Ok, I have actually been bicycling all my life and I didn't always have this fear. In fact in high school I used to love to take this hill in Pasadena and ride down it no -handed, then make the turn at the bottom - still no handed! It was great fun and I couldn't get enough of it. Now I ride in San Francisco of all places, I'll go on rides and find that I do nothing but rides the breaks on entire downhills practically! Why, all of a sudden am I such a wimp about it? And let me preface this by saying that I also rollerblade and yes I take those downhills as they go. Any ideas on building up a little confidence? I was reading a thread, ( i think posted by aggie ama from Huston) where she mentions a crazy uphill up Jester, and crazy downhill descents of 42.6 mph! The whole time I thought - ya, give me the uphill challenge any day of the week, but then the descent - that's what makes my body hurt the most the next day for the way I tensed up and road the brakes the entire way! I'm such a wimp!