Tips for Hill Decent on CNC
Tips for hill descending:
Get back
Depending on the grade of the hill, get farther and farther back behind your seat. Don't be afraid to have the seat in your gut and your behind right above the rear tire. As you descend, your center of mass shifts forward causing the back wheel to become unweighted. When you brake, your effective center of mass moves even further forward and the stopping process wants to rotate you and your bike over the front wheel. Clearly this is not a good scene. Compensate by keeping your body low and easing your bum off the back of the seat.
Holding on
Keep a relaxed but firm grip on the handlebars. Keep a comfortable grip that tightens when you approach anything bumpy, rocky or technical. During easy to moderate descents use only your index finger for braking. Switch to index and middle when you need more braking power. Adjust your brakes so you can completely lock out without pulling them to the grips, yet keeping them close enough for you to grab comfortably.
Look ahead
Keep your eyes quickly scanning way in front for new obstacles and technical sections. Tighten your grip, but let the bike go where it wants to go while still maintaining balance.
Rider/bike ratio
It's most likely you'll weigh considerably more than your bike does. A typical rider to bike weight ratio is around 6:1. The obvious implication is that the position of your body on the bike has a major effect on how the whole arrangement performs. Weight transfer is the secret to controlled descent and stopping.
Stopping gracefully
The secret to stopping in a hurry is to focus on your front wheel. On the flat, it accounts for about 70% of your stopping power - even more when you're on the slope! When you hit the brakes, your effective center of mass moves forward - the back wheel lifts and the front digs in. So there's more traction up front and more effective stopping using the front brake. It's a good plan to shift your weight back at the same time to avoid pitching over the handlebars.
Corners
Ensure the bike is upright and pointing straight ahead while braking heavily; i.e. not cornering. Remember to squeeze the brakes progressively rather than 'slamming them on'. You achieve maximum braking just before your wheels lock up (same principle as ABS on cars). Skidding is not an effective way to stop.
How to Ride a Bike Downhill
This may seem to be an unnecessary topic, since one doesn't even have to pedal when descending a hill. However, some people are afraid of high speeds on a bike, and others don't know how to descend a winding road quickly and safely.
First, some people believe that bicycles are not safe at high speeds. There are some bikes which are not. If the brakes work poorly, if the spokes are loose, if the hubs lack grease, or if the frame or fork are out of alignment, the bike should not be used at high speeds. In fact, it shouldn't be ridden at all until repaired.
However, a bicycle that has good brakes and wheels and is properly aligned can easily travel at 50 mph or even faster without any problem.
There's even one safety advantage to traveling fast on a bike. As the speed of the bike gets faster, the gyroscopic stability of the wheels gets greater, thus making the bike harder to upset.
There are real dangers involved in traveling at high speeds. One is that it takes much longer to brake to a stop, another is the danger from holes or gravel, another is the danger from motor vehicles, and the final problem is that of making tight curves, especially if the road is wet.
First, it's important to recognize that braking distances increase rapidly with speed (especially when the rims are wet!). The brakes on a bike are also not as good as those on a car, so it's important not to get too close behind cars when descending. Watch ahead and anticipate dangers.
Second, when traveling downhill at high speed, hitting a hole, loose sand and gravel, a slick section of road, or a patch of ice can be very dangerous. One should use caution except on the best roads, and even on the best road, use caution when going around bends. Always be prepared to stop. On a day with rain or snow, keep speed down on the bends.
Third, one must recognize a greater danger from motor vehicles when moving faster. Although many people cite the slow speed of a bicycle as a reason why bikes shouldn't be on the roads, the truth is that riding a motorcycle, which
