Worried about Dieing descending!

[ATB990]

Hey folks,

First post. I figure you guys are the ones to ask!

So I just got into boulder a couple weeks ago and realized that alot of my rides consist of dirt roads loaded with small-medium pot holes. I don't mind the roads, but when im descending on these potholes with my carbon fiber handlebars I am gettin pretty friggin worried that I might pull a hincapie, except about 5 ft from the edge of a cliff.

my training weight is ~172lbs and i defs put alot of weight up front descending (stem is low as can go).

What are the chance of my FSA k-force handlebars breaking? I just bought mavic 3 cross 32 s wheels for the front and got an older pair on the back, i got FSA carbon seatpost and cannondale six frame. What are my chances of dieing? and what can i do to prevent death?

 

[taricha]

Your fear of descending sounds a lot more rational to me than most others. Potholes are carbon-fiber killers. If I can't be assured of riding on unbroken road surface, I'd descend with the fear of death prominently in my thoughts.

 

[CdnRider]

For me. The fear doesn't come until after I've gone through the crazy sections! I don't think about it much while doing it. Potholes down some fast descents? Wow. Take care my friend.

 

[steve]

I descend very slowly, not because I constantly think about dieing, i'm just cr@p at it I snapped some carbon forks about 7 or 8 years ago, ouch! The replacement pair also broke, but I noticed before they completely failed and sent my face back into the road.

 

[ATB990]

For me. The fear doesn't come until after I've gone through the crazy sections! I don't think about it much while doing it. Potholes down some fast descents? Wow. Take care my friend.

Ye its crazy, I don't think about it ever, but I did after watching Hincapies handlebars break on the bumps at the paris roubaix made me think about what if it happened descending these dirty bumpy roads in the rockies at 17% grades? I am pretty crazy when I get going, and I don't really think once im up there, I jus pound it, n I dunno when I get back home n reflect, gets me thinkin bout death. really

 

[ATB990]

I descend very slowly, not because I constantly think about dieing, i'm just cr@p at it I snapped some carbon forks about 7 or 8 years ago, ouch! The replacement pair also broke, but I noticed before they completely failed and sent my face back into the road.

You had some break!? how did they break? was it under heavy load it was it due to repetitive stress? but i guess if they are that old, maybe the resin was wearin or something I dunno... was it a shatter? was there any possibility of gaining control??

Just wondering if my handlebars break which I think they are going to with the hours and stress I put on them (~500 miles a week; ~150 on dirt roads). my coach said that they only break under heavy load but I heard stories from the boys on rides, but no one really knows a thing about it.

 

[steve]

You had some break!? how did they break? was it under heavy load it was it due to repetitive stress? but i guess if they are that old, maybe the resin was wearin or something I dunno... was it a shatter? was there any possibility of gaining control??

Just wondering if my handlebars break which I think they are going to with the hours and stress I put on them (~500 miles a week; ~150 on dirt roads). my coach said that they only break under heavy load but I heard stories from the boys on rides, but no one really knows a thing about it.

They were a dodgy batch from giant years ago from memory, the first TCR's I think. They just let go while riding, no big impacts etc..

Anyway I use carbon fork/steer/frame/seat post/rims now and don't worry about it.

 

[swampy1970]

Hey folks,

First post. I figure you guys are the ones to ask!

So I just got into boulder a couple weeks ago and realized that alot of my rides consist of dirt roads loaded with small-medium pot holes. I don't mind the roads, but when im descending on these potholes with my carbon fiber handlebars I am gettin pretty friggin worried that I might pull a hincapie, except about 5 ft from the edge of a cliff.

my training weight is ~172lbs and i defs put alot of weight up front descending (stem is low as can go).

What are the chance of my FSA k-force handlebars breaking? I just bought mavic 3 cross 32 s wheels for the front and got an older pair on the back, i got FSA carbon seatpost and cannondale six frame. What are my chances of dieing? and what can i do to prevent death?

As long as you haven't crashed those bars you'll be good. You could always buy aluminium bars but people break those to.

Your chances of dieing are directly proportional to how cr@p you are at going downhill.

What can you do to prevent death when out on the bike. Shoot yourself in the head before you put on your riding gear. That's a sure fire way of preventing death on two wheels. Chances are, you'll be busy dodging potholes on the rough roads that some big 4x4 will end up driving over you and you'll be left to bleed out at the side of the road, 20 miles from the nearest town and in the only spot within the lower 48 that has no cell phone coverage whatsoever...

... but if you do go over the edge of a big cliff, take solice in the fact that it's not the fall that kills you. Enjoy the ride and the view on the way down. Just hope that your helmet doesn't save you to enjoy a life in a wheelchair sucking down 'ensure' and steak 'n taters that have been 'soupified' in a blender.