Mountain Biking - I'm a coward, How can I overcome FEAR?

I'm completely new to mountain biking. Believe it or not I haven't ride bikes since I was a kid. Now I started riding with a group of friends, but I can not keep their pace. Is not lack of fitness or physical endurance, is just that I chicken when we ride over technical stuff. Even going down hill scares me. My friends always try to encourage me and they give me advice on how to tackle the terrain, but there are times that I find it so difficult, that I just quit and cowardly return to the camp or the car alone. I feel really bad and ashamed because of this. :(

Trust me I love outdoor activities, I do lot of camping and hiking but I wonder if this "sport/hobby” is really for me. Will I get more confidence if I keep riding? or Is this something that you have to be born with? Do you ever feel fear when riding over technical stuff? How you overcome it? Is this enjoyable only if you are reckless?

Go ahead tell me truth!!!

Try doing it alone, without your friend. The factor of judgment and not doing well in front of the others might be an issue. To cancer your fear you also might put a bunch of protective gear on, event for going down the hill and XC. It might give you more confidence that if you fall down you wont get hurt. Don’t worry about it and take it slowly, it’ll come with experience.

definately keep riding. stuff seem intimidating at first, but the second time around you gain more confidence, and third time even more, so on. over time, if you ride the same trails generally, you learn what you/your bike is capable of handling. also, over time you may figure what mods to make to your bike for the certain trails you ride. most importantly, though, is to keep a fun attitude when riding. technical stuff is challenging but they are also very fun. make it down a rock garden one time and you'll never be bothered by fear again by another rock garden.

Initially, I had the same problem; particularly on technical descents. I had to start going and riding the hard stuff alone; I was able to repeat things, dissect things into digestible bits, and generally work at my own pace.

Each ride I set goals and have a good time. Don't worry so much, and relax. Now, I'm able to drop my boyfriend on the hard climbs, and the technical descents are becoming easier. I'm also riding with more confidence.

Relax when riding. Try not to think of what you are doing, just flow.

Have you crashed yet? After your first crash, you relize falling from a bike isnt that bad. Infact, when mtn biking, most of my crashes were low speed (under 5mp) falls. Usualy in very technicle terrain or when climbing.

lots and lots of body armor...J/K If you feel like you're being criticized by the people you ride with, stop riding with them. It took me a while to find the right riding partners. If they know you're not real sure in your skills, a good riding partner will help you to become a better rider, not to tell you about what you can't do. Shoot, 3 weeks ago i would have never been able to ride off of a 3 foot ledge to flat, now I case them like there a speedbump.

jcivic is right. Friends and good riding partners won't "challenge" you to do anything your not prepared to do. But I defintely recommend cycling with people better than you. Don't be intimidated by those better than you, learn from them. I'm very new at mountain bike riding too, and man I take some hits. For four months straight, three times a week, I ate dirt. The wounds on my knees, elbow, and hips are still not healed because they keep on being reopened, all from me chasing my insane friends who can go 40 miles an hour down gravel, ruts, single trails, and river beds while I'm bouncing off terrain trying to keep up. Falling down really doesn't hurt, it just pisses me off and gives me even more resolve to get better.
Get some knee pads and elbow protectors; it will help your confidence, then just take those technical trails slowly and every time you do them, you'll want to go faster and faster.
Remember, this is supposed to be FUN. If the people you are riding with make it not fun, go find some different people.
Take care

oh, one other thing that helped me. go to a park or your backyard, whichever is more conveinent, and set up a little obstacle course. try to maneuver around, over, through, and under th different obstacles that you have set up. improve your bike handling. Ride on the road, get a really good feel for your bike, it is an extension of you after all, you do control where it goes. And one more thing. It helped me when I started out, it may help you. Get Ned Overend's Performance Mountain Biking video. It's old, but there are a lot of good tips in it.

Learn the balance points of the bike (how far foward you can go on the front wheel, how far back you can go before you loop out). Once you know that, it's just a matter of staying loose, keeping your weight centered in the turns, back on the decents and foward on the climbs.

Get the body motion down, and you'll haul ass.

me and my friend were riding once and we caem upon a huge hill...there was fear in all of our eyes and both of myfriends decided to walk down. (1 of them actually fell on the way down) but i though to myself...what could possibiliy go wrong. Although when i went down that hill and traveling around 35km/h with zero tire contact in the front, i didn't mange to mess up and felt good afterwards. After i made it we all decided to laugh at my firend who fell down the hill walking :D

Well... I may be going out on a limb here...


Are your brakes and tires up to par? Nothing is quite as terrifying as being powerless to stop when you need to. Also if you don't like the tires you're running perhaps switching may give you more confidence as well. Riding a bike with crappy brakes and traction can certainly affect your confidence levels.


If that's not it, then the only suggestion I can offer is that you ride as much as possible, and buy some body armor. I've been riding for years and there's still lots of stuff that scares the hell out of me. It's just a matter of overcoming that fear. It's not natural to be dropping down slopes that are nearly vertical! Over time you'll love nothing better than hauling ass down steep rocky terrain. I've been riding so long that it comes naturally to me. Just loosen your grip on the bars a bit, lean back over the saddle, and let the bike go where it wants to go.

just start on easy terrain and work your way up. also, as previously stated, after your first fall you'll easily loosen up about falling.


my trademark move after a long hard ride is to pull up on the grass where we stop and just flop over without even bothering to unclip :) its not very bad at all.


if the XC biking really doesnt work out for you, then you could always give road biking a try

I was like you when I started and that was only about 7 months ago. i was relly worried about stacking but I had one and fell off a bridge into a dry creek bed 2 foot below onto rocks and it didn't hurt. From then I realised falling isn't too bad. To date my worst stack left me with a 5mm deep gash on my left knee after endoing on a track over jaggered rocks travelling at about 20-30mph kept riding for the day. By the way that is on video which makes it all right.

The main thing is stacking doesn't hurt. Also don't let people egg you into doing things your not comfortable with. Ithink that the idea about getting body armour is great, it will help build up your confidence and your friends should understand why and help you. Also the greatest peice of advice I have ever come accross is 'Yhe faster you go, the smoother it is.' This is very true, but don't try to rail something before you have had a slow run on the obstacle until you get more confidence. And also going throough an obstacle like a rock garden go fast or slow not medium, that's when you try to dodge things but don't have time to and stack it.

Hope I've been some help.

As Hopper said, you need a good fall to realize it is not so bad.

You also need to get used to the bike sliping and slinding under you and allowing the tires to track through rough terrain.

Also, ride at your pace and do not do something if you feel uncomfortable. As you put more and more time on the bike you will gain more confidence. Each time you ride try something a little harder. Or, find a section of trail that you can not ride through but does not scare you, and practice it until you can ride all the way through. It may take you more then one day but just keep at it. Then move on.

:beer:

I wore knee pads the first few months of mountain biking with clipless pedals. It took me a year of mountain biking before I felt comfortable. I think riding by yourself helps in that you are the only person dissapointed if you don't get over that obstacle.

i usually ride alone, so i don’t really have that worry about performing in front of others. i find that i get over my fears the more i ride and the more familiar i get with each section of the trail. if i’m too scared to try to ride a particular section, i’ll usually walk it and then continue on my way. the next time i ride that trail and get to that same section, if i’m feeling confident enough, i’ll give the section a go... it’s really all about your mindset.

if i have to walk a section, everytime i walk it, i think to myself, “one day i’m going to ride this”... like this one section on the trail i usually ride that i know i can ride with ease, for some reason though i always get scared when i get to it and end up walking it... one day though i’m gonna ride that section... i just gotta get over the mental block.

I remember seeing a program a few weeks ago about this, they were saying how if you take risks as a young child/teenager, you will naturally take more risks as an adult, and that once we complete one obstacle we are searching for something that bit harder, steeper, faster, to give us a better rush.

The way i see it is that i think that you can train yourself to take obstacles one small step at a time, maybe try one part of the trail each visit, once you have cracked it you will no doubt think back and laugh at why you found it so hard. This is true for me, theres a part of the local trail with an almost vertical drop with a really steep curve at the bottom and a ramp a few feet after, i couldnt face it for a few weeks, but after trying it, its no bother at all.

One thing i will warn you about is this, after completing something, dont get too complacent, the last thing you want to do is to go into a section too hard and end up really getting hurt. My friend could do the jump no bother, but got too cocky and ended up tipping the front too much and had to bail and watch his bike slam into a tree.

Well to throw out a cliche. Just do It...seriously, everyone is right and you must know your own level. But you must be willing to just 'go for it' once and a while. Yeah there are risks but thats part of the game.

Tires help. I'm a relatively new MTBer and my friend started taking me on some advanced trails that scared me badly. Steep rocky loose gravely desents and a couple with turns in them! I started out on Pythons, and my friend (expert level rider/racer) hooked me up with some michelin DH tires, 2.5 in front 2.2 in back, and I instaly became a better rider. They're heavy and I'm looking for lighter tires with good traction to replace them but they are real confidence builders.

The bit about if you feel scared while riding, thats nothing to do with people thinking they are no good at riding, thats why all us lot here go riding, the adrenalin rush and the fearfactor. So once you learn how to handle your bike, and u know the limits of it then the adrenalin is the best bit of riding. :)

Ride on your own on a smooth gravle track, as you start to dominate this then move onto sumthing harder.... It isnt a good idea to jump into sumthing really difficult and technical to start with if youve only just started riding, there's very little chance of you getting to thr bottom with both tyres on the ground and you up the right way :P

Throw caution to the wind, hesitance is the worst type of flaw.

You should realize that it is totally okay to get off your bike and walk over technical stuff. Start slow and don't do anything that you aren't skilled enough to do. Body armor won't prevent broken bones, just the bruises and scrapes everyone gets riding off road. Number one work on your sense of balance. I started right off riding the trick stuff like logs and teeters and ramps, and kept falling off cause my sense of balance wasn't up to par. I used to be fearless, damage to my body was inconsequential to the adrenaline rush. Now that I've broken a few bones I'm much more conservative in my riding. Don't let this happen to you!

Love that visual aid, Dazza!!!

Fatman, I have news for you - we are all scared! When flying down a steep decent with various fixed and unfixed objects more than willing, and able to inflict all kinds of whup-a** on your pink, lily behind - you get scared. The secret is what you do with that fear. You have to get hold of the fear, get past it, and feel the other part of fear - the glory of facing it head-on, and surviving! Taste the only dessert that can be had after a healthy spoonful of I-just-got-the-crap-scared-out-of-me!

It’s good food.

I remember my first mtb ride a little over two years ago. I was scared sh!tless! I couldn't believe that people would actually ride that stuff on a bike. I didn't think I would ever be able to do it. Afterall, those were rocks and roots, you can't ride over those on a bike. Well, anyway I started riding with some people that could ride and I was amazed when they rode over the obstacles that I didn't think were rideable. What was really cool is what they said to me, especially since I now say it to everybody that I ride to. "There is no shame in walking". It is much better to walk something today than to be in the hospital tomorrow.

Anywho, back to the question. As I kept riding I started clearing more and more sections. Every time I went out I tried to clear at least one section that I had not cleared on my previous ride. Eventually I was able to do the whole trail. Then I started riding harder and harder trails. After a while I was able to do those. I still do the same thing, if I try something and I don't clear it I will carry the bike back up the hill and try it again. I will do this up to five or six times per spot then I will just give the mountain credit for beating me that day. However, I will be back and try it again another day.

Still to this day there are places that I have problems with. There are even some places that I have cleared many times just don't have the confidence to do on certain days. It all depends on how your mind is working. If you are having a bad ride don't try the really dangerous spots, your mind is already convinced that you are going to wreck.

Oh yeah, there is nothing like clearing a technical spot for the first time. It still feels great to this day to clear something that I couldn't a month before. It is also kind of amusing to think back at the things that I wouldn't try when I first started, or even last year for that matter. The only thing that can make you a better, more confident rider is time in the saddle.

Sorry it's so long, just don't really know how to shorten it up any.

one word: breathe. holding your breath is the easiest way to induce panic. breathe slowly and deeply and push your boundaries, only very slightly each time. but do it many many times! and you'll be descending like a champ.

one word: breathe. holding your breath is the easiest way to induce panic. breathe slowly and deeply and push your boundaries, only very slightly each time. but do it many many times! and you'll be descending like a champ.

Never thought of it this way. I usually pul my finger off the brake lever and scream out loud "You can dooo it" (Adam sandler movies anyone)...and ride until it hurts...:D

Just listen to your nuts, and NOT your brain for once :D

When I'm about to do something crazy, I'll just say to myself "Fuggit! Here goes nothing!"

hehehe. :D

I know exactly how you feel. I just got my MTB not to recently and i was scared out of mind when i was riding for the first time. I fell soo many times when i started to ride. It was because i felt so uncomfortable using clipless that it was severly affecting my confidence. I thus switched to platforms and never looked back. I have more confidence in taking drops, moving through rough terranin and even doing some small stunts. Knowing that im not clipped in when i fall, makes me feel alot safer. Not to mention i got shin pads and full face helmet, it helps alot. But i know that i cant hit 10' hucks or catch major air, but im moving slowly and eventually i will.

Just take it slow, if you think your equipment is holding you back, switch it if its withing your budget. If not, dont do that hill or trail that you feel that you can handle just yet. People wont make fun of you beacuse you realize your limits. The stupid thing to do is not realize them and do that 10' huck when you can barely pedal in a straight. Oh. When in doubt, LEAN BACK!!!!

Some people get real mellow after rockin' the ganga
http://pictures.cannabis.com/64/64193.jpg
Although I wouldn't think about riding after a few bong rips. (man it's been a long time)
http://www.comedycentral.com/images/tvshows/cy/puppets/special_ed_a3.jpg

:D...a trip up the gondola proves that time and again. A little buzz really dulls what is a going big and what isn't.

I think the best way to overcome fear Is threw understanding...I conquered my fear of the dark threw understanding?Just use your head and reason the thing out
Animals can see better then we In the dark,It ain't a Issue with them?It's just that the sun Is on the other side of the world for a little while thats all :)

Don't give up. Mountain biking is a fun and rewarding sport, especially when you learn to conquer those obsticles you thought were impossible. I was kind of in the same boat as you: I've been athletic most of my life (and fearless bmx'er as a kid) and love the outdoors too. When I really got into mountain biking I couldn't believe people rode the logs, logjams, drops, rock gardens, jumps, and other obsticles that are out there. I loved the dirt, hills, and mud but would chicken out on the harder stuff (trying to stop short, often causing a crash). It wasn't until I met up with some random guy on the trail that I realized I could do these things. Following him up and over just about every logjam and drop at speed, I realized that if he could do it so could I. I copied his technique and just went for it. I realized that, although they vary in difficulty, most obsticles are meant to be ridden-not impossible, it was a huge confidence booster. Now they are fun and challenging, not scary. Sure, sometimes I'll get a bad feeling and chicken out, but I force myself to go back and ride the obsticle and usually realize that it wasn't that bad after all. And sure, sometimes you will crash-you are on two wheels doing difficult stuff after all-but it's really not that bad. Ride within your limits, work on technique, learn from others, and continue to build your confidence. Soon you'll say to yourself "man, I can't believe I used to chicken out on that stuff".

Hey thanks you all very much for all your encouraging and supportive words. Today I went to the trails and I wish I can tell you that handle all obstacles like a pro but I didn't even though I fell much more confident and for the first time I really enjoy it.

I will keep dong this as long as I'm able to do it!!!

Best regards

Steve (A.K.A. fatman)

That is good to hear.

i found out for decents and tricky stuff... the better way is lower... i get so freaked out going down a 50 degree drop with a seat thats freaking 3 feet off the ground and myself hovering over the bars... what i found out was that lowering my seat and leaning back made it crazy awesome... and i got over my fears fast, now i'm jumping down those decents... good luck bro...

I'm completely new to mountain biking. Believe it or not I haven't ride bikes since I was a kid. Now I started riding with a group of friends, but I can not keep their pace. Is not lack of fitness or physical endurance, is just that I chicken when we ride over technical stuff. Even going down hill scares me. My friends always try to encourage me and they give me advice on how to tackle the terrain, but there are times that I find it so difficult, that I just quit and cowardly return to the camp or the car alone. I feel really bad and ashamed because of this. :(

Trust me I love outdoor activities, I do lot of camping and hiking but I wonder if this "sport/hobby” is really for me. Will I get more confidence if I keep riding? or Is this something that you have to be born with? Do you ever feel fear when riding over technical stuff? How you overcome it? Is this enjoyable only if you are reckless?

Go ahead tell me truth!!!

You have fear? Congratulations, you've just joined the human race.

Fear is a self-preservation mechanism. It is your brain telling you that there is danger looming and for you to be careful thereby triggering hormones like endorphins.

People who don't have fear, or "adrenaline junkies" are actually the ones who are psychologically weird.

However, fear that is crippling or irrational (like phobias) can be problematic.

The easiest way to overcome fear in sports is through progression. Start out slow, master the basics before the complex, and create realistic target objectives and expectations.

You can also try psychological techniques like systematic desensitization, and visualization. They are basically self-hypnosis techniques that train your mind and body to relax in a given situation; rather than tensing up with fear. You can find various techniques in psychology books, or on the net.

Get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and relax maintaining steady breathing and a slow heart rate and relaxing every muscle in your body with each breath until you are totally relaxed. Now visualize a small branch you will be riding over on your bike...keep getting your body to relax more and more as you visualize. Then when you are comfortable with that, visualize yourself going over a small log...relax...visualize...then onto a bigger log, etc. If you feel yourself tensing up at anytime, go back to the branch or a smaller object. You see where this is going? You're basically training your mind and body to relax in a given situation rather than tensing up with fear.

The trick is to build up slowly. Visualize a branch then slowly work your way up to a big drop but make sure your body is always relaxing. It won't come in a day. Do this exercise for 10 to 20 minutes everyday...just don't fall asleep!