Nervious Nelly scared of tiny hills

[stella2]

It took me a long long time to be able to ride down hills without anxiety. I still get freaked if I let myself go too fast but at least I am now able to feather my brakes rather than ride them. Hang in there it will come. Maybe you'll eventually turn into a down hill bomber or a speed demon. Odder things have happened.

It helps to know that I'm not the only one, but were you anxious about gentle downhill banks at the beginning or are we talking blood curdling hills? how long have you been riding?

[Catrin]

I am still working on this - I love downhills now as long as my speed <= 30 mph. I still have problems stopping at the bottom of a steep hill, say, at a stop sign If I know there is one then I try to take some other route to avoid it.

We mainly just have quite steep but short hills around here, I need more practice on long hills.

It does get easier, and more fun, with practice. This is my first season riding. Ever

[marni]

It helps to know that I'm not the only one, but were you anxious about gentle downhill banks at the beginning or are we talking blood curdling hills? how long have you been riding?

yes and yes- Even five years later and quite a few climbs in the rockies, several times over various continental divides, the hills and hollows of Kentucky and various high places including bridges and multilevel highway overpasses, I am still a downhill coward, I still refuse to let myself fun out too much unless it is an absolutely straight stretch where I can see clearly for a looooooooong loooooooong way. The rest of the time I centralize my position, grip the top bar with my knees, feather my brakes, and try to remind myself to breath deeply.

It will get better.

[shadon]

I'm returning to the forums, and to riding after a couple of years off the bike, but the axiom to "steer with your chin" really helped me as I learned to ride some steep hills here in the Bay Area.
It will be my mantra. on Sunday as I set out on my favorite ride for the first time in two and half years.

What I like about this is that it forces you to pick up your head and then to look beyond your bike and not focus on the ground in front of you.

[stella2]

I'm returning to the forums, and to riding after a couple of years off the bike, but the axiom to "steer with your chin" really helped me as I learned to ride some steep hills here in the Bay Area.
It will be my mantra. on Sunday as I set out on my favorite ride for the first time in two and half years.

What I like about this is that it forces you to pick up your head and then to look beyond your bike and not focus on the ground in front of you.

Does steer with your chin mean pointing your chin where you want to go?