Gremlins are bugging me

[Bad JuJu]

I have no practical advice to offer, but can say from experience that the more you do the thing you fear, the less fearful it becomes. I guess that's obvious in theory, but not always so obvious in practice, since it still takes time.

One cornering skill I've read about it is putting your weight on the outside foot/leg--this is supposed to lend greater stability during cornering. Just a thought.

Best of luck in putting your cornering gremlins behind you!

[mimitabby]

I crashed into a fence once when my handlebar hit it (not enough clearance)
it probably took 5 years for me to get over that one. I used to be on the back of the tandem with my eyes closed!!! to go through posts or through fence gate openings.

Time will heal.

[silver]

hi cc!

I know what you are feeling. It's frustrating, isn't it?

I'd say it took a good 9 months to feel a little closer to normal. And I'll never ride the same again. It's not worse, it's just different. My nemesis is hills that I don't know. If I don't know the grading and what's at the bottom or around the bend, I take it really slow. I don't do that great on unknown courses.

But even though I have to deal with this, I still have found a joy in riding that I never had before. When I face down the fear and still go on and finish a ride, I know that I am stronger and more couragous than before.

I hope this helps.

silver (once broken)

[crazycanuck]

Silver-Yep..It's rather frustrating & am annoyed about being frustrated. I have so many thing to work on-strengthening my right leg, aligning my hip, speed etc etc..I never thought about how much i'd truly have to work on until i got back outside.

Oakleaf-i'm still working on getting my 'cycling' eye back to where it was.

Thanks muchly appreciated!

[RoadRaven]

Hey there CC
So good to see you are out there, and on your bike again
I have thought about you often while I life took over from my TE visits.

I have no practical advice either, but like JuJu says... the more you face your fear, the easier it is to face your fear because you build strategies to cope.

And people like Silver who, like you, have had much to face when reaching for the bicycle have much more insight than I.

But my thoughts are with you and I wish you continued courage as you relearn to ride the way you loved to.

[Geonz]

What they said.

When I did TOMRV I put "ICORNERSLOWLY" as my name on the tag on the back of my bike (they asked you what to put there and said you didn't have to make it your name)... and I haven't had bad corner experiences. Time and practice, I reckon.

(I liked that people gave me lots of room and treated me like the newbie I was )

Or perhaps there is a gremlin banishing ceremony.

[KnottedYet]

After your corner experience, I am very careful at corners and ring my bell like h#11 at every blind corner.

Maybe your gremlins will ease up if they know others are being more careful because of you?