down hill scardy pants

[Cataboo]

I have the same problem. I am new to cycling and I get very nervous going downhill. I'm frantically scanning the ground and convinced I'm going to hit a pebble and go flying towards the ground.

I made myself go up and down one hill over and over again the other day. It seemed to help a LITTLE, as I didn't brake the whole time after a few . . . but I am still a worry-wart about it.

Any tips on how to overcome this fear?

I sort of base it on how curvy the road is, how well I know the road, and what's at the bottom of the road... I just let the bike go down hills that last year I rode my brakes all the way down... And I pedal down some hills that I know there's a big uphill at the end...

If the road is wet and at all curvy, I use my brakes going down the hill... If there's leaves or any chance that I'm going to skid out... I use my brakes. Before I go down curvy hills, I will usually pause and let any traffic behind me go ahead - because if I need to take a turn wide, I don't want to worry about cars in the way.

When you're riding - don't look at the ground directly in front of you - look a bit ahead, so that if there's something in the road you have time to react.

[Biciclista]

really, repetition is the only remedy I know.

[Photoflygirl]

I've only gone 22.something down a small hill...can't imagine going down a bigger/steeper one going close to 30! It sounds exhilirating, but terrifying at the same time.

[MartianDestiny]

My brakes all get a good solid workout! You are not alone. Confidence (miles) in my bike helps, as does repetition of the same hill (you know what's coming and begin to get more comfortable). I'll still never be a 50mph downhill person, and that's ok!

[HoosierGiant]

really, repetition is the only remedy I know.

+1!! That and plenty of miles so handling skills become second nature, leading to increased confidence. ('Cuz screaming down a hill at 40 mph is too much fun to miss out on, IMO!)

[smilingcat]

Are you looking directly in front of your wheel when you are going down? If so, maybe this is the reason why its so scary because you can't react to something on the road or the road itself when it comes into your field of view.

At 20MPH, I may be looking 100 feet in front. By the time, I'm going 40MPH downhill, I will be looking 300 feet or more ahead. Absolutely no reason to be looking right in front of your wheel! When you are riding on the flat, I don't think you are looking directly in front of your wheel. Chances are pretty good that you are looking way ahead 100 feet maybe 500 feet ahead.

If I were to go downhill at 40MPH and look at a spot directly in front of my wheel, I'll be a nervous wreck too.

At higher speed, you need to look further ahead and start reacting to the condition (pot holes, bumps, debris on the road) before you get to there.

Relax and try to enjoy the reward of climbing hills, that is going downhill .

[alpinerabbit]

A clinic has done wonders for my downhill confidence, as it is quite hard to explain (attempts in the threads Zen linked?)

[OakLeaf]

What Smilingcat said. Practice picking your eyes up. I have a friend whose mantra on the motorcycle is "look up 10°." Honestly if you're looking at your front wheel, you should be looking up more like 45°. But you get the picture. Looking at the ground is a sure way to wind up on it. (Just as target fixating on any obstacle - tree, car, lamp post, etc. - is a sure way to wind up hitting it.)

I'm told that mountain biking is a great way to improve your descending skills and learn to "look where you want to go" (not just descending, but all the time).

[hipmama]

I do look ahead, I'm a super scanner so that's not a problem. I guess practice will be the key. I have three big ones near me, one tall, steep winding one, one tall and insane steep, and one long with a little bend, I'm not too bad on the last one.
Every time I wobble I swear I'm going to go down. I don't even fall much on my bike, so it's not like I'm accident prone. I went clipless last month and had one fall, from a dead stop, and since have navigated path, street, and city riding with no problems.