Nervious Nelly scared of tiny hills

Not even hills really. I get very nervous and stop, dismount and walk my bike down even gentle banks :o

I have only been riding for 18 days. I never, ever, sat on a bike before then. I am improving a little each time I go out, but I always start out unable to even set off properly and go far without stopping. After 5 or 10 minutes, I can do it all again and, as I said above, I get a little better each time, but is this fear of riding 'down hill' usual? I don't like the feeling of the bike going 'under it's own steam' so to speak! My partner says it will come when I get used to going faster and coasting along faster on the flat. Maybe he's right and I'm stressing unnecessarily. After all I have only just got used to coasting without pedaling at all. Hell, I've only just learned to stop in a controlled way (without a risk of, or actually, throwing myself to the ground).

Anyway, I feel a little pathetic and I wondered if anyone here had this worry when they started out. :o

You are not pathetic! You're doing great! Soon you'll be reminiscing about when you were afraid to go downhill on one of those "share your accomplishment" threads.

Try coasting on the flat some more until it's comfortable, then conquer the hill when it feels right. It's not uncommon to be afraid of going downhill, but most likely, you'll think it's fun once you do it.

Look where you want to go.

Don't look at the ground.

Don't go faster than you're comfortable with, but do learn how to handle your bike.

What they said :) Congratulations on your progress in the last 18 days, and it will get easier! I remember being scared at the mere thought of going down-hill, but it does pass - and can even become fun :D

As Oakleaf said, control of your bike is the most important thing right now - and you WILL go where you look, so don't look at the ground... I just learned how to ride myself 8 months ago, so all of those memories are still quite fresh - and before you know it you will be going down hill without even thinking about it!

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Look where you want to go.

Don't look at the ground.

Don't go faster than you're comfortable with, but do learn how to handle your bike.

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Don't forget to breathe. ;)

You will be fine (says she who has only been on tiny inclines). You have a lovely Pashley, don't you, which will probably be a bit keen when gravity's with it. My heavy hybrid is the same, I use the brakes to slow down a bit if I feel the bike is running away with itself.

Well done on getting the stopping sorted!

Thank you girls :) I need to learn to be patient, never my strong point.

Oh, another thing I have made progress on is that I now do breath. I used to hold my breath for each length of a path I cycled! I was knackered :o

Snap, I have just got the hang of breathing and signalling at the same time.

Day eleven here and turning gives me panic attacks.:eek:

Last time I tried I just kept saying (outloud).. I'm turning now.. I'm turning now.. I'm turning now.. I'm sure anyone witnessing this called the funny farm and reserved my straight jacket.

Good luck and yes.. breath. Breathing is NOT optional :D

Shannon

Imagine if we all lived in the same area, going around the same lanes and cycle paths, talking to ourselves, forgetting to breath, falling into bushes (is that just me?) and looking nervous . . . ! :eek:

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Originally Posted by stella2

Thank you girls :) I need to learn to be patient, never my strong point.

Oh, another thing I have made progress on is that I now do breath. I used to hold my breath for each length of a path I cycled! I was knackered :o

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I've been riding almost 2 years now(as an adult - did ride as a kid). Something I do, whether it's riding a bike, manuervering a technical 4x4 route, threading a needle :p I stick my tongue out. I'm so afraid of biting the damn thing off that I consciously tell myself "tongue in mouth, tongue in mouth" and I do say it outloud. Talking makes me pull it back in. I do it going down hills while covering my brakes....too fast, and I'm squeezing those babies some to slow down. You'll get there!!! At least you get to be a kid again, learning how to ride a bike!!! As adults, we're a little too worrisome....think like a kid :)

It took me a long long time to be able to ride down hills without anxiety. I still get freaked if I let myself go too fast but at least I am now able to feather my brakes rather than ride them. Hang in there it will come. Maybe you'll eventually turn into a down hill bomber or a speed demon. Odder things have happened.

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Originally Posted by marni

It took me a long long time to be able to ride down hills without anxiety. I still get freaked if I let myself go too fast but at least I am now able to feather my brakes rather than ride them. Hang in there it will come. Maybe you'll eventually turn into a down hill bomber or a speed demon. Odder things have happened.

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It helps to know that I'm not the only one, but were you anxious about gentle downhill banks at the beginning or are we talking blood curdling hills? :eek: how long have you been riding?

I am still working on this - I love downhills now as long as my speed <= 30 mph. I still have problems stopping at the bottom of a steep hill, say, at a stop sign :eek: If I know there is one then I try to take some other route to avoid it.

We mainly just have quite steep but short hills around here, I need more practice on long hills.

It does get easier, and more fun, with practice. This is my first season riding. Ever :D

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Originally Posted by stella2

It helps to know that I'm not the only one, but were you anxious about gentle downhill banks at the beginning or are we talking blood curdling hills? :eek: how long have you been riding?

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yes and yes- Even five years later and quite a few climbs in the rockies, several times over various continental divides, the hills and hollows of Kentucky and various high places including bridges and multilevel highway overpasses, I am still a downhill coward, I still refuse to let myself fun out too much unless it is an absolutely straight stretch where I can see clearly for a looooooooong loooooooong way. The rest of the time I centralize my position, grip the top bar with my knees, feather my brakes, and try to remind myself to breath deeply.

It will get better.

I'm returning to the forums, and to riding after a couple of years off the bike, but the axiom to "steer with your chin" really helped me as I learned to ride some steep hills here in the Bay Area.
It will be my mantra. on Sunday as I set out on my favorite ride for the first time in two and half years.

What I like about this is that it forces you to pick up your head and then to look beyond your bike and not focus on the ground in front of you.

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Originally Posted by shadon

I'm returning to the forums, and to riding after a couple of years off the bike, but the axiom to "steer with your chin" really helped me as I learned to ride some steep hills here in the Bay Area.
It will be my mantra. on Sunday as I set out on my favorite ride for the first time in two and half years.

What I like about this is that it forces you to pick up your head and then to look beyond your bike and not focus on the ground in front of you.

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Does steer with your chin mean pointing your chin where you want to go?