I'm fortunate to live in southern california near plenty

>>1015457
get good brakes

Then don't go over 30 mph. I don't see the problem?

Duly noted

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>>1015463
I got my bike used, the brakes are actually no name. Any recommendations? Would there be anything to expect besides just being able to stop faster.

>>1015466
It makes it thoroughly unenjoyable. I was riding the brakes so much my hand was cramping on a short little downhill

>>1015471
hmm yeah i didn't really put anything into question form did i

>>1015496
really just make sure your pads are not too worn and that they are aligned properly and the cables move freely

the main advantage of better brakes is that they can handle being used over long distances without getting too hot

>>1015457

Don't let roadies make you think you need to do that.

I mostly let gravity decide how fast I go downhill unless I need to avoid cars.

But I ride without a helmet so I don't have the false sense of security the average spandex retard has

If you have rim brakes replace them with kool stop pads and learn about pumping your brakes downhill.

Rims can overheat and explode your tires on big big big long hills

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>>1015457

tips

>don't drag the brakes forever, brake hard before corners and then let off
>get quality brake pads meant for whatever rim material you have (carbon or alloy track)
>don't aero tuck, sit up tall with hands on the tops to keep your "air brake" on (pic related)
>don't stare at your computer watching the speed rise, just ignore it and concentrate on descending
>do not cross the center yellow
>turn your head to look through the corner as far are possible and put your eyes where you want to go
>you can drop your tire PSI a little to increase corner traction and rolling resistance
>IMO, if you know you're going to blow a corner, it's better to lean hard (while still trying to make the corner) and go into a low side, than to sit up and brake into a high side/endo over a railing/cliff.
>avoid ACH during commute times and on the weekends

Good brakes (modern Shimano 105 are great for price, 7800 Dura Ace are also older god tier brakes) just give you more power and modulation. Brake pads can help a ton in this regard.

>>1015534
>if you're going to blow a corner lean hard
this is good advice

you're much better of sliding along the ground in a crash than flipping over, less likely to be badly hurt

eventually you will crash, its inevitable, but it really doesn't have to be bad if you take it right

>>1015457
Have you ever heard someone use the phrase 'technical course' or 'technical descent' before?

Descending is a SKILL. Sadly, it's not something you can practice with your bike on a trainer, or read about in a book, and magically get better at it. The best you can do off the bike, is to read up on and hammer into your head the things you need to do when descending, in order to do it safely. Otherwise, it's just like trying to be a better sprinter: you have to sprint in order to get good at sprinting.

First and foremost, you need to be in your drops when descending, especially at high speed, and especially if there are lots of curves and switchbacks. The reason for this is that it lowers your center of gravity, which means when taking curves at high speed, the bike will need to lean less than it would if you're upright. Fun part here is that your instincts will tell you to sit up, not go head-first down a hill; your instincts are wrong though.

Second, is something else that is totally counter-intuitive, especially if you're a motorcycle rider: if you're cornering at high speeds, you sometimes have to lean the BIKE, and not your BODY. Usually it's when taking corners and not curves, but sometimes it's curves. I can't tell you how fast or what curves you need to make this distinction on, it's a matter of judgement.

Third, DON'T ride your brakes all the way down a long descent. You'll overheat your brakes, and your rims, and you can cause a tube to fail that way, instantly deflating your tire(s). At high speed, you'd be fucked. Feather your brakes.

Above all else you need to only take curves and descents as fast as you're comfortable doing so. If you're white-knuckling all the way down because it's too fast, then you're more likely to fuck up, which is when you end up being the bleached bones they find at the bottom of a ravine a year later. Speed when descending comes with time and experience. Don't rush it, but don't puss out all the time either.

>>1015457

>being afraid of road cycling downhill

You should try enduro at 45mph now that's fear.

how to descend in the wet and bridge the gap like an absolute madman

youtu.be/IZCYLr23qts?t=1h9m

>>1015565

and one for the lols

youtu.be/D4XxCZagAjk

>>1015546
I agree, I crashed going down a hill at around 45 mph and I leaned and slid Into a grass field, I only had some scrapes and was fine.

>>1015534
ACH?

>>1015513
Casualfag detected

>I mostly let gravity decide how fast I go downhill unless I need to avoid cars.

The hills/mountains we're talking about here are steep enough that if you "let gravity decide", you're going to be flying off a cliff or into a tree at 60mph. It's not a question anymore of how fast you pedal, at this point it's a question of how much you use the brakes.

>>1015534
This is all really good advice, although I disagree a little bit with
>don't aero tuck, sit up tall with hands on the tops to keep your "air brake" on

While you shouldn't aero tuck, you should be in the drops at all times while descending fast - it's a more stable position, and you have more leverage on the brakes. You can pop up onto the tops on straights to air brake and drop back down for the turns if you're comfortable moving around on the bars, but if you're not comfortable descending fast, you should just pick a position and stick with it.

I'd like to emphasize: Look at where you want to be going, not at the cliffs/trees/whatever you're afraid of on the outside of the turns. Target fixation can be a funny thing sometimes... Also don't look down at your front wheel or your bike computer.

>>1015457
OP, descending fast isn't something that you can do comfortably without a lot of practice. Keep at it, and don't go faster than you feel comfortable doing.

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>>1015577

see pic related. it gets absolutely crazy at peak times. the commuters could drive the road blind, so they drive at the absolute limit of their shitty nonperformance vehicles. Blatantly crossing the double yellow, illegally passing motorcycles, only giving inches to bicycles, etc. Then on the weekends you get hordes of motorcycle riders acting dumb.

>>1015578
>This is all really good advice, although I disagree a little bit with

Thinking about it more, you're right. I just had in my mind the last descent I did, which was not technical and basically a straight line down. I was air braking the hell out of it, and really didn't need my brakes until the stop sign at the bottom. Pretty fun and a good way to save the brake pads. But no doubt, technical mountain descents are best done in the drops.

>>1015565
Based Sagan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXqQqAc2pA

Never get tired of this video