Downhill fear

[bacarver]

I don't know how I thought to try this, but it helps distract me from my body's urge to become one tight muscle when I'm riding downhill. It's similar to the technique that equestrians use during shows.
I don't actually "bounce". Rather, I just raise my body up a slight bit and then back down. Then I continue my downhill for a beat and then repeat the up and down. I continue to do this till I reach the bottom of the hill. This lessens my focus on the paralyzing fear.
Anyone watching me wouldn't even notice. The fear is initiated by the mind and transfers to the body. This simple activity works for me. Otherwise, I'm thinking only about crashing and losing skin. I had a horrible wreck in 2005 and I know how much it hurts. I still have good days and bad days with descending, but I can decrease the panic to a tolerable level so I can enjoy my rides.
Hope this helps. Barb

[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.

[featuretile]

I definitely go downhill slower than most of the people in my group. We have some pretty steep hills and I don't see why it is necessary to go so fast that I feel unsafe. The only time I really rip down a hill is on rollers when I see a big hill that I am going to have to climb, and I want to get as far up as possible. Besides, I know the hill is going to slow me down.

I have noticed that as I continue to improve my riding, I am comfortable going downhill a little faster than I used to. So, just gradually increase the downhill speed in increments when it feels ok. Don't try to make it a mental block or force yourself to do something that would be unsafe for you. Everyone's comfort level is different. It would be way worse to hurt yourself and be unable to ride. Anything under 20 mph feels fine now. Anything over 28 mph is downright scary (for me). I catch up in the flats and uphill.

[shootingstar]

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.

I doubt I could do the pyramids' steep high steps without a rail. And going down..I can see myself crawling down..like a baby.

Featuretile- Agree, that we shouldn't spend oodles of time beating ourselves up because it's somehow incompetent or wimpish not to be zipping down a descent at 50+ kms. per hr. If we're not competing in racing in a competition..

After descending long hills and accidentally hitting potholes, gravel patches, black ice patches, I'm still learning my limits. But going fast enough to make it easier for me to mount the next hill ahead. One, just hopes there isn't a red traffic light halfway up on the ascent or a car cutting into right hand lane.

Now what should I be prouder of for myself...plunging down long descents at 50 kms./hr. (did once, and the bike started to shake on a smooth rd.) or still cycling regularily for nearly the past 18 yrs.?

[Crankin]

Ha, Pedal Wench, I climbed up the pyramid at Chiken Itza (sp) when I was senior in HS. I also spent about 1-2 hours going down *on my rear end,* because I could not stand up on those steps! I have to hold on to a railing going down any steps. I go down a very steep escalator twice a week at the train station. I hold on for dear life. Sometimes, I walk down the moving escalator, but I have to look down at the steps and hold on.
My fear of downhills is becoming more like panic as the years go on. I can get up to about 25, but if there's curves, forget it. My natural inclination is to put the brakes on. At one point, I got close to 35 mph on a downhill a couple of years ago, but it's weird. I often start out the season going faster. Then as the the months go on, the fear becomes more pronounced.
My bike fits and I can comfortably reach the brakes in the drops. But I feel like I have no control when I descend in the drops and often have to slow way down just to feel OK with it. I have no problem riding in the drops on the flats, in a headwind, etc. So, pretty much I just deal with it. The only time it bothers me is when I am on a group ride and that isn't very often.
I catch all of them on the uphills...

[HillSlugger]

Not sure if it was already mentioned, but try keeping one knee on the top tube, or clamp it between both knees, to keep the bike from shimmying.

I happen to love fast descents, but when I'm on one I don't know well and can't see exactly what the road is doing I have to remind myself to relax my upper body and keep my elbows loose and bent. I'll also gently scrub off some speed by applying light pressure on and off with the brakes.

[kimikaw]

Glad I'm not the only one. I'm ok on downhills (at 25moh or under) but discovered over the weekend that I'm not so okay riding across a high bridge. Hubby and I rode the Natchez Trace last Friday, and had to cross what felt like a 300 foot high bridge (in actuality 155 feet above the road below).

Going out I was maybe 1/3 - 1/2 of the way into the car lane, despite a wide shoulder. Just kept looking at the rail and thinking if I fell, I'd tumble over the side. The return was worse. Pretty significant descent from that side heading into the bridge.A pretty good crosswind had blown up. I was convinced the wond was going to pick me up and toss me off the bike at any moment. Rode almost to center of road, just could not force myself over. Unsure what i would have done if a car came up behind. Realize now that my death gripe on the bars didn't help.

Stopped on other side and took these pictures. And found out hubby was equally freaked by the crosswind (he was behind me, so don't know his line across).

[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?

[Ritamarie]

try keeping one knee on the top tube, or clamp it between both knees, to keep the bike from shimmying.
.

Isn't something wrong with your bike if it is shimmying? I've regularly gone over 40 mph downhill on my road bike and have never had it shimmy. I'm not super brave on downhills either, mostly because I am afraid of wildlife running out around here (I almost got run over by a deer the other day!) or I imagine blowing a tire mid-descent, but I never worry about losing control of my bike due to it behaving unpredictably. I save that worry for when I'm on my horse.

[Crankin]

It's not so much that my bike is shimmying. It's that I find it hard to follow the road at high speed. Like, I have to fight not to end up on the wrong side of the road. Yes, I keep my leg down, press against the top tube and try to look where I am going. It's that the feel of everything is different when descending at speed. I start shaking and that's it... I might add that this problem is mostly when I have to turn/curve right. I am much more comfortable with left hand curves.
Pretty sure that this has something to do with my astigmatism that is not corrected. I also feel awkward just turning right.
Mostly, you wouldn't this if you saw me ride; you would just think I was a very slow descender.

[OakLeaf]

It's really common to have an easier time turning one direction than the other. I suppose there's more discussion of it on the moto boards just because most beginning bicyclists don't spend a lot of time thinking about handling techniques?

Tight turns to the right are much harder for me, too. I attribute a lot of it to vision as well. But crowned roads can make right turns really tough, too, which can set you up for a loss of confidence that gives you trouble even on flat surfaces.

[Crankin]

Yea, I really got to know the crowned road phenomena this summer in Camden, Maine. I felt like I was sliding off the road the whole time. But, my DH noticed it too. The difference is, that it doesn't bother him.

[Dogmama]

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ownhill+Weenie

It's worth a look.

Zen should be crowned, "the TE librarian!"

Me too - hate downhills. Nope, don't need medical help*, not phobic. I'm afraid of heights and it translates into riding As somebody said, I'm OK if I'm on rolling hills but going downhill off of Mt. Lemmon - not a happy camper. I'd rather go up. My bike doesn't shimmy, rock or roll. Wheels are trued. I feather the brakes. I don't brake in turns. My top speed is 30mph.

Once a tandem passed me doing 65 mph (according to their cyclometer.)

*There are those that say riding a bike in traffic qualifies somebody as insane!