Back and Afraid

[karatemomLisa]

Afraid of falling or running into other cyclists.

[malkin]

Yes.
The more I ride, the more confidence I get.

If you are really scared of falling, you can try taking your bike on to a grassy or sandy surface and take a couple of fake falls. You are probably tougher than you think.

[PamNY]

Assuming you can balance on the bike and go forward, I'd just start riding. Grassy surface if you have one, empty spot like a parking lot if you don't. Don't go into traffic until you feel confident.

I worked on specific skills (still do). Getting on and off the bike, stopping and waiting (like at a red light), and weaving around obstacles are a few
suggestions.

As FunSize mentioned, the learning curve is pretty fast.

I'd say just do it, and ask here about any specifics that you can't figure out on your own.

[crazycanuck]

I ran into another cyclist in a fluke incident a few years ago & would suggest the following:

Look ahead, know which areas might require you to slow down just a smidgen.
Be predictable.
Don't expect others to slow down
Core strength is uber important

Just remember, you will eventually fall & it's a part of cycling. If you don't want to fall, dont' cycle. (don't even think about mtn biking!)

Get out there and ride, don't let fear hold you back.

[PamNY]

Core strength is uber important

Yes to that!

As a beginner, core strength was something I didn't know I needed. I thought cycling was just legs. I was wrong.

[hebe]

I learned to ride "properly" last year at 44, after doing not so well in my 20s (I never learned as a child).

I fell quite often and always had bruises. Then I stopped falling so often. Then I put my dd into a bike seat and fell again At the slow speeds I travel falling is really not anything to be too worried about. Do you have a helmet that fits?

I haven't yet run into another cyclist, they are all still faster than me and there aren't many around here.

Could you think about booking a session with a cycling instructor? I did this and it made all the difference in getting me going safely and building confidence. Your local bike shop might be able to sugggest someone.

Good luck and enjoy riding!

[Mr. Bloom]

I'd encourage you to seek out some League sanctioned education seminars in your area or a local club.

Traditionally, seminars are not well advertised in advance, but if you go to this site, you can find contact info for instructors in your area who may be able to give you more advance notice.

[AZchick]

My greatest fear of falling always happened when I was stopping and that foot had to hit the ground with steadiness and just at the right time. There are videos online that show you how to to this. But it really just takes practice, to 'get the feel'. I had my seat quite low to begin with and raised it a teeny bit at a time. You'll do it!!! Take your time and have fun meanwhile!

[redrhodie]

I was very scared at first. I was hit by a car door when I was 14, and didn't get right back on the bike (I was in my mid 30s when I really started riding again, and I'm 43 now). So, I had some issues to work through.

If you have a bike path, use it. Try to go when there aren't a lot of people, I find the middle of a work day is usually perfect. I rode one bike path back and forth until I knew every crack in the pavement. I rode for a couple of years with my seat too low, just so I could put my feet on the ground. Raising it the the proper height was done in increments, as I was ready. I did everything that way, as I was ready. I'd let myself master a skill, then I'd work on the next one. There's a lot to learn. You don't need to do it all in a day. I should add, I never fell, well, not until 2 years ago, cornering too aggressively on sand. Let's say, I've come a long way. After my fall, I felt totally pumped up, and excited. It wasn't as bad as I'd feared at all.

Oh, and if I could do it, you can do it.