, ignore what the speedo says. As for technique, the most useful I know is to weight the outer pedal. Simply put, when you're turning left, try to push the right pedal down and "under" the bottom of the bike. There's similar advice for handlebars although I think the pedal one is the most confidence-inspiring.
Brian
What direction are you pointing the bars when you go into the turn?
Your sub-conscious should figure out that you actually need to steer slightly away from the direction of turn to induce lean in the bike, which then carries you round the corner, but you might be consciously overriding that and turning the wheel into the turn. Whilst it might seem logical to turn the wheel in the direction you want to go, the speed you're travelling at means the bike will be trying to chuck you off the bike, which feels bloody uncomfortable, and results in you scrubbing off lots of speed to get round corners!
Putting your weight through your outside pedal at 6 o'clock as previously mentioned is the other key part to this.
Having said that, I know this is the case, and I know I could go much faster round bends, but as you said, self-preservation increases as you grow older!
Your sub-conscious should figure out that you actually need to steer slightly away from the direction of turn to induce lean in the bike, which then carries you round the corner, but you might be consciously overriding that and turning the wheel into the turn. Whilst it might seem logical to turn the wheel in the direction you want to go, the speed you're travelling at means the bike will be trying to chuck you off the bike, which feels bloody uncomfortable, and results in you scrubbing off lots of speed to get round corners!
Putting your weight through your outside pedal at 6 o'clock as previously mentioned is the other key part to this.
Having said that, I know this is the case, and I know I could go much faster round bends, but as you said, self-preservation increases as you grow older!
A few rides will help; I was similar and convinced anything other than perfect tarmac would fling me off but they cope far better than you'd think. The brakes are worse than on an MTB but again, better than you'd think.
Eventually you will even ride over some metalwork; I used to avoid any manhole covers so much, it was more dangerous than riding over them.
But there's no denying you're on a faster bike with worse brakes!!
Eventually you will even ride over some metalwork; I used to avoid any manhole covers so much, it was more dangerous than riding over them.
But there's no denying you're on a faster bike with worse brakes!!
Thanks for the replies - sounds like im not the only one who has realised the ground is hard the older i've got.
Fortunately my climbing appears to more than makes up for my cautious decending and TBH i'm normally out with someone on a ride and prefer to have a bit of a catch up (natter) than go balls out.
Might consider a bike fit seeing as ive been spending 4-5 hours on the bike a week - seems a small investment in the long run to be comfortable and efficient.
I have barely used the drops tbh. Bit of a combination of confidence (feels even more twitchy to me) and comfort. I almost chopped the roadie back in as couldnt get comfy to start with - new saddle, change of position & flipped stem has helped considerably. I had considered a hybrid for a more upright position as this seemed to work for me but the changes have convinced me to persevere. Losing a chunk of weight has certainly helped though.
Thanks again
Fortunately my climbing appears to more than makes up for my cautious decending and TBH i'm normally out with someone on a ride and prefer to have a bit of a catch up (natter) than go balls out.
Might consider a bike fit seeing as ive been spending 4-5 hours on the bike a week - seems a small investment in the long run to be comfortable and efficient.
I have barely used the drops tbh. Bit of a combination of confidence (feels even more twitchy to me) and comfort. I almost chopped the roadie back in as couldnt get comfy to start with - new saddle, change of position & flipped stem has helped considerably. I had considered a hybrid for a more upright position as this seemed to work for me but the changes have convinced me to persevere. Losing a chunk of weight has certainly helped though.
Thanks again
OP you sound just like me, I felt OK on my roadie when I lived in Reading/Bracknell, when I moved to Wilts, I found I was pretty slow on the steep down-hills and rural single lane bends, I never realised until I went out with a group and got left behind at times on the corners! Thankfully I could catch them quickly and was quicker on the climbs! I was could take corners a lot quicker on my slicked out MTB than the roadie which was frustrating.
Just give it time and don't worry about it, I take corners and downhills pretty quick now, but its still good to be a bit cautious. Just riding loads and loads helped me, watcthig how others take bends helps. I swing a knee out to the inside of the corner , which helps me, I also take a wide line. I also relax on the drops and hold on tight! Just put the miles in and it will come
I shortened my stem from 130 to a 90, as the bike was a touch big and it made descending worse and lots more snappy, I'm used to it now but its something to bear in mind.
Just give it time and don't worry about it, I take corners and downhills pretty quick now, but its still good to be a bit cautious. Just riding loads and loads helped me, watcthig how others take bends helps. I swing a knee out to the inside of the corner , which helps me, I also take a wide line. I also relax on the drops and hold on tight! Just put the miles in and it will come
I shortened my stem from 130 to a 90, as the bike was a touch big and it made descending worse and lots more snappy, I'm used to it now but its something to bear in mind.
I'm in a similar situation to you - first ever road bike, 2 months and around 600 miles maybe
What I'm finding even harder is that over here (Belgium) they put the brakes the wrong way round - it's ok when I think about it, but not in emergencies (I assume it's a Belgian thing and not a road bike thing?)
The other day I was on the cycle path going downhill at max speed - around 50km/h - already feeling vulnerable so thankfully was on the drops and covering the brakes - slowly caught up with a van who then turned across me into business entrance without indicating. I braked but nearly went over the handlebars due to too much left hand and not enough right! Gave the guy a bit of a yelling at - to be fair he was quite apologetic, I guess he didn't expect a bike to catch him up on his inside.
What I'm finding even harder is that over here (Belgium) they put the brakes the wrong way round - it's ok when I think about it, but not in emergencies (I assume it's a Belgian thing and not a road bike thing?)
The other day I was on the cycle path going downhill at max speed - around 50km/h - already feeling vulnerable so thankfully was on the drops and covering the brakes - slowly caught up with a van who then turned across me into business entrance without indicating. I braked but nearly went over the handlebars due to too much left hand and not enough right! Gave the guy a bit of a yelling at - to be fair he was quite apologetic, I guess he didn't expect a bike to catch him up on his inside.
V-spec said:
I'm in a similar situation to you - first ever road bike, 2 months and around 600 miles maybe
What I'm finding even harder is that over here (Belgium) they put the brakes the wrong way round - it's ok when I think about it, but not in emergencies (I assume it's a Belgian thing and not a road bike thing?)
The other day I was on the cycle path going downhill at max speed - around 50km/h - already feeling vulnerable so thankfully was on the drops and covering the brakes - slowly caught up with a van who then turned across me into business entrance without indicating. I braked but nearly went over the handlebars due to too much left hand and not enough right! Gave the guy a bit of a yelling at - to be fair he was quite apologetic, I guess he didn't expect a bike to catch him up on his inside.
I borrowed a bike that must have been imported when I was a teenager - it had opposite brakes too. I did go over the handlebars, and it really hurt - I'd suggest spending half an hour swapping them over if I were you; in an emergency you will forget.What I'm finding even harder is that over here (Belgium) they put the brakes the wrong way round - it's ok when I think about it, but not in emergencies (I assume it's a Belgian thing and not a road bike thing?)
The other day I was on the cycle path going downhill at max speed - around 50km/h - already feeling vulnerable so thankfully was on the drops and covering the brakes - slowly caught up with a van who then turned across me into business entrance without indicating. I braked but nearly went over the handlebars due to too much left hand and not enough right! Gave the guy a bit of a yelling at - to be fair he was quite apologetic, I guess he didn't expect a bike to catch him up on his inside.
V-spec said:
What I'm finding even harder is that over here (Belgium) they put the brakes the wrong way round - it's ok when I think about it, but not in emergencies (I assume it's a Belgian thing and not a road bike thing?)
It's just us that have the brakes the wrong way around. pretty much the rest of the world has right-rear left-front. There must be some historical reason for it, but I've never bothered to look it up.CoolC said:
It's just us that have the brakes the wrong way around. pretty much the rest of the world has right-rear left-front. There must be some historical reason for it, but I've never bothered to look it up.
I can imagine left-front could cause problems if you ride motorbikes as well - I'd have to switch them around personally.CoolC said:
V-spec said:
What I'm finding even harder is that over here (Belgium) they put the brakes the wrong way round - it's ok when I think about it, but not in emergencies (I assume it's a Belgian thing and not a road bike thing?)
It's just us that have the brakes the wrong way around. pretty much the rest of the world has right-rear left-front. There must be some historical reason for it, but I've never bothered to look it up.
I swapped my boss's brake cables for him. He had a MTB he'd won in a raffle in the Mess in Germany, but it'd spent too long stored outside. The deal was we (a small team) would work cycling into our PT regime if I sorted his brake/gear cables.
So I set to work, and out of habit wired the bike up 'UK style'. OOPS!!! He was quite upset to start with, even to the point he suspected I'd done it deliberately to do him in. He calmed down eventually, and said he'd try to get used to it, but in the end he wanted me to change them back, as "too many people are 'borrowing' my bike from outside the office - they never took it when the brakes were the 'wrong way' around"
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