Downhill fear

[Soleil6]

hello..

I wanted to see if anyone else is scared like I am and perhaps could share their experience on how they conquered that.

Mine is a bit unusual. I used to be fine. Then over the years got worse. I got the "speed wobble" a few times, now I descend on the break at 11mph with one foot unclipped. Sometimes I stop. I panic, freeze and freak. I am miserable, love riding but this has definitely made cycling much less enjoyable, forget going on a group ride too.

any advice is appreciated.

[shootingstar]

What is the width of your tires? Perhaps try slightly wider tires with a slightly rougher profile...which I always have had. I don't have super skinnies nor slicks. I never have and probably never will.

Presumably you have checked to make sure your wheels are trued. That can cause wobble. I discovered one of my wheels should be trued...soon.

As for being unclipped with 1 shoe, if you it makes you feel more confident, then do it.

What are you like when hiking along steep hills/mountainsides or walking across bridges/elevated walkways? Has that become worse? Do you have a fear of heights.

I'm not as slow as you going down a hill but then I don't have dropped handlebars. I do have a fear of heights where I find it more difficult to walk along narrow trails without any barrier along mountainsides, etc. Going down a spiral staircase inside a lighthouse which has no rail..just the wall to touch..was hard. My leg muscles were so sore by the time I got to the bottom. Probably I was trying to walk and control my fear.

Cycling is different, because to me, there's greater control with brakes.

[bacarver]

This anxiety/fear thing when descending sure takes the fun out of riding. I went through this during the summer. Not sure why but I think a couple very windy days contributed. I was almost knocked off the bike by strong gusts and I got scared. This somehow transferred to being afraid I would fall when descending at 30mph or so. I have typically been fearless when going downhill and love the rush and the feeling of total abandon.
Out of the blue, I found myself dreading downhills and started using the brake every few seconds.
I checked my position on the bike and realized I was doing some things that made the problem worse. I was grabbing the handlebars so tightly that it caused the front wheel to shake. I was imagining crashing instead of enjoying my ride. My entire body was tense. I was looking down instead of looking ahead.
I made my arms and hands relax. I reminded myself that I have ridden downhill with confidence in the past. I got my body to move with the bike. I discovered that bouncing gently distracts me from locking up. I raised my head up to get my eyes off the pavement beneath me.
I still have occasional problems, but I don't beat myself up.
The moment of fear is so convincingly real that everything seems to close in. But, much of this is the mind's interpretation. Ride down a short hill and practice mastering the skills. Good luck!
Barb

[lph]

"Bouncing" is a good idea, keeps your body loose but attentive. Ready for anything, like a cat.

I don't have much fear on a bike, but I recognize the feeling from other sports. Another mind trick to accept and overcome fear is to try to get into the mindset where you *like* speed - tell yourself (even at low speeds) "whee! I love this! I love flying downhill! I'm superwoman! I'm <insert favourite sports hero> " It helps to sense and feel this enjoyment while you're still in full control, to get to that point of wanting to go a bit faster and test yourself just a little bit. You want that positive, daring feeling to counteract whatever old fears are holding you back.

[Bike Chick]

I had a very similar fear after I crashed doing 40 mph on a mountain descent. I left the road on the 3rd switchback and hit a rock. The bike stopped and I kept going It was a long time before I could do a descent of any kind without my heart racing and my throat tightening. The anxiety was paralyzing.

I just took it slow. I took deep breaths, made myself relax and kept making myself do downhills until I got my confidence back. I don't descend with the wild abandon I used to and am much more cautious but I've got my downhill legs back.

Just try to relax and keep practicing doing downhills until you gain some confidence. If you are more comfortable keeping one foot unclipped, then do so but try to work toward staying clipped in. My best advice is to sit back in the saddle, trying to keep more of your weight on the back wheel, break with your back brakes, not your front, stay down in the drops, pinch the top tube with your knees, and just keep practicing. Also make sure your bike fits your correctly. If you are riding a bike that doesn't fit you, you can really feel out of control on a downhill.

Good luck!

[OakLeaf]

I'm too fearless on descents on the bici , but I can totally relate to your post, because a couple of years ago I completely lost my confidence on low-speed maneuvers on the motorcycle, and as you say, it's really taken all the fun out of riding.

I'm not sure of the solution, either. I know intellectually what's going on, I'm panicking, freezing up, looking at the ground and tightening up my muscles - when what I need to do is be loose and look up - but it's the panicking part that's hard to conquer. "Practice" isn't necessarily the solution for me either, since it just tends to reinforce frustration and fear.

I guess the one difference is that in low-speed maneuvering, if you panic, freeze and look at the ground, you WILL fall... whereas descending, you can control your speed with your brakes to a level you're comfortable with. I guess that's what I'd try in your position - work on the self-talk, pick your eyes up, look where you want to go, forearms loose, shoulders loose, weight in your quads rather than hard on the saddle; on the curves, inside foot up, outside foot weighted, still remembering to look where you want to go; and just every time down your nemesis hill, go one mile an hour faster.

Definitely DON'T unclip... right there you're losing a lot of control over your bike. And remember that you DON'T have to hit 50 mph if you don't want to!


ETA: I will say that riding a moto is the main reason I'm so comfortable descending on the bici - because it's all about looking where you want to go and being comfortable with the speed. Short version is that I burned out on the bici, rode a moto for 12 years, then came back to bicycling and my very first day back on a road bike I was descending gleefully at speeds that used to terrify me when I was racing. I wonder if you're being sloppy with your eyes when you drive your car? Maybe that would be an exercise you could do without panic... practicing your awareness skills when you drive the car? When you know how to look where you need to look when you're going 70 mph (or faster ), 50 doesn't seem so scary even if you're not wearing leather.

[Soleil6]

Just try to relax and keep practicing doing downhills until you gain some confidence. If you are more comfortable keeping one foot unclipped, then do so but try to work toward staying clipped in. My best advice is to sit back in the saddle, trying to keep more of your weight on the back wheel, break with your back brakes, not your front, stay down in the drops, pinch the top tube with your knees, and just keep practicing. Also make sure your bike fits your correctly. If you are riding a bike that doesn't fit you, you can really feel out of control on a downhill.

Good luck!

I tend to have one hand in the hoods and one hand in the drops. Do you feel more "secure" in the drops?

[Soleil6]

I discovered that bouncing gently distracts me from locking up. I raised my head up to get my eyes off the pavement beneath me.
I
Barb

Thanks Barb:-) What do you mean by "bouncing?"

[Soleil6]

[QUOTE=shootingstar;479888]"What is the width of your tires? "

First of all I want to say thank you for the responses. i didn't expect this, it's great:-)

I just got a Trek WSD bike, hoping that a women specific bike would really help me. I have never riddden a road bike before, I have always been on a tri bike. I am actually more comfortable riding the tri bike because thats all I know. But I want to give this trek a nice try. I have a zillion bikes, and I don't think the wobble is bike specific, more user specific.

"What are you like when hiking along steep hills/mountainsides or walking across bridges/elevated walkways? Has that become worse? Do you have a fear of heights."

You have a good point. I am find climbing but yes, I have fear of heights. Not terrible but definetly there. i also have issues driving so the ones that brought phobia and professionnal help I think there is something there. I am getting help but not sure it's helping.

The idea of finding a small hill is great. years ago I used to have someone do this and drive me up weekly. That did help. I just can't seem to find anyone that can help, but i need to get back to this, good idea.

[shootingstar]

"What are you like when hiking along steep hills/mountainsides or walking across bridges/elevated walkways? Has that become worse? Do you have a fear of heights."

You have a good point. I am find climbing but yes, I have fear of heights. Not terrible but definetly there. i also have issues driving so the ones that brought phobia and professionnal help I think there is something there. I am getting help but not sure it's helping.

The idea of finding a small hill is great. years ago I used to have someone do this and drive me up weekly. That did help. I just can't seem to find anyone that can help, but i need to get back to this, good idea.

Great that you got lots of good advice so far.
I didn't know about my fear of heights until my mid 20's when I went hiking in Greece along some of the paths hugging the cliffs. It surprised me.

ie. a problem for me: high trestle bridges with wide gaps between the floor slats and if the bridge has no barriers/rails when cycling or walking over it.

I just simply need a high enough barrier. THis is applicable for road bridges which may have barrier that is not high enough.

I am not the person leaning much over our home highrise balcony. We live over 30+ stories high.

[OakLeaf]

Sounds like maybe you're like me, shootingstar. I'm not afraid of heights at all, but I have a phobia of falling. I can be in sheer terror climbing the open staircase to the top of the lighthouse, then happily sightsee off the rail at the top. Airplanes, roof of the Rockefeller Center, no problem; climbing 4-foot rocks, big problem.

I've been able to reprogram my head to believe that a ladder is a safe place, which sure makes it easier to do all kinds of work; but apparently the lesson only applies to ladders.

[Pedal Wench]

Sounds like maybe you're like me, shootingstar. I'm not afraid of heights at all, but I have a phobia of falling. I can be in sheer terror climbing the open staircase to the top of the lighthouse, then happily sightsee off the rail at the top. Airplanes, roof of the Rockefeller Center, no problem; climbing 4-foot rocks, big problem.

I've been able to reprogram my head to believe that a ladder is a safe place, which sure makes it easier to do all kinds of work; but apparently the lesson only applies to ladders.

Me too! Hang off the guard rails at the Grand Canyon, and whimper at open-grate staircases. Can't seem to mtb over even the smallest bridge without diving off the edge. And, it's usually only climbing down things -- scampered to the top of the pyramids in Mexico, and spent two hours trying to get back down.

[Bike Chick]

[QUOTE=shootingstar;480121]ie. a problem for me: high trestle bridges with wide gaps between the floor slats and if the bridge has no barriers/rails when cycling or walking over it.[QUOTE]

Who wouldn't freak out crossing that?

[Minxitup]

Hi,

I really feel for you!

I used to be a fearless rider, I loved going down steep hills, bumps etc. Then I had my baby. I hadn't ridden in 11 months and the 1st ride was great until downhill. I froze, braked, and put my foot down. I don't know what happened. I had a panic attack. I don't do that. What is going on? I had a downhill wreck a few years prior and broke my nose, skinned myself up pretty bad and just jumped back on my bike and was fine.

I wish there was an easy solution. I"m still trying to go down small hills without braking, but when the long ones come along, my fear is in full bloom. This is totally crazy and not rational.

[evangundy]

I've never liked bridges, doesn't matter if walking, riding or cycling. I still won't stop on one if I can help it - don't like to feel it moving. But one day a few years ago, I started to have mild panic attacks, holding my breath, almost wanting to scream, when driving or riding across, and could not walk across. And here in Portland, it's hard avoiding bridges :-) Flying never bothered me before, but I became scared to death if the plane bounced even a little. Always loved downhills on my bike, but found I had become very nervous, and slowed on my downhills. Had lots of other things going on as well, so mentioned things at a yearly doc checkup. He tested my thyroid function and found I have Hashimoto's. After about 6 months on thyroid pills, symptoms started to subside, along with the fear and panic attacks. Also, no longer afraid when flying, and again, I absolutely love to go downhill fast on my bike.

When I first got into cycling, a friend who used to race motorcycles gave me advice that helped:
- the most important being to keep the upper body relaxed, and not have a death-grip on the handlebars. Hold on enough to have control, but the more tense you are, the harder it is to control the bike. It is especially true on the recumbent. The tighter your grip, the more wobbly the front wheel, no matter if it's uphill or down.
-only increase your speed gradually, as you get used to it. If you reach a speed that you can't seem to go any faster, that might be your speed. No need to be ashamed of it, learn to enjoy that speed. If you don't enjoy it, drop 1 or 2 mph.
-on a downhill, you need to always pay attention, no looking off to watch the horses playing in the field so you miss a turn in the road (oops - been there, done that - good thing I was only going 22mph - deep gravel just stopped the bike when tires sank into it, fell over sideways, no injuries, except to my pride).
- if you have a friend who is good at descending, ask them to lead you, but at your speed. Follow their lines through the corners, mimicing their body position on the bike. Then have them follow you, so they can see what you are doing, how you are riding, and they can give advice, things for you to maybe change or try.
- practice, practice, practice - as you become more comfortable going down on a familiar hill, that feeling will help you on new hills.

I'm known to be one of the faster descenders in our group. But I don't go beyond my ability to control the bike. My longwheelbase bike rides like it is a sled on rails. On Tour BC a month ago, I hit a new PR for speed - 56.3 mph on a 3/4 mile long downhill, straight, gradual curve at the bottom, no side roads until the bottom, light wind but no gusts. An absolute rush. I haven't crashed at speed and hope I never do.

Sorry this post is so long,
Edna