Afraid of Speed

[SadieKate]

Yes, higher speed falls can hurt more, but higher speeds can also make your bike a heck of a lot more stable. Speed can carry you over small obstacles that might make your front wheel wobble at low speeds.

Go back to your own thread. Have you practiced the emergency stop? Have you learned how your front and rear brakes control your bike in different ways (rear slows only/front stops). Good braking skills will let you ride faster and you will need less distance to slow for that stop sign.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...emergency+stop

How far ahead of your front wheel are you looking? I'm just guessing, but it's probably not very far in front. Lift your eyes from your front wheel (or the ground right in front of it), and look farther ahead (this will also make you a better driver).

I agree, if you need to, take off the computer or turn it upside down on the bars so you can get a measurement AFTER the ride. Another thing, where is your weight on the bike? Is your butt plopped on the saddle or are you putting weight on your feet? If you platform your feet (3 and 9 o'clock) and put just enough weight on them to get a bit off your saddle, your center of gravity will be lower to the ground. Your steering will stay straighter. Keep your elbows bent and relaxed, chin up looking ahead (the faster the farther ahead).

Now go for it!!

[SadieKate]

BTW, Pooks, riders who slow on gentle downhills can be a safety issue on group rides. If someone is sucking your wheel as you come over a crest, they will expect you to speed up. You don't have to be a speed demon, but they will expect you to increase to coasting speed. This sudden slowing is almost as dangerous as riders who fly down a hill and then slam it into their smallest twiddle gear for the uphills, losing all momentum when it isn't expected, and these folks have a tendency to swerve as they shift also. At least in your case, it will be a slow speed accordion.

Good for you for working on your speed. I only mention this because I see you have a Livestrong ride in October.

[li10up]

Oh, Pooks I hope you will work on getting over your fear. One of the greatest joys you can experience on a bike is tucking into an aero position and letting gravity do all the work. IT IS SO MUCH FUN!!30+ mph on a downhill will make you smile from ear to ear. You almost feel like you can fly. You'll love it.

[pooks]

Thanks for all the advice -- encouragement and tough love. I need every bit of it!

I'm doing much better on stops, etc., but of course I haven't been practicing them going fast. Duh. Back to the practice routine!

[rivergrl]

I can understand the fear. It's all about what you are comfortable with.
I'm comfortable at 16-18. At 23 and over I start to feel a bit out of control, but sometimes it's about going faster in the right gears as well. The tighter it feel, the faster I go, the more secure I feel.

[pooks]

My computer would serve to make me go faster (now that I've had that advice) -- except that for some reason today it wasn't telling me the speed. Oh well!

I'm going to return it and get one with GPS but haven't gotten around to it.

Today's ride was great, though -- and since I don't know how slow I was going, it was fun. Heh. I've figured out which hill I can go down safely without having to stop at the bottom, though, so that's good. I'll work on that speed thing!

[Bikingmomof3]

You have received wonderful advice and some I plan to ue as well. I am only offering encouragement. I personally love going fast. I will practice the same route over and over again, just to build up my speed. Once you start working on it, you will get hooked.