described a descent as technical?

How on earth can a TDF descent be technical? Are there some drains or potholes to negotiate?

waite for it…

Didn't he mean 'terrifying'? Apparently some of those gutys do 50+mph, even 60mph, down some of those mountains. I can't even comprehend that. Anything over 30mph, and I get quite frightened!

Pretty blinkered there billyboy, technical doesn't have to mean lumpy bumpy you know. Just think of it as a descent where skill might be involved, that's the simple way.

billybob, have you ever descended at 50-60mph in mountains?

He wore a helmet too…..must be for the TV viewers as I recall him being pretty anti-helmet in the past.

i would advise billybob does a search of youtube for the cancelara footage, or search on here it was linked a couple of days ago.

Are there some drains or potholes to negotiate?

Quite possibly, and they're doing it without suspension, disc brakes, body armour or a full face. Now who's the lightweight? 😉

tails, he's probably just as bored as the rest of us this evening..

and the small matter of the heat melting the tarmac that you may have to ride through…

billybob, have you ever descended at 50-60mph in mountains?

No – but I have breached the 50mph mark on a couple of occasions, would love to find somewhere to hit the magic 60mph.

Try the Port de Bales descent then but be careful, it's quite technical.

😉

There's a memorial on that stage for a rider that crashed and died. That level of road racing takes some balls.

Watched one of the mountain stages this year (can't remember which), one guy on his tod desperately trying catch the two in front absolutely flying down the mountain with the whole of his body tucked in between the bars and saddle, didn't even budge over the speed bumps, now that's skill,

plus they don't seem as miserable as the lot you see round here… only joking, its the people not the type of bike 🙂

It's fun carrying 40mph round corners with an adverse camber and no berms to help you round, oh yeah you're right they're not technical.

Its amazing the speed and skill these guys have descending very steep roads with tight switchbacks,surprised there isnt more crashes as they must be knackered after climbing km after km. Luckily they have the whole road to use without on coming traffic.

I did 102kmh chasing a motorbike for some silly reason coming down Gyffin Hill into Conwy until I realized I had rim brakes and not discs and a sharp bend was approaching fast, luckily there was an escape route with a road veering off up a hill phew! Rather stupid 🙄

No – but I have breached the 50mph mark on a couple of occasions, would love to find somewhere to hit the magic 60mph.

I can recommend the descent off Mont Ventoux down to Malaucene, VERY fast at the top and VERY technical at the bottom.

That descent by Cancellara was immense.

Good fishing Billy lad 😉

boardman just suggested using a chainguard. i wonder if they are standard equipment on his branded bikes. i know where he's coming from but…..is anyone using using a chainguard. maybe reflectors and bell would be useful too.

Chain guard fits to the seatpost and stops the chain dropping to the inside. It's not a shopper bike type trouser guard.

Like this:

The irony is that those beefy bottom brackets to stop flex are so chunky tha you can fit that dogfang onto the seattube.

Wouldn't fancy being Schlecks mechanic tonight….

Doubt it was the mechanic's fault.