On 2017-09-11 15:56, wrote:
On Monday, September 11, 2017 at 2:08:35 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2017-09-11 12:56, wrote:

[...]

Tom I ride a cross bike with disk brakes off road, it doesn't
get bumpier that that even here in pancake flat Netherlands.


Like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y38JzV-ueXI


We don't have any mountains that is true but I live in the hilly
part of the Netherlands, Joerg is always talking about and close
to Belgium where they have the worst roads.


Yes, you have a mountain. Drielandenpunt and it's 321.5m. The
Dutch insisted that the half meter was always mentioned.


... However the real famous mountains are only one day drive
away. One or two times a year I spend a week there and that for
almost 30 years so I did my share of climbing and descending.

He, look even without any finger on the brakes:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ztXTQaSqdl7RRs8B3


Hey, my sister participated in the Maratona D'les Dolomites.


Even on the descent of the Stelvio I and many others don't need
more than two fingers on the brake lever (rimbrakes):

https://photos.app.goo.gl/6yb8NpaAhgHp9s2w2

So why you replaced your disk brakes with V brakes remains a
mystery to me.


Ever since I rode a bike with disc brakes for the first time I
never looked back and any new bikes must have discs or I won't
buy.

Your youTube video gives a rough idea of an off-road ride. Now give
it three times the descent and using a CX bike you have NO
SUSPENSION.


We have some of those, but more than 3x. I use to ride those with my old
MTB but no sus so it gave me lower back pain. My L4-5-6 are pretty much
hosed.


... You have to keep yourself back on the saddle with
pressure on the bars by your hands. On a flat bar bike such as the
one you should it's plain that you can not have one or two fingers on
the levers but have your entire hand over the levers with your palms
pressing yourself back onto the saddle.


That would result in a predictable crash. You have to go behind the
saddle and "belly-ride" a bit. Else your CG would be way too much
forward and you'd have an endo, prontissimo. I usually have one or two
fingers on the brake levers. That's all you need with good hydraulic
disc brakes.


This idea that lou has of "riding over a bump" seems to ignore the
fact that you hit a bump at high speed and there is a sudden jar as
you strike the bump. Precisely how do you ride "over" such a bump.


You've got to stay loose, also with the hands a bit. Forcing the
handlebar and thus the bike to follow exactly the path you want it a
recipe for disaster when there are rocks where you don't know which ones
shift and which ones don't. Which is a common scenerios out here.


Looking over the edge of the rocky parts of your video down the side
of the mountain is the sort of descent I crashed on. Though the trail
wasn't covered with stones but instead 3-6" deep ditches running 70
or 80 degrees to the line of travel.


That cliff in the video has killed. Guy went over on his MTB, airborne,
smacked onto the rocks at the bottom :-(


I could no doubt ride down the Stelvio barely touching the brakes on
a rim brake bike. I ride down the north side of Mt Diablo and touch
the brakes very seldom and can pass most people including the Chris
Froome wannabes. I have watched them disappear into my rear view
sunglasses mounted mirror trying to keep up. Not because I'm
attempting to drop them but because they don't know how to ride
around other people and are dangerous. I ride down several of the
other hills in the area without even touching the brakes as the speed
goes above 40 mph.


On roads I do the same. Not on singletrack, there I try to keep it below
25mph. The older I get the lower my speeds while off-road.


I have raced motorcycles semi-professionally and was a professional
flat track mechanic. I have a great deal better knowledge of
cornering than most people. The sheer egotism of people that could
say that someone they don't know anything about doesn't know how to
ride is pretty funny.

I wouldn't have thought to have criticized lou's knowledge of riding
until he made comments like he has.

You like disk brakes and that's fine. I suggest that if you ride them
much on a road bike you will soon change your mind.


Well, I have also ridden them on the road on a friend's titanium bike
and I must say it was the same as with the MTB. It has affirmed my
position of never buying a new bike with rim brakes ever again. It must
have discs or I won't buy.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/