So, I fell off a steep hillside...

[cal4ever]

and I'm now afraid to ride on skinny single tracks!!!!

A few weeks ago, my fiance, his brother, his brother's friend and I went mountain biking in the Santa Ana mountains (Holy Jim Trail to Main Divide, then down Trabucco). I lost my concentration on our descent down Trabucco because I spotted a lizard. Next thing I knew, I tried to put my foot down to prevent a crash and CRASH! I crashed to my left and rolled off a steep hillside. Luckily, the bushes caught me and I didn't fall too far. However, it was enough make me lose all confidence in myself descending (or even pedaling) through a skinny single track that's close to a hillside or cliff. I have no problem attacking technical sections (lose rocks, roots, or anything crazy) so long as it's not on a skinny single track that's very close to a steep hillside (or cliff). I was doing fine until my crash, now I can barely get myself together when riding past a hillside. I absolutely LOVE descending and some of my favorite challenges are found in skinny single tracks. So, I need to find a way to get over this fear. Does anyone have any pointers or tips on how I can overcome this fear?

Thanks in advance!

[Aggie_Ama]

I have been there! Everything starts to look like you will wreck again. Can you ride something similar with a spotter? So you have a "safety net" to try again? You have ridden the same type of challenge many times and loved it, so you know you can do it!

When I got my 29er I went into big panic mode over descending, it felt way different and I was convinced every downhill would wreck me. I have had far less wrecks on any downhills than other obstacles but on this bike it felt like I was waiting for it. I started to ride with a very patient friend of mine, he challenges me to try things without going to far out of my comfort zone. And he accepts that some days you feel a little less like trying something you're scared of. We started in baby steps and have been progressing for about a month. Relax, don't pressure yourself to get back to where you were that will just make it harder to get there.

[Artista]

I've been there too! It helps me to re-approach a trail section that threw me in baby steps. Maybe slow my speed & ride only a few feet of the difficult section until I feel unsafe. Then I get off & walk the bike through the rest of it. I can usually ride at least a few feet further each time until I can tackle the whole section again. Sometimes this takes a few rides, sometimes it takes most of a season to get back to where I was.

My husband is also very encouraging. Sometimes I figure out that I probably could have ridden a section that I just walked. He reminds me that I didn't waste my opportunity & that I can walk my bike back & try riding the section again. I've gained confidence on several difficult trail sections by walking them first & then immediately going back & riding them.

Aggie is right. Some days we feel braver & more coordinated than others. It's OK to embrace a reasonable amount of our self-preservation instinct.

[jessmarimba]

I had one of those wrecks too. Grabbed too much back brake, rear wheel slid out and off the side of the trail, and down I went. I was bleeding from knee to elbow on one side and cracked a rib or two on an invisible rock where I landed.

I avoided that particular section of trail for quite awhile...just rode other places. I finally went back to that park and I can't even tell you where I wrecked any more. It was (for me) a process of regaining my confidence overall, and working on enough basic skills that the "surprise" wrecks became a little more controllable. (Less of a panic reflex, which is what caused me to brake so hard to begin with). Obviously I still crashed after that, or I'd be riding today, but even with much more reason to panic now I'm a lot better at knowing what the bike will do in a given situation. It helps mentally settle me.

I use Artista's approach too, and it also helps me to watch someone else ride a section. Especially someone that I know. You can kind of see what to do and what not to do and analyze what you would do differently before giving it a shot.

[solobiker]

I have been there too. I was climbing up a fairly steep trail with a switchback, started to fall over and unclipped my foot ( the wrong foot as it was on the outside of the switch back) and tumble backwards down the cliff/embankment about 20-30 feet with my bike as my other foot was still clipped in.

My adivce would be to practice those areas. I still get nervous with tight turns but continue to practice my "weak" areas. Just as long as you are still having fun don't worry and enjoy yourself.

[Tri Girl]

just don't do what I did: and that's not ride again out of fear.
I crashed hard about 4 years ago (that tree just reached out and wrapped me around it).
I was so terrified of crashing again, that I didn't get on the bike for a whole year. Then I only did flat single track, then I was even too afraid of that. I haven't ridden in 3 years.


Get back out there, walk the sections that are scary/intimidating and hop back on that horse.

I'm glad you're OK!

[cal4ever]

Thanks for all of the tips! I think I will walk the sections I find scary, and then go back if I find it rideable, and hopefully, little-by-little, I won't be so afraid of skinny single-tracks again.

And tri-girl, that's what I most afraid of as well. I don't want to allow my fear take over me and prevent me from doing what I love to do!

[bellissima]

Just keep riding, don't feel bad if you have to get off the bike at places you feel nervous about. Start with easy trails and work you way up. In no time you'll be back to normal

[cal4ever]

Ladies - thanks for all of your suggestions!!!! I think I've gotten my mojo back! My fiance has been so patient taking me to single tracks that are wider than normal. I got comfortable with that and now, I'm back to riding skinny (but not super skinny!) single tracks with some exposure!!!

[Catrin]

Ladies - thanks for all of your suggestions!!!! I think I've gotten my mojo back! My fiance has been so patient taking me to single tracks that are wider than normal. I got comfortable with that and now, I'm back to riding skinny (but not super skinny!) single tracks with some exposure!!!

Sounds like a sweet fiance Congratulations on getting your mojo back!

[Aggie_Ama]

Ladies - thanks for all of your suggestions!!!! I think I've gotten my mojo back! My fiance has been so patient taking me to single tracks that are wider than normal. I got comfortable with that and now, I'm back to riding skinny (but not super skinny!) single tracks with some exposure!!!

Great update!! Glad you found your mojo.