Do you find yourself clinging onto the brakes for dear life on a steep descent? Does the notion of tackling hairpin bends at speed make you sick to the stomach? Are you finding the memory of a nasty fall hard to shake? Then fear not, you are definitely not alone. 

Descending by bike for many is a scary prospect, and not just for novice riders. Take Emma Pooley for example, arguably one of the strongest climbers in the world, but in her own words says she is famous for ‘descending like a sack of potatoes’.

Emma Pooley: Rockies, Gravel and Coffee Cravings

However, Pooley has proved that all weakness can be overcome with a little hard work and determination. Here are our top tips with a little help from the woman herself – Emma Pooley – on how to improve and overcome your fear of descending:

Technique

Emma Pooley has given us the following advice to help improve technique while descending: “Lean the bike to corner, don’t try to turn the handlebars. You should lean the bike by putting your weight distribution onto your inside hand and outside foot, and keep your body upright. The bike turns on its own like that!”