Fear of Going Down Rutted Hills with Rocks

[sgold]

I am experiencing a strong fear of going down steep rutted hills with rocks and riding narrow mountain single track. Can anyone give me a suggestion to overcome it?

[caligurl]

hello!

i don't have an answer to you.. but i can add that i'm scared to death to go down hills fast! my hands were killing me getting back down the hill we climbed yesterday... maybe it will come with time?

[yogabear]

I think the important thing is to go with what you are comfortable with, even if it means at first you walk your bike through sections you are unsure about. I also find that not looking at where I don't want to go on my bike helps. I think it helps too to put your weight back and not use too much front brake in the rutted downhills ("feather" the brakes). The narrow singletrack takes time to get used to, but trust that it will get better with time. You have to find that balance of going fast enough (to get through the terrain) and not too fast for your comfort, which takes time like anything else.

I also like to use visualization techniques (there's some books on the subject that explain it better than me...one is Sports Psychology for Cyclists).

I have never been to a mtn. bike camp for women, but I have been to a road biking camp which did wonders for my bike skills on the road. I am sure this would be fun for you to experience something like that with mtn. biking. It helps to ride with other women...you see them doing things and you're like, "hey, I can do that!" So, maybe you could find a group of like-minded gals to ride with in the sections you are worried about. I am sure you will be just fine!

You go girl!

Sincerely,

Lisa

[pedalfaster]

See this thread.

Only... off-road your pedals should be level ("9 and 3"). Tap your brakes right before the descent to scrub speed. Get your butt waaaay off the back of that saddle (practice on level ground first if needed---you should feel the whiiiir of the knobbies on your backside).

Enjoy the ride.

[Irulan]

for descending, check your body position.. make sure you are out of the saddle, back a bit, feet level, hands light on the brakes. You have to ride light on loose stuff. Ruts require choosing a good line... see the thread on manuvering in new riders. You have to be loose and trust your bike to not lose it. I know this doesnt' make sense, but take little bits of it and see.

my tips page has some ideas too. let us know where you are and we can maybe point you to some skills clinics.

irulan

[JanT]

Fear is sometimes a good thing! Follow the tips others have given, feather your brakes to keep your speed down without skidding, and remember to breathe. There is no shame in walking some of these beasts, and I have no problem walking some of the steep, rocky but loose, portions of the trail. Better to walk it then risk injury. If you decide to try it, remember the old adage: Do, or do not. Once you're committed, go for it. Trying to bail on such a hill can be more dangerous than riding it out.

[Irulan]

I woke up in the middle of the night and remembered this: you gotta keep the wheels rolling, especialy the front! I think riding on unconsolidated stuff is fairly difficlut...

Irulan

[bounceswoosh]

Definitely keep the wheels rolling! If you brake while your wheel is in the air, you *will* endo when the wheel lands.

One thing I try to do is to look for the grippy spots. On one rocky ride I like, there are spots where there's a flat rock surface. I always scrub speed on those spots, then stay off the brakes on the loose rock.

[sgold]

Thanks for the suggestions. Previous to going to Mammoth to ride, I got k-oed by our dog when I walked him. He took off running when he heard his name and I did not let go of the leash. I fell face first on the pavement and looked like my husband beat me. Fortunately, no concussions or serious injuries- two injured front teeth, though. Falling increased my fear.

I was determined to face my fear. We went to Mammoth and mountainbiked four days: single track mountain trails, gravel fire roads, and finely pumiced trails. I fell on my left knee and got some scrapes. I walked my bike a lot.

Still wanting to challenge my fear, when I came home, I took a mountain trail with rutted downhills with loose and smooth rocks, and uphills with loose rocks. I walked my bike a lot and felt embarrassed. I am going to take time to recover and get dental work done now.

[bounceswoosh]

Nothing wrong with walking when you need to. Fear is a useful tool in reasonable doses.

Sorry about the injuries =/ I have lots of dog-related scars, but none as severe as those sound. I hope you feel better soon.

[Irulan]

you should NEVER EVER feel embarassed about walking... if the crowd you are riding with puts that on you, find a new crowd, and if you are putting it on yourself you need to get over it right now!!!! There is no shame in walking, ever!! It's crazy to push yourself too much just because of embarassment.. .that's when you can get really hurt!

The beauty of walking is that maybe this month you walk a section, next month you only walk half of it, later this summer you dab it and next year you run it clean!!!

If lack of confindence and not knowing "how" is part of your walking something, ask somehow who can do it for some tips, or take a skills clinic ( I know, broken record....) Sometimes it's just a matter of a little tweak in your techinique, and then sometimes it's a matter of self preservation

When I was up in Canada at camp, even tho I was in the second from the top skills group, there was some stuff on our practice ride that I took one look at and just KNEW that I wasn't going to do. There was no shame or embarassment. I just said to the coaches... "you know, this is just way out of my comfort zone right now, I will watch you guys and take pictures". EVerything was fine, and some of the younger gals went for it. My buddy, who is older than me was actually relieved when I said what I did, it took the pressure of her that she was letting her BF put on her about doing certain things. Sometimes deciding NOT to ride something is freeing is a way, because it take the pressure off.

my I do go on sometimes, don't I

Irulan

[kimba]

I so share your fear! This is the biggest thing I had to get over...
I'm better now, but there are times that I just freak- I get that flash of fear pain in my stomach- Oh God, I so hate that.

But- here's what I learned...from experience.

I was on my women's mtn biking skills clinic- the morning was great- we practised lots of basic skills- the repetion was really helpful.
Skills like, turning, running along side your bike and mounting, then dismounting and running again, proper braking- both brakes, not just the rear one. That kind of stuff.

Then later- the obstacle courses- riding through a pit of big rocks- freaked me out it did- I had to look at it and visualize a long time before I had the courage to do it-
But I set off, pedaled as fast as I could- and the bike took me through.
cool.
Then more obstacles, logs,2 logs, big logs, skids, bunny hops, manuals.etc etc.
I was doin' good!!
The we had to ride about a third of the way down the ski hill.
Ack!
I was worried that I was gonna endo which trying to get my ample butt into the saddle.
They taught me to ride across the hill until I got my seat- then gradually turn down the hill- make sure my butt was back on the saddle - even off the saddle ( behind it) if the descent was really steep...Those big rocks were frightening, but I soon realized that I could make it down the hill at a good clip, feathering the brake when the fear got too much for me, and I would make it okay.

But then- after lunch- and of course I had made it through all the skills, pretty well aceing everything, watching others fly off their bikes here and there, falling over- but not me.
and then- I got off my bike, parked it, walked over fieldstones on my way to lunch, hit an uneven one with my too loosely tied cycling shoes- and fell, opening up my elbow, bleeding profusely and having to get first aid- oh yes, I felt kind of foolish!

But anyway- the afternoon was all taken up with a ride through the woods.
Well, as it happened, 2 of us took the wrong fork and ended up in unfamiliar territory- the other rider was lost for 3 hours...but got back okay, suffering a flat and hiking out of the woods, and hitchhiking back to the ski lodge. I, just waited, knowing eventually somebody would come and find me - and sure enough, I was only waiting for 15 minutes.
BUt- Since I was now worried about my missing team mate- I was more concerned about finding her, and getting back, than worrying about the babyheads and the rocky descents.
I marvelled how I just pushed through the rocks- before I tried to ride around each one- now I just knew that the bike would go over them. So- I actually kept my momentum up and cruised through stuff that would have terrified me some 4 hours before...I was so afraid for somebody else- I wasn't afraid for myself. It was weird - but it worked.
It was like I just went "*#@! it" - and went down the mountain.
And the thing is- that was a GIANT step for me, having had that terrible endo from before, and being worried that it would happen again.

Now- I am riding a reclaimed land fill near my house - there is a BIG hill- BIG- but it is grassy and I feel if I wipe out it won't hurt as much. Soon I will be comfortable with the steepness, and I already know I can ride over the rocks...

But not for a while..

I cracked ribs while riding in a bog...
but that's another story.

Anyway- the point to this rather lengthy missive is-

momemtum will carry you over most rocks.
I saw so many women fall during my skills clinic because they stopped pedalling and their momentum just died off halfway through the rocks.
Keeping your weight back, balancing on neutral pedals will take care of your descents.
Keep goin' - it'll get better.

And listen to Irulan.

Kimba

[Irulan]

And listen to Irulan.

blush blush blush

you just keep trying ya know? on the afternoon rides after my skills day at camp, I must have crashed a million times... those steep switchbacks just freak me out, I don't even try, just tip the bike over. Some day... in the mean time, just keep working at it.

My friend took about 1000 pictures of me crashing, I'll post some when I get home, I'm on vacation in Idaho right now.

irulan

[Irulan]

ok, this is me trying something new. I don't think I put this one in my camp report.


now, I did this swell move TWICE before I got it right. And no, it did not hurt.

~I.

[sgold]

Thanks for the feedback; it helps a lot. Does anyone know of a women's mountainbiking skills clinic in San Diego?