# How to deal with Flagstaff's switchbacks?



## Soundtallica (Sep 24, 2011)

I'm a amateur (just started serious road biking this year) and just rode Flagstaff for the first time today. I think I did pretty well on the climb, I timed myself at 44 minutes from the stone bridge to the mailboxes and I was riding a 17.7 pound (relative) boat anchor. 

However, it was scary as hell going downhill! My bike felt stable enough, but I was an absolute wimp on the switchbacks (and the whole downhill in general) and slowed nearly to a crawl to get around all of them. I was so slow downhill that a dude I passed near the top going uphill returned the favor and passed me going downhill :cryin: What can I do to become a better descender, and to deal with those pesky Flagstaff switchbacks better? And as a side note, if you've done Flagstaff, what are your times?


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## DMH2979 (May 24, 2011)

Lived in Boulder for 7 years. Descending is a skill that you just get better at the more you do it. I not going to get into weighting and counter-steering, but those things are also important.

When I first moved to Boulder I used to get dropped on descents all of the time. I had a friend who basically got me into riding and racing; he basically schooled me and over time, with lots of practice and following fast people around, I was able to become pretty good at it. 

2 other things that really helped. 1) Trust in your bike. It will go (most of the time) where you want it to 2) Do races with very technical descents (like Gila) where I was forced to keep up. I quickly learned what I thought were limits, were far from what my bike could handle. 

Since I moved away to an area with less climbs, my descending has suffered, but the basic knowledge is still there. 

I once came down from SuperFlag in a torrential rain storm and almost burned through my brake pads . . I think good climbers in Boulder can usually do Flagstaff from the right turn/bend to the mail boxes in the lower 30s. I don't remember my exact times, but I remember always wanting to go sub-30 . . . not sure if I was successful or not --


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## bracken (Apr 21, 2012)

Here's my input for working with tight corners on descents:
1) Do your braking before the corner - try not to brake in the corner (exit speed is more important then entry speed)
2) Look where you want to go... far ahead, through the corner
3) Set your outside pedal down (6 o'clock) and weight it. 
4) Push on the bars with the hand that's on the inside of the corner
5) Use your lane - set up for the corner near the centerline, cutting to the inside of the corner at its apex, and then back towards the centerline on exit. This "straightens" out the corner as much as possible. Note, if a car is coming the other way, I slow more and don't use as much of my lane. I don't like to freak drivers out and don't want to find myself in their lane if I misjudge the corner.

Also, ride with someone who descends well, follow and watch/mimic them. If they drop you in each corner, pedal hard on the straights to get lead through the next corner — or ask them to ease up a bit, if they're willing.

The top time for that segment on Strava is 25:43. I'm new to this forum, so it won't let me post a link. To see all times at Strava, go here: 
app dot strava dot com slash segments slash 655175
I've done it in 35 minutes, but as part of a much bigger ride. Maybe I'll go out and just attack that climb and see what I can do.

And I must say, 17.7 pounds is no boat anchor.


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