|
With
more and more ski resorts opening their doors during
the off-season to mountain bikers lately, downhill racing
is becoming increasingly popular, and an ever-growing
number of women are being drawn to this exciting and
thrilling activity. So if you're one of those women
who have thought to yourself that downhill bike racing
sounds fun, but you just don't know where to start,
here is your checklist! First of all, let's get rid
of some of the fallacies about downhill bike racing.
1.
"It's dangerous." Yes, it can be dangerous, but so can
driving a car or potentially even walking down the sidewalk.
You just have to use good judgment, and get properly
outfitted Ð which will be discussed below.
2.
"You have to be inordinately strong to do it." Women
are just as capable of racing downhill as men Ð while
we may not generally be as physically strong, we often
have an ability to see lines and finesse our way through
some pretty amazing terrain.
3.
"It's expensive." Well, it can be, but so can any sporting
activity. However, most beginner races, which is probably
what you're looking at doing if this is your first downhill
race, can be done on a surprisingly small budget, usually
even with your current bike with just a few minor adjustments.
4.
"It's scary." Well, yes, it is. But you can make it
less scary by following the guidelines below!
Okay,
so youÕve gotten past the initial roadblocks and are
ready to try your first downhill race. So what do you
need to know and do before heading out to the slope
for the first time? First of all, for most beginner
races, and especially the smaller local ones, your current
cross country bike may be plenty suitable with just
some minor adjustments as below, especially if it is
a full suspension bike (hardtails require a little more
skill and are a bit less comfortable to ride downhill,
although they are fine on many beginner courses):
1.
Lower your seat. This is very important in order to
lower your center of gravity and also to allow you more
mobility and confidence over steep terrain. Generally
the steeper the terrain, the lower your seat needs to
be. Depending on your frame style, you may need to get
a second post if you canÕt lower your current one far
enough. On the really steep stuff, I like to have my
seat low enough so that I can sit on the saddle and
still touch both feet to the ground.
2.
If you have trouble reaching your brake levers when
you have your butt behind your saddle, you may want
to bring your levers in (most bike shops can do this
for you) or possibly even get a shorter stem for downhilling.
Also practice getting behind your seat Ð it does take
some getting used to in order to feel comfortable steering
from back there. However, should you get into trouble
on a steep section; the safest way to bail is off the
back of the bike. NEVER try to dismount by putting your
body between the saddle and the stem on a steep descent
Ð that is a very bad place to be, as it can cause the
bike to flip over and trap you! While on the topic of
brake levers, rotate them so that they are more up,
rather than pointing down toward the ground, so your
arms can be more in a straight line without an angle
to the wrists. In addition, donÕt tighten the levers
so much on the bar that they will not rotate, as this
will allow them to turn rather than break off should
you happen to hit them on something during a crash.
3.
Riser bars will help with keeping the front end of the
bike up and centering your body weight. For proper downhill
bike setup, you should feel almost like you are sliding
back toward the back tire when sitting on the bike on
level ground, especially if your race course is steep.
For the severely steep courses, I actually tip the nose
of my saddle up just a bit to ensure that I keep my
weight centered back and do not get too far forward!
4.
If you're using your cross country bike, use fatter
tires; these provide more comfort and frequently greater
traction for downhill conditions.
All
right. Now your bike is set up and ready. But what about
you? To ensure your safety and give you more confidence,
youÕll need body armor. The standard downhill race armor
setup consists of the following items:
1.
Full face helmet. As I have a rather smallish head,
I actually use a child's motocross helmet. The downside
is these have no vents so they are hot. However, they
are quite solid and extremely protective. Make sure
the helmet is not too large. The first few times you
put it on, it should actually feel almost tight Ð the
padding inside will compress with wear, and you do not
want a full face helmet that slips around on your head.
This is potentially dangerous, as a too-large helmet
can possibly slip down and obscure your vision. Most
of the visors can be adjusted up if needed to avoid
interfering with your view. These helmets will often
feel bulky and restrictive at first, but you will get
used to it. Granted, you can race beginner downhill
in a regular cross country helmet, but be aware that
you have an exposed face and lower jaw area in that
situation, and if you do crash, try to protect those
areas.
2.
Goggles or glasses. I prefer goggles as they are generally
less likely to break than glasses, and I think provide
greater visibility. Ski goggles tend to fog up less
than motorcycle goggles as they are designed for slightly
lower speeds, more compatible with a bicycle. Be sure
to use an antifog agent on them prior to racing. They
should fit snugly within the face opening in the helmet.
3.
Gloves. These should be full-fingered, and preferably
have rubber type "armor" on the fingers.
4.
Chest protector. I prefer the actual mountain bike version
as opposed to the hard plastic motocross types, which
leave your sides and flanks exposed. I use one which
has hard plastic inserts inside a mesh covering for
the spine and chest areas, with a "bellyband" for kidney
and abdominal protection. Make sure the back of your
chest protector does not interfere with your helmet
when you raise your head Ð you want to be able to look
up and see where you are going without hitting the back
of your helmet on your spine protector!
5.
Elbow guards. I generally do not use these, as my chest
protector has integrated arm guards attached to it.
These ideally should have hard plastic or foam type
inserts going along the elbow joint and possibly even
the forearm as well. Mine also has a hard plastic shoulder
cap protector.
6.
Shin and knee guards. These should fasten on the calf
area as well as above or at the knee. Otherwise, the
knee flap will tend to fall forward if you crash, leaving
your knee joint exposed. They should also have hard
plastic or foam type inserts at both the knee joint
and running along the shin. The calf area may be fully
covered, or just have elastic Velcro attachment bands.
If you use flat pedals with "teeth", you may want to
consider full calf coverage in case your pedals swing
around and hit you from behind; alternatively you can
wear long pants to cover your calves.
7.
Pants or shorts and tops. If you use flat "toothed"
pedals and have no calf protection with your shin guards,
you may want to consider long pants, just in case your
pedals swing around to hit you from behind. I use motocross
style pants and shorts which are generally a nylon and
Kevlar combination. These usually come with replaceable
hip pads which Velcro in, but I only use those pads
on the really sketchy courses. However, thatÕs just
my vanity since the pads add an extra width to my hips
that I prefer not to have! I wear regular padded bike
shorts underneath. Pretty much any jersey or top that
fits over your body armor is fine! Motocross style jerseys
are designed to go over body armor, so work well for
this.
Now
that you're outfitted and your bike is ready to go,
let's head up to the start house! Obviously you can
ride most downhill courses without having to attend
a race, and the above preparations will serve you for
that. In fact, many people enjoy riding downhill without
ever racing at all. However, should you decide that
you want to try your hand at an actual timed event,
keep in mind that most downhill races will require you
to practice at least one run on the course prior to
your race run, and usually you will have multiple opportunities.
At the bigger races, you will generally have an actual
covered area with an electronic beeper (just like the
one at the Tour de France Time Trials); with a timekeeper
there to let you know how many beeps they will give
you before you start. Usually five beeps and you go
on the sixth, but it may vary.
Go
ahead and get in a big enough gear for the steepness
of the start, and take a few long deep breaths to loosen
up. Whether or not you have an actual "start house"
and electronic timer, you will have a human timer; this
person will normally count down your 15 or 10 seconds
to start and then tell you when you can go. Once youÕre
on course, try not to worry about the rider starting
behind you (normally 30-60 second intervals). Trust
me, you will hear them if they catch you and need to
pass! Take the course as it comes, and try to maintain
your speed. Most downhill course obstacles are designed
to be easier taken with a little speed, and if you happen
to have a longer travel bike, it will handle a lot more
than you might think. Keep your weight centered back
and your breathing steady Ð don't forget to exhale!
Should you catch the rider ahead of you, give her warning
that you are approaching and let her know on which side
you wish to pass. Ideally, try to find a section that
is less treacherous for passing, for the safety of both
of you. Should someone catch you, try to move as far
to the side as possible when it is safe for you to do
so and let them by. DonÕt forget to pedal as hard as
you can on any flat sections rather than coasting Ð
after all, it is a race! Use your brakes as sparingly
as you feel comfortable, although you can "squeeze and
release" to actually gain some speed on the descents.
Remember that pedaling will generally require you to
stand in order to get maximum power since your seat
is low. Use any berms available for cornering as this
will allow you to maintain your speed better, and if
you get offline, just go with it rather than panicking.
For the really steep and treacherous stuff, you can
get way off the back of the bike, and almost "walk"
or "scooter" it down, still holding the handlebars,
of course. If you happen to crash, gather yourself and
your bike, look behind you to make sure the coast is
clear, and then jump back onto your bike and get going!
The easiest and safest way to do this is the way Shaums
March taught me Ð that is, stand on the side of your
bike, holding the bars in riding position, then gently
let off the brakes and jump onto the bike, letting your
thigh contact the saddle first. Once you cross the finish
line, make sure you're out of the way of other riders
coming down behind you before you lay your bike down,
and then be prepared for the other women who went ahead
of you to swarm you with congratulations and smiles
and cheers!
Below
are links to some body armor manufacturing and sales
companies: http://www.rockgardn.com
http://www.azonicusa.com
http://www.foxracing.com
http://www.vsportgroup.com
http://www.roachclothing.com
http://www.dainese.be
http://www.go-ride.com/prod_main.html#clothing
|
