Nervous Descending

[domokane]

I was out on a ride yesterday with some friends. We climbed over 1300m on a piste/fire road and though it was tough, I loved it and I kept up with the group without too much problem. However, on the descent, I was left way behind, forcing my friends to wait for me to catch up every few minutes. The descent was on a fire-road, lots of hairpins, a lot of 6in-9in deep rain ditches gouged across the track and lots of exposed rocks. I find that I am always nervous on the descents and this makes me go slower, use the brakes a lot, and not enjoy it. Has anyone else been like this and overcome their fear. Any tips ??

 

[jhuskey]

Do the route alone as much as possible. You will get more confident and won't feel pressured to perform.
Decents are something that can be practiced alone with results.

 

[BruisedKnee]

It has a lot to do with overcoming mentally the fear of crashing. Makes you keep on looking where you are and trying to avoid every rut and rock on the trail. In so doing, you fight the trail instead of flowing with it. Cannot have fun if you are worrying all the time.

Practice. Build a certain confidence on what you can do and what the bike can take. This will get you the confidence to look farther up the trail and not be concerned by every dips and bumps.

 

[sogood]

I was out on a ride yesterday with some friends. We climbed over 1300m on a piste/fire road and though it was tough, I loved it and I kept up with the group without too much problem. However, on the descent, I was left way behind, forcing my friends to wait for me to catch up every few minutes. The descent was on a fire-road, lots of hairpins, a lot of 6in-9in deep rain ditches gouged across the track and lots of exposed rocks. I find that I am always nervous on the descents and this makes me go slower, use the brakes a lot, and not enjoy it. Has anyone else been like this and overcome their fear. Any tips ??

At least you weren't like this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAjaGL-hkGE

Don't let your confidence go beyond your skill level.

 

[domokane]

It has a lot to do with overcoming mentally the fear of crashing. Makes you keep on looking where you are and trying to avoid every rut and rock on the trail. In so doing, you fight the trail instead of flowing with it. Cannot have fun if you are worrying all the time.

Practice. Build a certain confidence on what you can do and what the bike can take. This will get you the confidence to look farther up the trail and not be concerned by every dips and bumps.

Yes, thanks. Also, I think one skill I need to develop is to jump the bike over hazards. A lot of the stuff that makes me slow down is not big, and could be jumped. I think I need to practice that.

 

[Rolfrae]

Yes, thanks. Also, I think one skill I need to develop is to jump the bike over hazards. A lot of the stuff that makes me slow down is not big, and could be jumped. I think I need to practice that.

Try and stay off the brakes on the rocky stuff, ride fast and light over it and you'll feel it less than if you brake to slow down as you go over it. Unless of course these are huge rocks, then brake, or better still avoid! Confidence comes through practice. Go and ride these descents on your own when you don't feel the pressure of keeping up with others.

 

[BruisedKnee]

Yes, thanks. Also, I think one skill I need to develop is to jump the bike over hazards. A lot of the stuff that makes me slow down is not big, and could be jumped. I think I need to practice that.

try this simple trick ...
just as you approach a small obstacle (whether a small log or a narrow deep rut) ... check your speed and head straight to the obstacle ... as soon as you are about to hit it ... kick down on the pedal and shift your weight backwards .. this will raise up the front wheel which should be just enough to get you on top of the hazard ... and then its simple enough for you to get over it.

when you get this down to pat ... then you can start working yr way to jumping over it ... again .. practice.

 

[Rockslayer]

At least you weren't like this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAjaGL-hkGE

Don't let your confidence go beyond your skill level.

+ 1

However, on the descent, I was left way behind, forcing my friends to wait for me to catch up every few minutes.

Dont worry about them waiting I am sure they don't mind, it's part of the fun of sharing a track with you. Don't feel pressured in keeping up at their level and speed (they have probably been on that track many times), they would want you to enjoy the ride but at your own pace and not hurt yourself. Just ask them to give you some pointers most guys and gals are happy to share their knowledge. You will become more confident with more riding of varying terrain.

 

[HowardSteele]

All of us go through the white knuckled descent stage.

THEN YOU DEVELOP THE REGUIRED SKILLS AND GO FASTER AND FASTER.

Weight distribution, not locking your elbows and using both brakes become second nature.

So much so that you start checking out the birds in the trees as you pass as i have done, hit a run off ditch and amuse your cycling buddies with some tuck and roll acrobatics. Then for a while you go back to snail pace descents, but just for a while.

 

[existence]

At least you weren't like this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAjaGL-hkGE

Don't let your confidence go beyond your skill level.

That made me feel sick in my stomach!

Farkkkkkkkkkk that!!

 

[mattyb]

I am fairly new to mountain biking. I have no problem with keeping up and passing people going up the hill, but going down hill I find scary too.
The biggest thing I found that has helped recently is getting my body low. Instead of locking up and sitting upright and with your weight back, crouch down, put your weight on the pedals and have your arms loose. Let the bike move around under you and shift your body around to keep everything inline and pointed in the right direction.

One thing I didn't know was how to turn the bike properly too. Coming from road motorcycles, I always put my weight to the inside of the corner. But on the dirt with mountain bikes, I have found that pushing the bike underneath with your body weight centred feels much safer.

Don't know if that's right or if it helps but thought I'd share my beginner learnings.

 

[grnhrnt]

We all understand what your feeling at some point in all our biking experience we felt the same way.

What I found out is, not to go over your skill level and start descending w/ an "out of control" feeling.You should be in control at all times. Use BOTH brakes to slow you speed. Start out slow and w/ the brakes half cocked start your descent. You will have to be aware not to lock out the brakes in a panic. You'll be surprised how much your suspension can take all the ruts and rocks on the trails. Keep a firm grip on the bars and keep it straight or headed towards where you want to go.

If the dips are bigger than expected, slightly lift of your seat and keep elbows loose to take the big dips your bike will do when going over the dips or ruts. your body core will be stable and give you more control. Good idea to lean back and sqeeze the saddle w/ your thighs so the weight distribution is still balanced between front and rear tires.

Try out these suggestions and gain confidence in your and your bikes abilites. Before you know it you'll be keeping up w/ the guys.

Another good suggestion if in case you do go over the bars its better to tuck your head down and land on your back and roll than to do a superman and break your hands or arms.

Happy trailing!

 

[grnhrnt]

We all understand what your feeling at some point in all our biking experience we felt the same way.

What I found out is, not to go over your skill level and start descending w/ an "out of control" feeling.You should be in control at all times. Use BOTH brakes to slow your speed. Start out slow and w/ the brakes half cocked start your descent. You will have to be aware not to lock out the brakes in a panic. You'll be surprised how much your suspension can take all the ruts and rocks on the trails. Keep a firm grip on the bars and keep it straight or headed towards where you want to go.

If the dips are bigger than expected, slightly lift of your seat and keep elbows loose to take the big dips your bike will do when going over the dips or ruts. your body core will be stable and give you more control. Good idea to lean back and sqeeze the saddle w/ your thighs so the weight distribution is still balanced between front and rear tires.

Try out these suggestions and gain confidence in your and your bikes abilites. Before you know it you'll be keeping up w/ the guys.

Another good suggestion if in case you do go over the bars its better to tuck your head down and land on your back and roll than to do a superman and break your hands or arms.

Happy trailing!

 

[threaded]

Wear full body armour, full face helmet and reinforced gloves.

Tell your mates to wait and 'watch this'.

Kick off, look where you want to go, not where you think you'll land if you fall,
and scream and shout at every obstacle, challenge each one to 'bring it on', tell the obstacle what you're going to do to them, every single one all the way down. If you find you're going too fast to keep your mouth up with the obstacles, slow a little.

Eventually, with lots of practice runs, you want to be shouting at not the next obstacle, but the ones much further ahead, as you've already set-up to do the next one, and the one after it, etc.

 

[darksmaster923]

Wear full body armour, full face helmet and reinforced gloves.

Tell your mates to wait and 'watch this'.

Kick off, look where you want to go, not where you think you'll land if you fall,
and scream and shout at every obstacle, challenge each one to 'bring it on', tell the obstacle what you're going to do to them, every single one all the way down. If you find you're going too fast to keep your mouth up with the obstacles, slow a little.

Eventually, with lots of practice runs, you want to be shouting at not the next obstacle, but the ones much further ahead, as you've already set-up to do the next one, and the one after it, etc.

thats pretty fun too. your friends will think youre crazy, but oh well

 

[Wattsy Rules]

Deleted refer below

 

[Wattsy Rules]

Lot's of valid pointers given so far:

* Use both brakes
* Improve your balance by moving your body position
* Pactice
* Try and relax your body as much as possible. flow with the bike, don't fight it.

Probably the most important thing is vision. Most people look about 10 - 15 feet in front of them. THIS IS WRONG. Look to the next corner. this will help with the following:

* Informatin overload - If you look 10 feet in front, your brain is having to absorb huge amounts of information very quickly so the whole experience speeds up. Eventually your brain can't cope and you either make a mistake or just wear yourself out mentally. If you look further ahead things will slow down and your brain will have plenty of time to absorb the information. ALL forms of motor racing teach this technique...how many times have you heard the best drivers/riders in the world say they slow everything down...this is what they mean.

* Picking the right line - By looking to the next corner you will see where the obsticles are and can plan a route around them. Sometimes you must go over, but by looking further ahead you can decide early if you can bunny hop and keep going or need to brake and take it easy. I'm willing to bet that you slow for every obsticle whether you need to or not. Looking 10 - 15 feet ahead means you have to decide as you hit the obsticle...too late!

* Time to relax - Quick descending can be just as tiring as ascending so you need to be able to rest. By looking far ahead, you can locate areas where you can relax your arms and legs. This may only be for a couple of seconds, but it's better than nothing. If you look 10 - 15 feet ahead, by the time you realise the track is clear, you're already onto the next obsticle.

* You ride where you look - To avoid obstacles you must not look at them. You will ride where you look so always look where you want to ride. This is commonly called 'Target Fixation', and although I disagree with the term, it'll do. By looking ahead, you slow things down, pick your line and then focus on riding the line. If you look at trees and rocks, chances are you'll ride towards them, then things will speed up again.

 

[Hypnospin]

good stuff here.
some points,
-looking far ahead was passed onto me by a VERY fast descender.

-keeping the head from tilting, so the eyes stay level to the road

-equal application of the brakes. actually the front should be applied heavier while on the approach, then reduced as nearing the apex.

-keeping weight on the pedals. when you are in nervous mode, it is natural to pull upp on the legs and the center of gravity get shifted high, to the saddle,
then you lose stability and fine motor input from weighting the pedals.

-stay neutral. leaning this way and that leads to being less than smooth.

-move rearward on the saddle when entering a steep corner, this wil keep the rear wheel in contact.

-moving the hips can influence the bike to advantage.

-the concept of countersteering is especially applicable at high speed.

-keep the elbows bent to absorb shock.

-do not grab the bars with a death grip, it is tiring.

-put your inside foot down if it seem inevitable you are going off.

-be able to look back over your shoulder then re-orient yourself quickly for the task at hand.

-bunny hop the worst terrain features.

-do not ride the brakes, use as required which may be far less than you think if you are in a nervous state.

-get in the zone. get grounded, focused, at one with speed and flow smoothly like water in a stream. relax your forehead. leave your riding buddies a couple hundred yards back and say later with self assured satisfaction.

-stay away from the limits, that is where things get hairy, bad adrenaline rushes and sense of impending doom. riding at 95% of the laws of phsyics you are much more controllable and safe than when approaching 100%.

-know you can roll with it if you must bail, like a gymnast, this will reduce the chance for injury.

-when you are at the limits, stuff happens, both wheels slide, the whole bike flexes and chatters, you get loose, you go off your line, things get sloppy, surgical precision is lost, none of this is necessarily cause to go down. forgive yourself in real time. the bike is more forgiving than you may imagine. you can handle it.

Lot's of valid pointers given so far:

* Use both brakes
* Improve your balance by moving your body position
* Pactice
* Try and relax your body as much as possible. flow with the bike, don't fight it.

 

[swampy1970]

What you need is practise, practise, practise. The more time you spend on the bike the more you'll become used to the terrain that you normally ride. Sounds easy? Well, you'd be surprised by the number of people say that they're no good at climbing or descending and don't spend that much time in the hills....

Find somewhere where there's a small grassy bank of 15 to 20 feet, similar to what you'd find in a cyclocross that seems safe from obvious sources of pain - jagged rocks, large fallen branches that'll turn a regular fall into something that featured in the movie, The Omen. Get used to riding straight up and down it, then diagonally up and down and get used to how the bike will want to slide from under you. Now is a good time to play with finding out what happens when you incorrectly apply the brakes. As long as you don't highside it a fall will typically be a slide rather than something that'll hurt. Once you get used to that then move onto something bigger.

Always ask advice from those that are better than you. Instead of having your friends just wait for you, ask one of them to slow down a bit so you can follow the line that they're taking.

Make sure that your tires are the correct type for the terrain and at the correct pressure.

 

[blackrock]

Take it from someone who broke their arm mountain biking. Go at your own pace and practice makes it easier.