A couple of years ago I had a serious bike shimmy while descending on a group ride and ever since then, I've had an irrational fear of going down long hills. I know I just need to relax, loosen my grip, bend my elbows, etc., but I still get this occasional momentary feeling of panic that isn't a very good thing when your tooling down a hill at 35 mph.

I did buy a new bike with a bit more stable handling, but I still get the heebie jeebies now and then. So what should I do to get more comfortable descending? I'm guessing I'll get more comfortable as I get more used to the new bike, but any advice would be appreciated.

-murray

grow a pair

Practice. I was in similar situation only thing that helped is practice and time.

find a long, straight, steep downhill and just bomb it, you might remember how fun going downhill is

EDIT: hit 45 recently on a freshly paved road and it was probably the most fun I have had on a bike in a long time

mrt is a ******.

i say keep doing it over and over. also, as you get to know the hills you descend, it will get easier (ie dodging cracks in the road).

I hit 42 down an extremely gravelly and bumpy mountain and that freaked me out.

The faster you go the bigger your smile should be. Just relax and hold on and chances are you'll be Ok.

Somehow, I knew this would invite snarky comments from the obviously superior individuals who take some of their precious time to share their infinite wisdom with us.

Thanks, dude, you're a real class act.

-murray

Just like anything else in life, it takes practice. Start going down hills, going a bit faster and faster each time. Soon enough, you'll be good enough where you won't remember your fear at all!

unless you're racing i say apply the brakes i've been riding motorcycles since i was 12. and 40 mph on a bicycle is a lot scarier than 140 on a good sport motorcycle.

maybe you already do this, but if you don`t...

as you head into a corner push down on the pedal with your outside leg, and push down slightly with your inside hand, on the hood/bar - this will give you a far smoother line on the corners, and you`ll find that your body perfectly aligns itself into the corner.

as your confidence grows with practise you`ll soon find that you loose that wobble that comes from improper technique, your speed will increase and you`ll actually feel much safer, as your ability to `hit` the optimum center of gravity improves.

good luck!

Stay on top of the bike maintenance. Don't over-torque, over/under inflate, use flimsy parts that do little more than lighten your wallet. This should give some peace of mind at the top of the hill as you look down.

Practice on the less imposing hills. With repetition, you're technique and confidence will improve. Move on to slightly steeper and/or longer hills.

Some key points: wear properly fitting sunglasses and make sure they're secure before you descend (poorly fitting glasses will cause the wind to make your eyes tear and this lack of vision can set you into panic mode); for the most part, keep your hips towards the back of the saddle; make subtle corrections for obstacles using body lean (a sharp turn of the handlebars will only result in a horrendous endo); remember to keep breathing; focus on a relaxed grip and supple elbows which will better absorb chatter or small hits; cross winds or the death shimmy can sometimes be muted with one or both knees pressed lightly against the top tube (if your frame geometry allows); do NOT ride the brakes as this can melt the glue on tubies or heat the rims enough to blow out the bead on clinchers.

Ignore the "go big or go home" advice. Anyone who is senseless enough to spray such rhetorical feces is gambling with YOUR health. Kinda like going all in with someone else's money. Not exactly brave in my book.

Be patient and don't try to turn into another Sean Yates overnight. With practice any given speed that was once terrifying will soon be manageable. When this happens, you'll know you can up the ante at your comfort level.

My first descent on a roadbike was down Big Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake; upper forties (with more brake dragging than was called for) felt like I was ripping the sound barrier. Now, I routinely descend Suncrest (also in Salt Lake) in mid to upper sixties; hopefully, I'll dial in the perfect psi and and crack seventy plus this year.

Thanks for the replies. Perhaps I need to add a bit more background...

Practice - I've got 65,000 bike miles under my belt and I occasionally get the heebie jeebies on hills I've been down hundreds of times. I've hit 50 mph several times in the past, including on our tandem. Like I said, it's irrational.

Relax and enjoy the ride - I wish I could. The feeling I get is something like going over the first climb on a roller coaster and all you can do is hang on. It's not that bad, but something like that.

Smoother lines on corners - Actually, it's worse when I'm going down a long, straight hill.

Apply the brakes - That's what I do, but I do a lot of group rides and it sucks to work hard on the climb only to see the pack cruise away on the way down.

I suspect the twitchiness of my old bike was due to headset and wheel bearing wear. With any luck, it will work it's way out as I get used to the new bike, but I thought I'd seek some advice in the mean time.

-murray

true story.

You should not worry about descending. OOPS I forgot I live in the mid-west the only long descents around here are in the parking garages.

You get used to it. HTFU you Wussy.

A certain amount of fear is beneficial. I would actually be more worried if your arousal level descending a hill is similar to that of taking a morning piss. Too much fear, of course, can be crippling. That's why I think you should work on hills that are manageable. Just keep in mind that too relaxed is the same as letting your guard down - which you should never ever do.

Some people simply like descending more. Maybe it's the adrenaline...god only knows I'm a junkie...

You might want to include at least one manageable descent per ride. This way, the experience will feel less foreign. And when I say manageable, it should be just challenging enough that you're in that area between crippling fear and trivial boredom.

Don't get tunnel visioned. Use your peripheral vision to watch for obstacles. For example, when descending Suncrest, I have to keep an eye out for deer crossing the road.

Be sure to look far enough ahead to pick a primary line AND a secondary line. The secondary line will give a back up plan if for any reason the primary line won't work. Also listen closely for any mechanical troubles; I've done some descents in which the split-second warning of a hissing tire was JUST enough for me to brace for the subsequent wobble.

You're probably over braking. Remember - you can raise your upper body just enough to create an air brake and lower the body to increase speed.

Be sure to give plenty of room to your fellow riders. If you're in the slipstream of another rider and that rider isn't pedaling because the hill is too steep or he doesn't feel like it, you WILL move closer to him. And when that happens, a panic over-grab of the brakes will scrub too much speed.

You'll have to figure out the idea spot in your particular group. For starters, you may want to stay towards the back; this will allow you see the lines others take; it will also give a good reference for the speed at which you should descend. If it's any consolation, time lost on descents are usually not as great as that on climbs. It's not so tragic if you're the last one down the hill (and, if it is to you, all the more reason to practice regularly).

I don't know if you work on your own bike. I do and this gives me absolute confidence in its ability to function properly. I also use first rate components and I'll retire any component if I even suspect it's been compromised; hell, I'll retire some components such as handlebars after a few seasons (even 7 series aluminum bars that I use can fail from fatigue).

If you don't wrench your own bike (or if you have questionable skills), find a mechanic that you can trust; he should be your new best friend.

Any doubt in your equipment at the start of the descent will only fester as your gain speed. This, in turn, will create more anxiety every single time you even think about descending.

I nominate this thread for the coveted Hand Wringing Medallion for 2008.

Nice. Are you this kind of jerk in public or do you only hide behind the anonymity of message boards when your throw out insults?

-murray

Find the biggest hill possible, then get your twitchiest bike and get on a pair of TT wheels so side gusts of wind can knock you off balance, go as fast as possible.

If you make it, you'll be cured. If you crash, you'll be cured (albeit a little injured, probably).

Just kidding. I can't really help since I myself really get nervous in the thirties

I can relate. I'm okay going downhill but I fell to my knees during squats once and I wasn't the same for a decade after. Now I do rock bottom heavy squats with no spotter.

Just keeping smaller hills over and over, braking later/less each time til it's like you're on flat ground. Then move on to gradually steeper hills.

Thanks for taking to time to write. As I said, I suspect it will improve with time on the new bike and it certainly doesn't ruin my time on the bike, but I'd like to get back to where I used to be descending.

-murray

I think every one has their own personal limits to what's a comfortable descent. But I also think we can expand that range over time.

I used to be hugely afraid of descents. An especially bad characteristics when you live in a hilly area. Only way I got over it was slowly learning to trust myself, my bike and going down known routes. That built confidence to tackle other things. Eventually, I was cruising down mountains at 60 mph and navigating switchbacks confidently.

It just takes time. As some others have suggested, I'd say balance what your comfort zone is with maybe dipping that toe in the water a bit and seeing where it goes. Heck, it might even turn out to be fun.

As far as I can tell one should be reasonably afraid of hitting close to 50 on a bike. You're not as odd as you think you are. It is a scary thing.

I went through a slight fear for a while myself. I have already posted it in one thread today but make sure your wheels will not flex over far enough to hit the brake pads in hard turns. That will nearly make you piss your self and will make the front end of the bike feel like its made from jello. If you can push the wheel over with your hand and make it touch the pad then it will do the same when your doing 40mph and lean hard in a turn.

knees to the toptube. knees to the toptube. if you dont feel safe when your bike is that stable, you are a lost cause. use your thighs to control the bike, and always remember, you ride the bike, the bike doesnt ride you -- you are in control and have the ability to stay in control even in extreme conditions.