I used to like Eastby to Barden Towers (near Skipton).
But I've never had a road bike - just a mountain bike with slicks on.
Got 70mph one day (although I always worried about rabbits jumping out)
Bike Forum
Best downhills... on a road bike?
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Posted 7 months ago #
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Got 70mph one day
Posted 7 months ago # -
Can't say I've did too many road descents so have very little experience so this probably doesn't even compare, but flying down the tak ma doon when coming back from carron valley is great fun!
Posted 7 months ago # -
There is a road that runs from Rhayader to devils bridge. There is a decent into a village called Cwmystwyth about two thirds of the way along. Absolute bliss. Just enough to squeeze a car down, fresh smooth tarmac and you can see for miles down it. 40mph+, racing lines all the way and huge grin.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Old Winchester Hill is a pretty straight run down to a T junction with the A32 at Warnford. Apart from the view at the top, I really can't see the attraction. Strange choice.
Posted 7 months ago # -
+1 for the Dukes Pass down to Aberfoyle - hairpins, great scenary and a good road surface. In the wet it can be a bit testing getting round those hairpins though!
I prefer the ascent/descent from the Rest and be Thankful along the B828 (Hells Glen) rather than the main road.
Some other favourites:
The String Road in Arran is great on a nice day looking down over the water - the top section in particular is fast - only hill in the UK where i've managed to hit 60 mph. Lochranza to Glen Sannox would be good too if it wasn't for the awful road surface
The C11 road from Glendaruel to Otter Ferry - bastard of a climb to get to the top but nice descent with spectacular scenary coming out the treeline and overlooking Loch Fyne and then the pub at the bottom on the water.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Rosset Gill
Posted 7 months ago # -
Ride ambassador Lorraine Kelly then whittled them down on the basis of route itself, views offered, historical resonance and what it means to the individual.
I never thought of her as a descender.
I was expecting a follow up post with a "going down" reference!
Posted 7 months ago # -
+1 for the col de Sarrenne, off the back of alpe D'huez. Snapped my frame on the rough bits this year though, so....Col D'Ornon, decending towards back into Bourg for me. Fast progressive turns with very little traffic to pass or avoid.
Another fave, Down Isoard towards Briancon is mentally fast in places, got bulls-eyed by a load of crickets at silly speed halfway down once, felt like being paintballed:)
Posted 7 months ago # -
TandemJeremy - Member
Not if you go round it the French wayARTHERS SEAT IS RUBBISH - THE ROUNDABOUT HALFWAY DOWN KILLS YOUR MOMNETEUM
Col De Tourmalet is my favourite road descent (11miles IIRC)
and my fav road descent in the UK is rideable from my front door in flat old East Lothian.Posted 7 months ago # -
Something around Whiteadder GW?
Plus that roundabout halfway down is about the only interesting part of that descent, although it is fast.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I'm fortunate enough to get to ride down (and up) some 10-15km climbs in the Jura a few times a month. Pretty technical descents, esp the Saleve and you wouldn't want to get it wrong. Fave is probably from St Cergue to Nyon, especially if I've earned it by riding up the Faucille.
Some nice ones on the Etape Cymru - proper sphincter tightening stuff
Posted 7 months ago # -
Uk decents...Almost came unstuck properly on the drop from the Belach na ba this year. 2 wheeled slide after a bit too much caffine on the climb.....
Still, probably a contender for best UK. Got to love the Peaks too though.
Posted 7 months ago # -
The Tumble has got to be a firm favourite.
The top open section of the Gospel pass is lovely too .. Get past the narrow lanes, and the rest down to Hay on Wye is nice also.
And the wide winding road down into Monmouth is pretty good too.Here in S.Wales there are loads of fantastic climbs and descents.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Omar Little - I was on Arran a month ago and the Lochranza - Sannox road was being resurfaced.
I like the Devils Beeftub descent into Moffat - not very quick but nice and flowy. The descent from Lowther Hill to Wanlockhead is fast and the surface is great. You can then carry on all the way down to Mennock to give about 7 miles of descending. The Lecht is great in either direction but the wind usually spoils things a little. In England Kirkstone is great and I like Fleet Moss down towards Hawes - very straight but insanely quick. 60mph = brown chamois.
Posted 7 months ago # -
fastest I've done in the UK was past the winking man, Buxton -> Leek, 64mph
Posted 7 months ago # -
Ive not ridden many of the downhills in the uk, but favourites of mine would be Kirkstone pass either side, or the Struggle. And also Honister Pass and Birker Fell.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Got to remember that the list was compiled for a Sky Ride publicity thing so they're not going to be aimed at the serious roadie, more the gentle pootler type. Easily accessible, not too challenging but still good fun to a novice without scaring them witless!
Snake Pass into Glossop, Cat & Fiddle into Buxton and Long Hill into Whaley Bridge are all good local descents but they're a nightmare in the wind.
Kirkstone Pass heading north to Ullswater is probably my favourite Lakes descent.
The road across the middle of Arran from Machrie to Brodick finishes with a fantastic descent on new-ish tarmac, I've had well over 50mph on that.
Posted 7 months ago # -
IDave.... Respect.
So does confidence with speed on the road come from experience? I'm new to road biking this year and enjoy the descents on the Leek to Buxton road but find speeds approaching 50mph pretty hairy.Posted 7 months ago # -
For me most of the Lakes passes are not too good - too much time on the brakes and i prefer descents where you can just feather the brakes and take bends pretty much flat out. Newlands either way is good, and Honister towards Newlands. Kirstone back to Troutbeck is good, but you need a few pints at the Kirkstone inn before going down the struggle - really scary descent that one.
Lambs Fell in the Trough is fantastic going towards Slaidburn but my favourite in the north is Tan Hill down to Reeth.
France - Col de La Columbier back towards Sallanches.
Posted 7 months ago # -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxXqQqAc2pAAny excuse to post this again
Posted 7 months ago # -
The road from Torridon to Diabaig, sea level to 1000 ish feet and back in ten miles with loads of bends and exposure.
Posted 7 months ago # -
mrblobby - Member
did one down to Lake Garda last year that seemed to be endless switchbacks.
If it's the one I think of there are 19 hairpins and they run the Punto Velone race up it. I came down it in a hire Brava and enjoyed it immensely.I agree with the consensus on the Welsh descents.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Alpe d'Huez and Col du Galibier especially when overtaking cars.
Nobody's mentioned the Col du Glandon yet either.
Sorry but none of the UK descents compare to the continental ones.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Sorry but none of the UK descents compare to the continental ones.
Obviously not! On the continent they have proper mountains and they actually know how to surface roads. Generally a lot less traffic too and what traffic there is tends to get well out of the way!
I'm remembering all the descents I did in the Sierra Nevadas earlier this year.
One from Lanjaron to the coast was about 30 miles of downhill (OK, couple of slight rises but basically went from 3500ft to sea level) on blissfully smooth tarmac.
Posted 7 months ago # -
fastest I've done in the UK was past the winking man, Buxton -> Leek, 64mph
Thats proper!
Posted 7 months ago # -
The B8043 from the junction of A884. The best fun on a road bike so far. Better than all the usual suspects. A west highland gem....
Posted 7 months ago # -
I would also put in a shout for Ventoux as being pretty amazing.
I have also gone down the A38 Telegraph Hill, from Torquay to Exeter on the back of a tandem, (about 15 years ago)now that was seriously fast, over 55mph, overtaking cars, quite an adrenalin rush, more so cause i had no say in any control; just pedal and pray.Posted 7 months ago # -
Some interesting recommendations here.
I love some of the descents in the Breacons. But I think that the gospel pass is a bit too narrow to let yourself go on. The Tumble is good (the inlaws live in Govilon at the bottom) but I prefer the drop from the tops into Llangyndir. They use the hairpin near the top as a backdrop in loads of car magazines.
In the Alps - col du Glandon is unbelieveable - hairpin after hairpin. Years ago some of the descents around the Sierra Nevada near Competa were great too - 20-25kms of beautiful bends.
The Galibier is great at the top but the bottom half with the tunnels is plain crazy.
Posted 7 months ago # -
the winking man is a very steep and straight road, good surface. after the first time down i knew what was coming so sprinted into it - main issue was a side road and a car wondering if they could pull out - shat myself a bit when I saw it. don't think i'm flexible enough now to get into a full tuck!
Posted 7 months ago # -
The B8043 from the junction of A884. The best fun on a road bike so far. Better than all the usual suspects. A west highland gem....
Very interesting... I've climbed and descended the A844 from Loch Sunart to Lochaline, you don't expect such a long climb in that area! Will be back to try out the B8043...
Posted 7 months ago # -
crazy legs thats one amazing video !
Posted 7 months ago # -
Something around Whiteadder GW?
Yeah, out that way.Posted 7 months ago # -
64mph
I've done just over 50 and that left the old clacker valve going some at times. That said, 30mph felt like light speed 6 months ago so who knows in the future.
Did nobody else notice that they also have Ham Common as one of the best descents? I can only assume they asked some people on a Skyride in Richmond Park on that one. As far as I know it's a totally flat road.
Posted 7 months ago # -
But I've never had a road bike - just a mountain bike with slicks on.
Got 70mph one dayAnd your Central heating thermostat is set to...?
Posted 7 months ago #
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