rumrunn6

this time of year I see new timid riders venturing out and I think it's great! one foot in front of the other and before long you'll be a tough cookie.

you might consider staying on roads that have people, shops and other services etc. should you need assistance of some kind.

when I ride, I like to let people know where I am. for example, I'll txt leaving now to go to "wherever", then txt again when I get there, and txt again when I get home. sometimes I'll txt someone who might be sitting in front of a computer and ask them what the weather radar loop looks like to see where a storm might be. I love this web site for that: https://www.intellicast.com/national/...6&animate=true

I model my behavior after years of hiking and I just looked up common mistakes made by hikers. you might enjoy reading them and see what angle I'm coming from:
https://www.backpacker.com/prof_hike_...s/skills/14472
https://www.backpacker.com/2013-may-f...s/skills/17642
https://matadornetwork.com/sports/5-m...to-avoid-them/

Sayre Kulp 

Fear is a ***** sometimes. I had a really bad bike/car accident about 12 years ago. I developed a fear from that that kept me off a bike for almost 9 years.

Sometimes the only way to kick a fear in the ass is to face it head on. But honestly, I think bringing it up in a place like this and being able to discuss it and get some support is a great way to start.

Wooden Tiger

I totally understand...it's like "the anticipation of death is worse than death itself." It's kinda the same anxiety as having a job you hate, KNOWING you have to go in on Monday. You spend all day Sunday thinking about it, and it's like being on death row. Well, maybe your anxiety isn't that extreme, but you know what I'm sayin'.

You need to be prepared. Preparation will certainly help with some of the anxiety. Be sure to have a spare inner tube (or two) in case you pinch-flat one, an "all-purpose" tool, which you can find at your local bike shop for about $10-$20, a mini pump you can mount on your bike, lights, tire levers (VERY important), and a few bottles of water, as your bike may have mounting points for two cages. If that isn't good enough for you, bring a hydration pack. While you may garner a few strange looks with a hydration pack on a roadie, if it gives you peace of mind, that's all that matters. While you have plenty of water, those people giving you odd stares will be shaking every last drip from their "fashionable" bottles.

Word of wisdom: If you get a flat, BE SURE to check the inner tire by CAREFULLY running your finger down it or giving it a very thorough look-over for the culprit of the popped tire. My wife and I were 10-15 miles away from the car on a ride when her tire popped. When I remounted it, I made the mistake of not checking for what punctured the tube, and yep, I punctured a brand new tube. It's a good thing I'd ran back into the house to grab another tube for the ride for that "just in case" moment, or one of us would have had a VERY LONG walk back to the car.

Also, when you remount a tire, line the stem up with a "reference point" on the tire, such as one of the letters in the brand name on the tire. By doing this, if you get a puncture, you can verify in the tube where the hole is and then line it up with the tire. It makes it easier to find the culprit.

I'm starting to write a book here; just be cool, relax, and enjoy the hobby. If you aren't comfortable with where you're riding, find another spot to ride. There are plenty of books out there that will have lists of nice places to ride. Remember, if you're ever miserable riding, it's not because you're miserable riding, it's because you're miserable WHERE you're riding.

Leastbest

I was raised by an agoraphobic and have been around fear all of my life. This is what I've learned.

Prepare yourself with a destination for your ride. Make sure you have all that is reasonable to fix flats and minor repairs. Have some money and if possible a cell phone. Then do it. Ride and ride and ride. Don't worry about it. If you are lucky you will get stuck somewhere and have to deal with it. Then you will realize that it wasn't so bad. You had to rely on a stranger for a hand or call someone.

When I was young fear controlled an aspect of my life. As I aged I lost all fear and life became incredibly richer. Good luck.

gyozadude

From the sounds of your symptoms, I'll +1 on the recommendation to go see a doctor. If you're overly anticipating the bad things that might happen, we may unconsciously make those things come true for one reason or another. On the other hand, what others have suggested you do - i.e. being prepared - can help you overcome some fears, but really, it sounds like you suffer from some major phobias and it may be something to look int with a doctor.

The other question I have is whether you feel this fear when you workout? Do you workout? If you do, are you thinking in the present? Or are you working out so hard, that you're just trying to keep heart and lungs providing oxygen to limbs to keep working? If you're not doing the latter, then maybe you don't get to the point of releasing enough endorphins where you benefit mentally from the stress relief brought about by vigourous exercise. Because, frankly, when I'm honking up a 17% grade and have 300meters to go and my legs are burning from the last 10 miles of hills already, I'm not really giving much thought about my fear of not being able to make it home, I'm just focused on the "burn" and how to get to the top and crest enough to recover and controlling my heart that's about to beat out of my chest trying to keep my legs from becoming dead weight and useless.

Ironically, planning, or more specifically, OVER-planning, can be the death null of a great time. You build fear when things don't go as planned and you start to anticipate the worst. Rides should be intentionally vague, at least on how long it takes to finish. Sure, you should be prepared, but for basic things, like a small First Aid kit, some ibuprofen, 2 water bottles, about 300 calories of snacks to bring with you, and a map/compass of the area, and your brain. Beyond that, you really shouldn't need to worry much. Instead, the ride should focus on building skills and aerobic endurance. And the only way to really achieve that is to focus in the here and now and pedal really hard. Over time, I suspect this will build the confidence and make the experience repeatable so you'll grow the confidence you need to do longer rides in less familiar territory.

Leastbest

+1

Wooden Tiger

I was scared I'd get stuck somewhere until I actually had to change my own tire. While it took me a while, I did get it done, and it did kinda get me over the fear of getting stuck somewhere.

Ali_Pine

Take the time to find and program phone numbers of nearby Bicycle Shops (and taxi services) into your mobile. Find the NON-Emergency numbers for counties you may be riding in. A lot of calls to 9-1-1 are less than emergencies.

Bigbiker64

Don't sell yourself short. That is a great start.

Myosmith

First, congratulations on your six-mile ride. Courage is not the lack of fear but the mastery of it. Only a fool has no fear but the difference between courage and cowardice is if you allow your fears to define you. By getting on your bike and taking that ride, you took the first step toward mastering your fears.


Just keep riding and stay off the A&S Forum and you'll be fine. Your confidence will grow with your cycling skills. The only way to have absolute safety is to never do anything, but with proper preparation and good sense, cycling is no more dangerous than most other worth while activities.

A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships were built for. Instead of lying awake worrying about all the bad things that could happen, sleep well and dream of all the good times you are missing. Then get up in the morning, get on your bike and pedal to the end of the block. Where you go from there is your choice.

DnvrFox

Never doing anything is fraught with danger - heart attacks, weak muscles and falls, boredom leading to mental problems, etc., etc. Never doing anything is one of the more dangerous activities in which one can engage.

StephenH

A couple of weeks ago, I rode with two friends (and one guy I hadn't met before). One of these friends has probably done more riding than I'll ever do. Standard procedure with this friend is that if there are any dogs, I go between the dogs and the friend, friend just swings out the other way. And I'm okay with that. One of the other friends on this ride was ahead of us a bit, saw a dog out on the road, and waited until we came along to go by with him. So, even experienced cyclists have different reactions to dogs. Dogs usually are a bother more than a danger, but if you're worried about them more than the average rider, that's not necessarily a newbie effect, either.

One thing that helps me mentally with dogs is that we now have dogs. So when I see dogs, I talk to them like they're my dogs, or yell at them like their owners would, as the case may be. But I'm a little more comfortable dealing with them because of that. That doesn't mean I'm any safer, necessarily, just more comfortable.

Several years ago, I was one of the Volunteers at the Texas Time Trials. There are some really good cyclists there, and a lot of really really experienced cyclists. Well, we got notice that one part of the looped course, a dog was bothering riders, so I and another guy went out on Dog Patrol. We found the offending dog and just parked there. Once he got over the shock of seeing us parked there, he was okay, and didn't bark or anything. With a ham sandwich, I could have had a new friend, I'm pretty sure. So yeah, big terror to riders going by, but someone's puppy back at that farmhouse.

I've done a lot of walking through the years, and a lot of driving. My wife is afraid to go somewhere new because she might get lost. I get lost, too, only I've done it so much I'm used to it and it doesn't bother me. So cycling somewhere new doesn't bother me, and the idea of being several miles from home and having a breakdown isn't too big of a deal either.

Don't be surprised if you do find other riders willing to ride with you even if you're slower- that may or may not happen. But I have people I ride with, that I'll willingly slow down to stay with them. I know how fast they ride, and I'll try to let them know prior to arranging a ride if I'm going to stick with them or strike on my own pace- either is fine, but it needs to be communicated.

Wooden Tiger

+1 on what everyone is saying about living in fear. My mother is a prime example of this. My dad wants to go on a cruise. The man is 70 years old and hasn't been on one yet. Now, I don't wanna "rush him into his grave" or something, but at 70, there really isn't a significant amount of time left. He's not getting any younger. Because my mother thinks she'll drown, he won't be crossing that one off his bucket list.

Mom:

- "I can't swim and cruise ships are always having problems. I'll drown."

- "I can't ride a bike. I was never good at riding a bike." Nevermind I just got both my parents bikes and they ride at least four times per week or when time/weather allows.

- "I don't go in swimming pools because I'll drown." Years ago she took lessons and had to swim a lap, which she successfully did.

- "I can't ride roller coasters. I feel out of control and they make me sick." Four years ago she and my father went to Disney and she rode the Aeromith Rock 'N Roller Coaster.

- "I can't drive at night, I can't see anything." During winter months she drives home from work every night...successfully.

- "I can't walk long distances, my knees get sore." They're constantly going to the outlets down at the beach and walking all day.

- "I can't drive long distances." See above. The beach (and the outlets) are two hours away.

The woman lives in fear of EVERYTHING. It's a wonder she's ever been out of the country. Either the plane's going to crash, the ship is going to sink, they're going to get hijacked by pirates, etc.

contango 

The crucial thing to do is start, and start from where you are.

If you do out-and-back rides then the furthest point from home is half the distance you actually ride. If you can plan a more circular route the furthest distance is more like a third of the total distance (e.g. if you could ride a perfect circle that was 10 miles, the furthest point would be a little over 3 miles in a straight line. Obviously those figures assume you're free to walk in a dead straight line to get back home and landowners in the middle may have other thoughts, but hopefully you get the idea.

Start out with short rides to see what you can do, then look for other routes that might form a star-shape around where you live. If you can comfortably do 10 miles, set off and do 5 then come back, then maybe set off in a different direction for 3 miles and come back. If you complete it you've done 16 miles, if not you're unlikely to get into trouble more than a few miles from home.

Before you set off think of an escape plan if something happens. Don't spend hours planning for every eventuality or you'll talk yourself out of riding at all, but even if you just have a simple bailout plan that you'll call a certain person who can come and get you in the car if it all goes pear-shaped that can give you a lot of peace of mind. If you've got someone who is willing to come and get you if you need it, that generates a huge peace of mind even if you never actually call them on it.

It's also often helpful to think in terms of quantifying what you're afraid of and how likely it is to happen. I found before I started cycling long distances I was afraid of what would happen if something major broke in the back end of nowhere, until someone pointed out to me that I take the exact same risk when I drive and don't even think about it. I might crash my bike, but then I might crash my car. I might encounter an unpredictable animal on the bike, but then I might do the same in the car. OK, a dog isn't a threat when you're in a car but a cow or a deer or a horse is, probably more so to a car than a bike simply because the chances of hitting anything at 40-50mph or more on the bike are virtually zero.

If there are local cycling groups in your area maybe look for a slower group. I've seen groups near me with names like "Easy Riders" where the focus appears to be on a social ride that isn't long or fast by club standards (maybe 10-15 miles) where nobody gets left behind and the focus is on meeting and then riding to a cafe for a coffee and/or cake and then riding home again, rather than covering a long distance at speed. That would give you some company (both for morale and help if anything breaks) without the ongoing sense that you're a burden on the group. As you get stronger you can welcome new people who are in the same position you were once in.

rica rica

Do you often worry about things? I wonder from the way you say it if you have a lot of anxiety, and I completely understand that! You might find once you do more (and everyone here has had wonderful suggestions on how to do that) you feel less anxiety in general. If I don't get in at least 80 miles a week I swear I just worry about anything and everything. Good luck!

contango 

I can really sympathise with this, up to the point when I moved to my current house I was always afraid of getting lost, or ending up in an undesirable area or some such. Then when I started cycling I used a GPS to find my way around, but a GPS that showed me a top-down view of a map with my position on it. That helped me build an awareness of which roads went where and where I was. The standard 3D view that just shows the road ahead with no context is great for getting somewhere but useless for knowing anything about where you are at any given moment.

If you take a map and/or GPS with you then you can find your way back. If you can't read a map then learn to read a map. If you get lost then figure out where you are - ask someone if you need to. It might be unnerving at first but it's not a big deal, especially if you know a little bit of local geography. I don't know much of NC so this might not be your neck of the woods but if you're trying to get to Rutherfordton and see a sign to Forest City you know it's going to go in generally the right direction, unless you're between Rutherfordton and Forest City in which case you'll probably recognise where you are. Even if you don't recognise where you are, once you get to a known point you can navigate from there.

Also very true, I've ridden with much slower riders because I enjoyed their company, and also ridden with much faster riders who went at my pace presumably because they enjoyed my company.

rumrunn6

check to see what kind of valves you have before you have to fill them or change a flat. if you are a new rider and are not familiar with Presta valves, you may be disappointed at the local gas station pump. I always swap mine out for Schrader style.

I just thought of your thread last night cuz I was checking a couple of the new bikes I got for the family and saw that I have to drill & swap one of them.

Rhodabike

A hub drilled for Presta may not accept Schrader. Better to carry your own pump on the bike, then you're prepared for no gas stations at all. I like the little mini-pumps with a short length of hose at the business end. It's really surprising how little time they take to fill even a 35C tire.
Wooden Tiger, your mother sounds just like mine!

rumrunn6

you're right of course, they don't. I have to drill them out.

Leebo

A little planning and prep goes a long way. Most bike shops will have some course for bike maintenance , or a REI. Carry some power bars and beef jerky. Good local maps are useful too.

Landor

Update time! I just got back from a good ride and I want to tell you about it.

I had the afternoon off and decided that, weather permitting, I would ride today. Not just that but that I would ride a route that I've never ridden before. Now I don't mean to over-sell this, I've lived in this area all my life and there are few,if any, roads in this area that I haven't seen. But there are miles and miles of them I've never ridden. Today I took a hilly route that worked out to be almost 12 miles (11.88). There were tough (for me) climbs and neighborhoods with dogs (that couldn't have cared less about me). Heck, there was even utility work going on that forced me to stop and wait in a line of cars, then get clipped back in and going with a bunch of witnesses if I flubbed it (I didn't). It was hot so I took two breaks and just sat and thought about where I was and that this was really cool. No reason to be anxious, just some guy on a bicycle enjoying the afternoon.

There was one time when a little doubt crept in. I was headed up a new section of road that had a couple of steep hills with a roundabout at the top. The were a few cars passing and I kinda slipped into, "Oh man, I'm going really slow up this hill, then I gotta get through the roundabout with all these cars around. What if I mess up?" Well, I fought back by saying out loud, "So what! Just don't be stupid. Keep your head on a swivel, pay attention, and do what they are expecting you to do and you'll be fine!" And I was. The drivers just waited their turn just as if I were in my car. We all made it through and there was no horn honking or yelling. We all went our merry ways.

I took the advice of several and checked my saddlebag to be sure that I had what I needed to handle the odd flat or mechanical issue. I also gave my bike a good going-over to make sure it was in good shape. I made sure that my wife knew where I was going and that my cell phone was charged and ready. Then I promptly put all of those things out of my mind because they were handled. No need for me to worry or second-guess myself, it was handled. Then I filled my water bottles and headed out.

This has been really good for me to talk about with you folks and get some of these things off my chest. As I said before I don't want to let fear run my life. I don't want my world to be small. I hope I'm on my way. Thank you all for your advice and encouragement. See you on the road!

bbeasley

This is what it's all about. Good on you!

Enjoy your ride and keep us posted.

Wooden Tiger

Glad to read you enjoyed your ride!

contango 

Sounds like a wonderful ride, and sounds like you developed a healthy attitude to it as well. The approach that says "possible problem, check, problem addressed, forget about it" works remarkably well.

I remember the first time my wife drove any distance in our car - she was concerned about all the things she might do wrong and when we got to our destination she asked me how she had done. As I said, she didn't crash into anything, she didn't force anyone else to take evasive action, so she was fine.

If you do something silly you wave to apologise to anyone inconvenienced by it and press on. And aside from that you turn the pedals and enjoy the views!

phread59

I'm glad you got out there. I've had some crap luck lately. I ride with the local club. It's open to anyone with a bike, and is a no drop ride. They ride Monday Thursday and Saturday. Last Monday I saddled up and headed out near the back of the "B" or slow group. I made it about 70 feet and the trunnion carrier in the rear derailer exploded. The ride leader heard it pop. He circled back and asked whats up. I told him and they went on without me. Happened in front of my LBS. Lucky they were still open.

I got the parts later on in the week. They repaired it Monday for the regular ride. No test ride to check it out. I hopped on and away I went. 14 miles into the ride I flatted the front tire. Cought a staple in it. I fixed it and cought up. They saw me flat out and waited.

I was nervous going out but went anyway. Except for the flat, it went well. If I can You certainly can. Keep up the good work. keep swingin and enjoy yourself.

Mark Shuman