Fear of going downhill!

[phoebearcadia]

Hi!
So I have to ask, does anyone else have this problem?
My boyfriend has got me into cycling again, and I started off on a little fold up bike and could do some quite steep hills on that and got quite confident, but recently I bought myself a new road bike, tested it out yesterday and managed a small hill, but the others I tried to go down but just got too scared! It's not about speed either, I love going fast on flat, anybody have any tips for this? It just results in me getting annoyed at myself and my boyfriend getting angry I can't follow him down the big hills :/
Thankyou :D

[rebeccaC]

Do you think the size of the bike makes the difference?

Descending ability, like any other fine-motor skill, is best improved with practice. I’d find a good descent and ride it repeatedly. The advantage to repeating the same descent is getting to know the same corners and straights without taking too many if any chances and slowly improving skills, speed and increasing your confidence on your new bike. You can then transfer those skills to your general riding. That confidence from repeating can also help you to start relaxing more. Anxiety can impair concentration, which can cause problems on descents, especially corners. Practice smoothness, no sudden movements or braking and speed and confidence will follow.

Descending technique is also important and there are lots of web articles on that....or even better that could be a good learning/sharing experience with the BF.

Take it easy, relax, concentrate and go slowly and safely while improving your descending skills.

[Sky King]

Does the new bike have narrower tires than the folding bike. That could be some of the change as well.

[TigerMom]

The wheels on the little fold up bike probably has much smaller tires than your new road bike. Bigger tires = more unwieldy, more awkward, more difficult to steer, much faster. Also, possibly the position of your fold up bike and the position of your new road bike is different. Maybe you are now in a more plank like position on your road bike compared to a more upright position on your prior fold up bike? More upright on your prior fold up is usually less scary then the more aerodynamic lower position of your new road bike.

I think you just need to ride your new bike more, preferably on your own first. I still remember how scary and uncomfortable it was when I went from my hybrid to the road bike. I made sure than my stem was as high up as possible so that I could be more upright on the road bike. Then, as I got more used to the road bike, I lowered my stem 3 times. As you get more comfortable on your new bike, you can pick up more speed. When you are "fast enough", then bike with the BF.

Also, as Sky King stated, maybe you can go up one width size on your road bike tires? That will also help you feel a tad more stable and less bumpy.

[phoebearcadia]

I do think the fact I am leaning over makes it scary! It's very very different from the fold up. The tires are really thin to be fair, I was thinking of going up if it makes it more comfortable :) I'll definitely be practising the hill my house goes down as soon as it's dry. Was told pushing my seat forward would help too? Lifting up the stem is a great idea! Going to be trying that as well. Going to get using this bike down :)
Thankyou guys :D