Coachingsarah & anthony

HOW PRO RIDERS DESCEND REALLY FAST BUT SAFELY | RIDER SUPPORT

with Rider Support

28:49·6 May 2024

LISTEN NOW

Listen on

RIDER SUPPORT

Fast descending isn't about pushing your limits—it's about smooth, controlled technique that lets you carry speed through corners without fear. We break down the positioning, braking points, and mental approach that separates confident descenders from nervous ones, plus practical advice for improving on your next Alpine trip.

Key Takeaways

Brake before the turn, not during it—your exit speed matters more than entry speed, so nail the corner exit to carry momentum through
Position your body by leaning into corners rather than steering; think of it like motorbike racing or ballet—flow from apex to apex with minimal brake and steering input
Don't ride in low single-digit temps with rain; that's the killer zone where hypothermia risk spikes, not extreme cold alone
Practice descending at slower speeds to build confidence; 'slow, smooth, is smooth and smooth is fast' applies to every technique
Commit to your race distance beforehand and stick to standard fueling (80-120g carbs/hour) without trying anything new on race day
Know the aid station locations on long gravel events and prioritize nutrition stops—technical terrain means you may not be able to eat while riding

Expert Quotes

"Slow, smooth, is smooth and smooth is fast"

"You shouldn't feel like you're on your limit. I never feel like I'm on my limit unless recently in Ross Mill I was definitely on my limit"

"Strava segments are a little bit bizarre desire for grown men and women to be sprinting for imaginary finish lines against virtual opponents"

KEY QUOTES

“what matters actually is your exit speed not your entry speed you don't want to come in at 80k an hour and go out at 60k an hour you want to Comm in at 60 and go out at 80”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“two degrees three degrees four degrees and Rain yeah or sleep or snow when you get wet and you get cold that's the killer Zone”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“the pran air is 18 Watts more aerodynamic than its ventral all around your model so they're comparing like a very a pretty low-end Road helmet to a quite are top of the line so they're comparing a highend with this new hybrid version of a helmet and there's 18 watts in it”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

WANT THIS APPLIED TO YOUR TRAINING?

Not Done Yet coaching builds your plan around these principles.

5 pillars. Personalised TrainingPeaks plan. Weekly calls. $195/month, 7-day free trial.

Apply for Coaching →

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT7 SECTIONS

Descending fast but safely

Welcome to this week's edition of ryer support today we're going to talk about Road helmets with visors are they hot or are they not the coldest day ever on the bike was it at a pro race a couple of weeks ago or have I had a worse experience I've signed up to track at 360 it's 360 km of gravel I know what the hell was I thinking but first we're going to talk about how you can descend really really really fast but safely Sarah how are you I'm good it's good to be back this is a really interesting question I'm going to be listening very closely to what you say about this so here we go Anthony and Sarah thanks for the great content I tune in every week I have a question around descending I was on a trip to the Alps with a group last summer and even though I was first to the top because I'm like and Fit I was getting passed by everyone even the 65y olds on The Descent even though I feel like I'm actually going fast and really pushing my limits we're heading over to Jona for another trip in a few weeks and I would love some advice on how to improve my downhill speeds what's his problem with 65 year olds go fast down hill they're obviously just more more experienced than you this is something that I definitely need to listen into I think I was a good desender when I first started cycling because I didn't really really understand you know if it went wrong it could go super wrong it was a little bit green now a lot more cautious yeah we we went to Columbia on a bike packing trip and Columbia is a dangerous like it's a beautiful place to ride a bike I'd love to go back there a little bit fitter and explore maybe without you so I didn't have to go like 15K an hour off you go but I would love to go back and explore it but it's dangerous because there's a lot of potholes on the the sense and you need to be able to take what did the cops call it evasive bun orve but you were like on like you know interpretation or appreciation of risk well I think it was just because again like I learned how to ride following your wheel and I was just essentially doing everything that you were doing I was breaking when you were breaking I was leaning when you were and then look as I've gotten more experience and just kind of that fear and that those kind of little dou moments going oh Jesus have crept in as I've gotten old old ER and wiser now I'm kind of Feathering the brakes more now I'm going slower now start watching Pro cyc and seeing the crashes it's like uh this is real yeah this could be lifechanging if I get this wrong yeah I agree so I think yeah any tips for Matt here he's heading off to Jona and he wants a couple of kind of pointers as to what to do to improve his downhill speeds I think like the main thing is don't push beyond your comfort cuz if you're already talking about like you feel like you're already on your limit like maybe pull that back you shouldn't feel like you're on your limit I never feel like I'm on my limit unless recently in Ross Mill I was definitely on my limit I for getting dropped on a climb and I'm like coming back at 100K an hour Tak chances there's no need to do that when you're out on a and especially when you're practicing yeah exactly when you're on holiday and when you're out in the middle of the mountains why would you risk that so but let's talk about the what he can put into practice a little bit like we're not saying you should go on your limit but you can practice the this stuff at slower speed I think positioning yourself on the bike means an awful lot so if you're going through a leftand corner you want to have the left hand crank up the right hand crank down and it's actually very helpful to push weight almost through your right hip into the pedal to really ground the bike like you're trying to get downward Force onto the bike you're in your drops I think that posture is very important so you're getting your weight over the front wheel so you're getting plenty of weight by the virtue of the hip over the back wheel and your head over the front wheel so that connection with the two contact points your tires on the ground is really solid I think that's a great starting point then start thinking about your line look ahead I had one of my first team Pursuit coaches said to me on the track look where you want

Cornering technique and body position

To go not where you don't want to go as soon as you start focusing on that looks slippy over there that Ravine looks very dangerous over there guess where you're going like you're going off that Ravine like Q Larry going off a bridge and for head break before the turns like you don't want to be breaking in the turnor when you break it kind of straightens your bike out less so with disc brakes than it did with Rim brakes but it still straightens your bike out so you want to come into the corner with all your braking done carry that speed through the corner because what matters actually is your exit speed not your entry speed you don't want to come in at 80k an hour and go out at 60k an hour you want to Comm in at 60 and go out at 80 so that's definitely another one I think too many people steer in the corner when it's actually more about leaning with your body using your body as like uh kind of something to steer like you're leaning more than you are steering steering is seems like it's kind of hard to explain this but steering's quite deliberate like you're actually moving the handlebars to change direction on The Descent you're more leaning and you're trying to look ahead to visualize the line so you want to Apex brilliant thing to watch is like motorbike racing Super Cross or formula one they hit the Apex they're coming true Corners narrow exi and wide and it's there's something really beautiful about the flowy nature of it so when you see someone fast going down a hill like venzo NE back in the day or now you watch Mich or someone who's a master at it they just flow from Apex to Apex very little steering very little breaking it's actually like a thing of beauty it is it's beautiful it's like ballet coming out of the corners as well a lot of the corners you're going to have to pedal and accelerate out of corner so you want to think about the gear you want to be in coming out of the corner and have that gear changed mid Corner also don't wear really Flappy kit because that's going to you know potential to catch wind potential it's just slowing you down you don't want that it's it's a false you know it's not a true representation of the speed you're going down the hill then you change kit and it starts throwing you off so don't wear Flappy rain coats and stuff like that and then I think like anything else you just got to how do you get the Cur h prce practice practice you have a lovely Turner phrase I'm sure you didn't coin it but I have heard you say a few times certainly to me is slow smooth as fast and oh we always say this this is like so me and Peter Ry we're doing the pursuit stuff we'd always we kind of jum Peter was just for the listeners Peter was on the back of the tand tandem he was a one of the par Olympic athletes visually imp visually impaired Anthony was steering the ship so we all we just got obsessed with as was with sniper movies so we used to just watch sniper movies and stuff in the evening so we tried to figure out how many sniper analogies we could bring into the pursuit so we'd always say like well slow as smooth and smooth as fast and it actually is true it's so true you and I watched some guy we were you you stayed at me one day we were doing a really beautiful desent in mior and there was a a triathlete in front of us and his descending was just like super clunky he was trying way too hard he was breaking at all of the wrong you know all of the wrong points he was reading the the apex of the bends completely wrong now he was going down pretty fast he was going down a lot faster than I was but it just looked awkward look like you're going fast he just needed to like even take a back a couple of kilometers an hour and focus on as you said the lean and kind of taken at Handy and yeah but that was really that when that kind of Cl that's when that kind of clicked with me that smooth slow is smooth and smooth is fast remember had botas on the podcast and I was I don't know if I said this to him but I was definitely thinking about it not comparing the two at all the speeds like they're going over 200k an hour but when you're on The Descent it's everything's coming so fast and it's chaos it's like it it has the potential to go really bad really fast there's really bad consequences that can happen to it but

Staying calm and winter riding limits

I always try and slow it down in my head and in my head I play the same song all the time whether I'm in a race or I'm out a training camp I have that b in that Fifth Symphony it's just this really like you know know always plays in my head in this chaos because it's just like such a calming void yeah it's like a beautiful wall yeah people can steal that yeah I absolutely love that I'm gonna I'm definitely going to steal that yours is more like Tropic tunder or something or ACDC ACDC yeah the very best look mat on your trip I to Jona I think don't do anything outside your comfort zone this is a slow this is not something that you learn overnight it takes a a lot a lot of practice okay next question I've heard a I've heard you talk about the wind conditions you wouldn't ride your bike in Anthony but what about cold I watch it as skelos was literally carried off the bike during flesh wone like a corpse yeah well a shaking corpse like it was terrifying to see and it made me think about a few dangerous positions I put myself in in the winter what are the temperatures and conditions you would never risk going out on that's the thing that was I I have to admit I fell asleep on the couch H I didn't watch that I just watched the highlights and I saw scal Mouse being taken off the bike and I was like oh my god I've I there's been situations where I've been close to that I mean not absolutely hypothermic but kind of getting into like an Amber Zone heading towards like an Amber warning an Amber warning heading into like a red zone so yeah so what would you advise Anthony I don't like riding so I spent a lot of time riding in Toronto spent winters at a great lad it was almost like a mentor he's a teammate for me out there at Jeff Pete Morris Works in marur posa bikes now Mike bar the proper Road man before Road man was a te he was a road man original he schooled me on riding in the winter and he gave me these brilliant tips and techniques from you know using big flaps on mood guards he'd make them out of Coke cans to change in your Bas lay to you know to lent to height of your cuffs and your gloves but that's not the question asked but because of all his experience he passed on I was able to ride Inus 15- 20- 25 cuz that's not what gets you dry cold does not get you what gets you is two degrees three degrees four degrees and Rain yeah or sleep or snow when you get wet and you get cold that's the killer Zone like you've had you've gone out on Saturday morning Spin and I'm like I'm not going you're like why aren't you going I'm like cuz it's four degrees and raining like I've been in sticky positions you're not going to die on that but you're going to be in a really bad World of Pain in that sort of weather yeah that that that took a while for the penny to drop for me as well just with regards to it I'd be getting up for Saturday and the grap ride full of beans look out the window like ah you know if what is it realle number whatever of the stupid if you're out riding in the rain you're a badass something like that and I'm just like yeah Jo [ __ ] it I'm going as I'm going to get this right hospital with a space BL B ass you're an idiot but um yeah I I and you'd be like oh no I'm not getting out bed I'm I'm going to wait till later I'm going to jump on the wpe I'm going to you know I'm not going out that there's no point and there ensued a very long and miserable day you know that I would have to endure it's all so what did you say there temperature- wise I think low single digits low single digit C plus rain and plus rain for me it's horrible I raced the coldest day of my life and it's been my Benchmark against which I Benchmark everything else since that day since anyone edil listens to the podcast occasionally we've had him as a guest brilliant lad he raced that day as well anyone who raced that day will never forget it Lake of bay nor of Toronto it must have been like minus two minus three snow SLE for the entire day there was about I don't know it was about eight finishers from the entire field think our all for it's a tough day bottles were frozen solid like the Li the bottle wasn't just frozen into the cage it was

When cold becomes dangerous

Frozen into the cage but the liquid was frozen inside the bottle so it's definitely so zero hands were frozen cables were frozen brakes were frozen the the wheels weren't far off it was shocking but so many people that day ended up in space blankets drinking brandy there's also I know we're going to get on to the next question but there's also this idea of you're a hard man if you ride in that weather it's actually just not true skel mosa is as hard as they come no one gets to that level in procycling winning some of race the scale MOS as one and isn't rock hard harder you can ever imagine he's a harder you could ever be if you're when you're sitting in your office listen to this you're thinking you're a tough guy you're not not in comparison to this like what they've had to go through to get there the filtering process these are the hardest athletes in the world for him to get carried off like that it's physiological some of our bodies just can't take that call I've been quite well able to adaptic C doesn't mean I'm harder than someone else I'm experiencing the same discomfort maybe someone else experiences at seven de in rain I'm not experienced until two degrees at rain these Lads are badass C said that he didn't even realize he was hypothermic when he was on the bike so he basically said yeah didn't realize then he started shaking and he thought that he could recover but when he stopped on the mirror for the second time he just couldn't control himself like it looked like he had he' lost absolute control of his limbs yeah yeah so there we go he said that that was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever done he's kind of underplaying with that bit but yeah he is a tough guy hey Ro man excuse the short Interruption I love riding the bike but on account of being so busy with the podcast at the moment I'm now what's called a time crunch Rider I never thought i' see to day but I have a tool I'm using what bike to keep myself sharp and on point with specific sessions to maximize that available training time I have a w bike Adam right here in the recording studio beside me and when I have an hour in between interviews I jump on it's removing all the friction points from me there's no more 10 minute setup unfolding legs banging my knees off stuff getting my hands dirty usual connection issues it just works every single time the atom's perfect for virtual racing as well because it has crisp gear changes it has 1% accuracy and it has Max gradient capability of up to 25% if you're looking for an indoor trainer I honestly couldn't recommend this any higher I've been using a w bike since 2013 honestly it's the last last indoor trainer that you're ever going to need if you head on over to what bike.com now and use code roadman 10 that's r o a d m n t n and that's going to get you 10% off your W bike okay next question hey SAR and Anthony what do you think of wearing a helmet with a built-in visor on a normal ride I.E not doing a time tral I've been getting a lot of stick from some of the lads on the group ride but it's really comfy really Arrow and I like it h that feels like this is it hot or not if I mean there is somebody that I see on the our local bike track every week and he's been rocking like a an old school AO triathlete pointed pointed back do and he wears it like 12 months every year and he's got the massive big like you know the the visor that looks like a like he's a FL he's a bug of some description and I always just look at him I'm like there's no way that could even be comfortable like it just doesn't make sense to me or safe or exactly or safe so the thing is though that the companies like Pac they've just released a kind of like a hybrid from their you know the arrow helmet that we see the world T Rider we saw a good few good few of the teams were in the I think it's EF in the tour down under they had the PAC Arrow helmet with the big visor Pac have actually come out with kind of like a hybrid for the road but it still has the big visor I've actually got a picture of it here and I'll get wse to to put it in on the edit for anyone who's looking um here on YouTube but it looks kind of cool am I am I weird for saying that look I think it looks terrible they all look like any voicers

Visor helmets: hot or not

Are terrible there's nothing cool about them now AOS socks aren't cool and I said they would never catch on but there's enough of an arrow gain yeah you know people are maybe going to do it it's a bit tragic we're I think we're going to can you wear time trial hel in a normal UCI race you can't but because these are kind of like a hybrid I'm wondering are we going to start seeing these in road races oh no you can't wear these in road races you Road R pck basically claims that at speeds between 30 and 60 kilm per hour which is like quite quite a range only 100% difference there the pran air is 18 Watts more aerodynamic than its ventral all around your model so they're comparing like a very a pretty low-end Road helmet to a quite are top oh they're top of the line so they're comparing a highend with this new hybrid version of a helmet and there's 18 watts in it it's kind of interesting I think people I think hot take I think people look the sunglasses are gone so absolutely colossal anyway at the minute all of your face is basically obscured by this the size of sunglasses these days hot EG I think we're going to start seeing a lot more of these as soon as the influencers get their hands on these and then people are like oh they've got what they've got an excuse to buy a new piece of kit I think we're going to see them I prefer to be dropped you never catch me in one Rob man I know how serious you take your goal setting whether they're Fitness or life related goals if you're looking for a powerful alloy to support you on this journey look now further than hu hu has become my secret weapon for when I don't have time to prepare a balanced meal it ensures I get the nutrition I need without sacrificing time or taste plus it stops me from reaching for that takeaway menu I always throw a bottle into my backpack when I'm heading into the city to work and it stops me eating junk convenience food snacking on crossons and bars of chocolate because I know they don't support my training goals it's a handy nutritious meal on the go and it's got over 22 grams of protein hu is perfect for athletes that don't have time to cook or prepare food before a training session it's convenient nutritious fuel at your fingertips ensuring you hit your daily fueling needs for that session hu ready to drink has 26 essential vitamins and minerals in every single bottle you're getting a whopping 175 health benefits plus it's made from natural ingredients like Topeka Sunfire seed coconut and more the best part it's the flavors there's eight crazy beautiful flavors iced coffee is what's in my backpack right at the moment you can get hu directly to your home all you got to do is head on over to the hu website hu.com forward Roan okay next question Anthony what do you think of straa segments I had a guy last week from my club who I don't really know that well take one of my straa segments he took a screenshot and put it in the WhatsApp group and captioned it in your face loser and that's her Mario do you know what Mario needs he needs that Park helmet to save him 18 watts and go get his stra crown back oh this made me laugh because I get like an email every single week saying oh your Laurel wreath has been taken by X or your you know I would might have like a k m or Q or something and somebody on in the car exactly no idea how I got those I'd say I was definitely sitting on your wheel for anything I have any kind of segments I have I'm definitely you started getting Lo since you switch from you had your profile as a male profile and then you switched it to female and then I'm saying look what here is Q on this on this on this that's right I had my settings wrong what do you think of this though the guy put them into the into the group saying inyour face loser it's pretty funny it's pretty funny like it's obviously friendly banter like Bo your man hasn't I don't think Mario is picking it up no Mario's not picking it up well they put down there H yeah go try and hard and get it back H I have never gone for a straa segment in my life I don't think yeah but you have got quite a few of them yeah accidentally uh maybe just doing doing an effort or something happened to line up with a straa segment it's a little bit biz desire for grown men and women to be sprinted for Imaginary Finish Lines against virtual opponents

Best road and gravel tires

But maybe on old school I don't know there's a a segment that is on our Saturday group R oh I do want that yeah I'm not involved in this this is for this is for the big boys and um you have been holding you have been holding this or somebody else in the group right that you will be riding with yeah have had it for a year and we now have there's a new sheriff in town called Johannes Johannes hello and he basically took this TR a segment one Saturday when we were all out and he took about like 90 seconds something clean off his well I get back you'll get it back on one hand you're saying there's an imaginary Finish Line you know how much you say that I need it I need once and then you can text him saying in your face loser okay next question Anthony I notice you don't have atire sponsor for the podcast so as an unbiased party can you tell me what the best tire is for my road bike and what is the best tire for my gravel bike the gravel R here is mostly fire roads and prairies nothing too sharp or rocky I have read a lot of articles in the Publications but H I don't know skeptic Emy just thinks the manufacturers are throwing the journalists a few quid for a good review I don't think that that's happening but yeah no I don't think it's happening either H one good resource which will answer all his questions bicycle rolling resistance.com that'll answer all your questions you can do your kind of research on what's a Fast Tire what's a puncture proof Tire they put it through really rigorous test on all the tires they're not affiliated with anyone off the back of that I've settled on a couple of Tire choices for the road I don't see a better tire out there than Continental GP 5000s 28 mil tubless for me run them at 65 PSI from my weight they're bomb prooof unbelievable combination of rolling resistance and puncture proof and then I'm addicted to the 47 mil specialized Pathfinder tires again great combination of rolling resistance and puncture proof puncture proof means so much on gravel roids because it breaks your heart and you're stranded like I done a long day an eight hour day on the gravel two weeks ago and like on the first climb The Descent off it there was three or four Lads stopped with like I don't know how many of them puncture CU I came pass them fast but they were like they tubes and they were trying to patch tubes or put new tubes in like you can't be running liners on it so good tires good sealants and a good insert and that'll get you out of a lot of holes well we've had Dylan Johnson on the podcast and he is kind of a gravel Privateer he does a lot of he doesn't I think he kind of Prides himself in so far as he doesn't have a tire sponsor and I don't know if that has changed but not sure he does a lot of rigorous testing on and he had has I think the Pathfinder were his like particular kind of love and go to I think he's moved to a new tour he's moved to a new one yeah that's what that's what I'm saying like so maybe go and check out kind of what he's saying that's CU he moved bikes he moved to felt oss the felt felt have more clearance for a 50 m so I think he's gone to maybe a 48 or didn't have because he likes a really B Tire no I'm I have the factor Ostro and you can't get any more than a 47 mil Tire on that frame there's not clearance for it so maybe yeah yeah okay do your own research yes okay next question hey Anthony I've heard you are doing the track at 300 60 unfortunately I'm doing a too and I'm kind of getting a bit freaked out now I'm potentially going to drop down to the 200 I see you there I've been training hard and doing some 10 or 11 hour rides but can anything really prepare you for 360 km of gravel what are your fueling and pacing strategies for the day you know what I would say before um he even goes you go into the fueling and pacing it's like decide before the day if you're you're definitely going to do the 360 or the 200 it's kind of like the night of your final exams isn't it you're like oh will I take the honors paper will I take the pass paper and you kind of checking out the last minute and say oh [ __ ] it I'm going to do the pass paper even though you are actually prepared for the 360 or if you were going

Pacing and fueling Track 360

Into your past and you're like well drop down to Foundation last level oh potentially does happen as well but yeah I would say would you say that as well like commit to your distance like now yeah I do but I haven't committed I'm kind of like I've signed up for the 360 but then one of my friends dropped down to the 200 I'm like I know I'm going to finish either them I'm not going to race either them hard I'm just going for the phone the experience hang out with the lads 360 lot of hardship there 200 also a lot of hardship we're we're not long back from santal gravel race three-day gravel race around the same schemes in Jona and tell you what that gravel is um I haven't seen what rout uh tracka 360 is going to be taking but I can't imagine there'll be a completely new area I would say that there' be a lot of crossover that was happening with the Santa valal race and it's tough It's going to be a tough tough tough well don't like mil like okay fueling and pacing so that was his question not to get psyched out by Sarah for how tough Santa Val was H nothing too complex really like fueling I'm goingon to try and eat like you know any of the recommendations they're pretty standard now everyone's like 80 to 120 grams of carbs an hour don't do anything new on race day that you wouldn't do in training it doesn't always have to be we've been kind of uh fed that it has to be gels and it has to be bars like you can also have a handful of hurry bow big handful of hurry bow is going to give you around 70 grams of carbs which is a lot of carbs but you know jump in and get your race specific stuff that you like I'm using Vel Forte absolutely love that uh pacing you just don't want to start too hard everyone starts too hard and I know it's cliche but you can't start too hard on that you need to know what your zone two upper zone two power is and just be stuck on that for the day it's you're going to be on your own anyway so there's no point in holding on to groups so you'll dig hard on the force climb to hold on to a group to get a draft for what like then someone stops for a p stop you don't stop and you're on your own anyway so yeah I think wear a fuel pack like a a hydration pack I think that's going to be key to keep hydrat in it because there's not that many refuel stops yeah and that's why I was about to come on to I was saying that it was really really tough and that's why I think that you need to go look at the route and know exactly when your food stations and Aid stations are coming up because they're really important for getting water maybe grabbing some Coke or you know putting Coke in your bit on getting some gels that they're giving out on the day the one that I think as well and look maybe this is much more experienced bik Handler than me because I found the route quite tough and Technical particularly on the climbs on the third day I couldn't fuel or do any hydration for the first kind of 40 kmers CU it was so technical I couldn't take my hands off The Handlebar to eat and then I completely came apart so I think have a plan in your hand in your head that if you're not a good bike Handler if you don't feel like you can eat drink on these kind of pretty hard ascents that are you know Rocky pull out do yourself a favor and make hydration and nutrition a priority because that's what's going to stop you from pulling out halfway through that's a good advice yeah folks thank you for tuning in to another edition of riter support thank you for all your questions you can keep feeding those questions across the Sarah or myself on X and we'll get them answered week after week there's another video up here which I know you're really going to love and down here is going to get you a subscription to the channel thanks for tuning in

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do pro cyclists descend so fast without crashing?+

Pro cyclists prioritise exit speed over entry speed, meaning they brake firmly before the corner rather than scrubbing speed through it. They weight the outside pedal, lean the body into the turn rather than steering the bars, and look toward where they want to go rather than at hazards or the road edge. Anthony and Sarah from Rider Support explain that finishing all braking before the apex is the single biggest technical shift amateur riders can make.

Where should your hands be when descending on a road bike?+

Your hands should be in the drops. This lowers your centre of gravity, improves aerodynamics, and gives you better access to the brake levers for stronger, more controlled braking. Riding on the hoods on a fast descent reduces both stability and braking power significantly.

How do you brake properly when descending a mountain on a bike?+

All meaningful braking should be completed before you reach the corner, not during it. Braking mid-corner reduces tyre grip available for steering and can cause the bike to run wide or wash out. The Rider Support approach is to enter slower than feels necessary, then accelerate cleanly through and out of the bend.

Why do I get overtaken on descents even though I am a strong climber?+

Descending speed is a technical skill, not a fitness one, which is why strong climbers are regularly overtaken on the way down. Common issues include braking too late, looking at obstacles rather than the intended line, and steering the bars instead of leaning the body. Anthony and Sarah at Rider Support address this exact scenario, noting that correcting body position and braking timing produces faster descents almost immediately.

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

Weekly insights from the podcast. The stuff that actually makes you faster.

READ THE GUIDE

The written companion to this episode.

Fast Talk vs The Cycling Podcast vs Roadman: Which One for You?

Three of cycling's best podcasts. Three different missions. Here's the honest breakdown of what each does best — and when to reach for which…

How to Descend Faster on a Bike: Technique, Confidence, and Staying Alive

Descending is the most under-coached skill in cycling. Most riders lose more time going downhill than they could ever gain going up. Here's …

Every Episode of Roadman Podcast with Dan Lorang

Dan Lorang has been on Roadman more than any other World Tour coach. Here's every episode, what it covers, and why it matters for age-group …

RELATED EPISODES

More episodes you might enjoy

Episode#2413

Coaching29:49

5 THINGS PRO CYCLISTS DO THAT YOU DON'T | RIDER SUPPORT

In todays episode of Riders Support Anthony and Sarah talk about the Decathlon road bike and how it is upending the bike industry. How can you treat a saddle sore, when you should ditch indoor training and 5 things pro’s do that amateurs don’t.

with Rider Support

Episode#2383

Coaching30:38

WHY CYCLING FAST MAKES YOU SLOW | RIDER SUPPORT

In this weeks Rider Support we break down Dale’s struggle with a stagnating training plan. Despite committing 15 hours a week to the bike, this 42-year-old Cat 3 rider is seeing his performance decline. We explore the dangers of overtraining, cumulative life stress, and the importance of balancing...

with Rider Support

Episode#2396

Coaching33:39

HOW CHAMPIONS EAT TO WIN | RIDER SUPPORT

Are you struggling to lose weight? This week on Rider Support we give you 5 tips to lose weight by cycling which all nutritionists i've had on the podcast agree on.

with Rider Support

WANT THIS APPLIED TO YOUR TRAINING?

The Not Done Yet coaching community is 1:1 personalised coaching — training, nutrition, strength, recovery, and accountability. $195/month. 7-day free trial.

Apply Now — 7-Day Free Trial See Coaching Options

Key Takeaways

Brake before the turn, not during it—your exit speed matters more than entry speed, so nail the corner exit to carry momentum through

Position your body by leaning into corners rather than steering; think of it like motorbike racing or ballet—flow from apex to apex with minimal brake and steering input

Don't ride in low single-digit temps with rain; that's the killer zone where hypothermia risk spikes, not extreme cold alone

Practice descending at slower speeds to build confidence; 'slow, smooth, is smooth and smooth is fast' applies to every technique

Commit to your race distance beforehand and stick to standard fueling (80-120g carbs/hour) without trying anything new on race day

Know the aid station locations on long gravel events and prioritize nutrition stops—technical terrain means you may not be able to eat while riding

Expert Quotes

"Slow, smooth, is smooth and smooth is fast"

"You shouldn't feel like you're on your limit. I never feel like I'm on my limit unless recently in Ross Mill I was definitely on my limit"

"Strava segments are a little bit bizarre desire for grown men and women to be sprinting for imaginary finish lines against virtual opponents"

KEY QUOTES

“what matters actually is your exit speed not your entry speed you don't want to come in at 80k an hour and go out at 60k an hour you want to Comm in at 60 and go out at 80”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“two degrees three degrees four degrees and Rain yeah or sleep or snow when you get wet and you get cold that's the killer Zone”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

“the pran air is 18 Watts more aerodynamic than its ventral all around your model so they're comparing like a very a pretty low-end Road helmet to a quite are top of the line so they're comparing a highend with this new hybrid version of a helmet and there's 18 watts in it”
Anthony Walsh — Roadman Cycling podcast host

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do pro cyclists descend so fast without crashing?+

Where should your hands be when descending on a road bike?+

How do you brake properly when descending a mountain on a bike?+

Why do I get overtaken on descents even though I am a strong climber?+

HOW PRO RIDERS DESCEND REALLY FAST BUT SAFELY | RIDER SUPPORT

Key Takeaways

Expert Quotes

KEY QUOTES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

5 THINGS PRO CYCLISTS DO THAT YOU DON'T | RIDER SUPPORT

WHY CYCLING FAST MAKES YOU SLOW | RIDER SUPPORT

HOW CHAMPIONS EAT TO WIN | RIDER SUPPORT

RELATED CONTENT

5 THINGS PRO CYCLISTS DO THAT YOU DON'T | RIDER SUPPORT

HOW CHAMPIONS EAT TO WIN | RIDER SUPPORT

WHY CYCLING FAST MAKES YOU SLOW | RIDER SUPPORT

WANT THIS APPLIED TO YOUR TRAINING?

HOW PRO RIDERS DESCEND REALLY FAST BUT SAFELY | RIDER SUPPORT

Key Takeaways

Expert Quotes

KEY QUOTES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NEVER MISS AN EPISODE

READ THE GUIDE

RELATED EPISODES

5 THINGS PRO CYCLISTS DO THAT YOU DON'T | RIDER SUPPORT

WHY CYCLING FAST MAKES YOU SLOW | RIDER SUPPORT

HOW CHAMPIONS EAT TO WIN | RIDER SUPPORT

RELATED CONTENT

5 THINGS PRO CYCLISTS DO THAT YOU DON'T | RIDER SUPPORT

HOW CHAMPIONS EAT TO WIN | RIDER SUPPORT

WHY CYCLING FAST MAKES YOU SLOW | RIDER SUPPORT

WANT THIS APPLIED TO YOUR TRAINING?