any advice for scared mountain bike rider?

bikechic61

Talk about putting the cart before the horse. My husband and I competed in the Iceman cometh challenge last November. We're registered to do it again. I started training specifically for that today (also do road cycling) and we went on a trail that had some technical aspects. Was scared to death! How can I build up my confidence?

zoom2

It just takes time. I'm still a noob mountain biker, but every time I go out I feel less terrified than I did the time before--and I'm falling/crashing a lot less. I have found this to be the case with cyclocross, too. The more I do it, the better I get and the more I want to do it.

I hope to do Iceman next year...this is my hubby's year to go race crazy (he's doing Lumberjack next weekend!) My current bike is really a size too small for me and I start to feel it after 10 miles, or so. I'm too upright and feel like my center of gravity is too high.

spartacus69

There are some good tips in this article:

http://www.active.com/mountainbiking/Articles/10-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Mountain-Biking.htm

#3 is my favorite. My friend gave me that exact advice years ago when I started riding (though I haven't ridden on a decent trail in ages,) and it works - the bike will follow where you focus.

3. Focus on Where You Want to Go

When you are on the trail, look where you want to go, especially on trails with plenty of roots and rocks. If you look at the rock or tree that you are trying to avoid, you will probably hit it. Instead, focus on the line that you want to take.

This is called target fixation. There is a complicated explanation as to why this works, but don't worry about that—it just does. Always look ahead and find the line that you want, and you will ride smoother.

zoom2

There are some good tips in this article:

http://www.active.com/mountainbiking/Articles/10-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Mountain-Biking.htm

#3 is my favorite. My friend gave me that exact advice years ago when I started riding (though I haven't ridden on a decent trail in ages,) and it works - the bike will follow where you focus.

3. Focus on Where You Want to Go

When you are on the trail, look where you want to go, especially on trails with plenty of roots and rocks. If you look at the rock or tree that you are trying to avoid, you will probably hit it. Instead, focus on the line that you want to take.

This is called target fixation. There is a complicated explanation as to why this works, but don't worry about that—it just does. Always look ahead and find the line that you want, and you will ride smoother.

That's the one my hubby has drilled into my head and it's really true. When I concentrate on looking at the path I want to take I generally can do it just fine. It's when I start second-guessing myself that I get into trouble.

That entire list was great, thanks for posting it. I really look forward to being able to do more than just survive a few hours on trails.

dvisser1

Practice. There is no substitute for experience. With regular practice what feels challenging and scary today will feel easy and kind of natural. Start on easier trails to practice working the technical sections and regularly increase the difficulty.

bikechic61

We talked about that target fixation after our ride. Some other people were with us, one that has a lot of experience, and a gal from my strength training class who at middle age has discovered she has a lot of athletic ability. I have read about that as it applies to tree skiing. I did have problems with the roots and rocks going up the hills. It was Island Lake recreation area in Brighton, Zoom, I think we are on another forum together. I do know I need to trust the bike. I went through some sand and ended up falling and becoming intimately acquainted with some shrubbery, and you know what? it really didn't kill me!

zoom2

Zoom, I think we are on another forum together.

TE? :drinker:

katemme

I have a bike and I am scared to ride it too. Seems like every blog or runners world article I read has an article about a biker who gets in some sort of collision with a car. But they always end up better than they did before, so no worries, you got this.

AlwaysInMotion

TE? Team Estrogen? Not a lurker or anything... :embarassed:

Some tips from the MTB racer with the broken leg - so take it at face value, I guess! (BTW, I was totally hot-dogging when I crashed, but still...)

1) Make sure your bike is correctly adjusted. Seat height. Fork shock pressure for your weight. Rear shock also for your weight (if you've got one). Make sure you have the correct tires AND are running the correct air pressure. Tire pressure is almost a fine art, so have your MTB friends help you adjust your tire pressure for the terrain. I run really low pressure when I need the tires to "bite" extra into the dirt. If you're hopping and skipping (?jumpy skidding?) all over the place, lower the pressure (or make sure your shocks aren't running for a heavier person...) You definitely want your bike to be working with you, not against you.
2) When riding new trail, go with someone who knows the flow, direction, upcoming obstacles, and severity of climbs/descents. I think it's best if the "teacher" sits behind you "on your wheel" so they can coach you through. Some people think that's nuts and wanna be in back so they can watch. It's totally up to you... If you feel like you are being "pushed" too fast, tell 'em you wanna slow down. It's important that you ride the speed you are comfortable with. You'll get faster soon enough.
3) Look where you want to go. THIS IS REALLY BIG. If you look forward up the trail ahead of you, that's where you go. If you look down or over at the nasty rock/tree/cliff, well... you'll inadvertently steer that way. Also, work on looking way up ahead, sometimes through people ahead of you. Looking way ahead magically helps you straighten your line. I don't overcorrect my steering as much when I'm looking way ahead.
4) Hold on tight. Just don't death grip (it'll fatigue your hands!) Life really sucks when the terrain jerks the wheel and the handlebars get ripped out of your (loosened) grip. Hold on even when going down ie crashing. (it helps keep you from sticking an arm out and breaking it.)
5) Watch your pedals. When banking or leaning, bring the low-side foot up. If you are in a deep singletrack rut or you're preparing to jump something, bring the pedals parallel as much as possible (I know it makes it difficult to pedal). When you see gnarly roots and such, try to lift the pedal that is most likely to catch. This will get easier with practice.
6) When descending, put that butt waaaaay back... almost behind the seat, if you can. It keeps your weight on the rear wheel and prevents endos (you over the bars). Sounds weird, I know. But it works.
7) When climbing, keep the weight on the rear tire (aka butt on the seat). You need your body weight to hold the rear tire down for traction.
8) Ask someone to teach you how to bunny hop. (or check out youtube - there are some great instructional videos out there). Being able to jump something (or at least start to raise your front wheel up to help you clear something) is a great skill to have.
9) One of my biggest things is to COMMIT to tackling what's in front of you. Make up your mind to DO IT or DON'T. If you get wishy-washy, second quess yourself, and start to half-@ss something, you'll get in trouble. I say go big or go home. I made up my mind to start approaching everything this way and suddenly I was clearing things that used to scare the bejeezus out of me.
10) Speed is your friend. And so are ALL of your gears. When I have a really rooty nasty climb ahead of me, I bomb the approach, gear down before I get to the start of the climb, and then pedal like a fiend on the way up (with my butt on the saddle). Try not to panic and clip out until you absolutely have to. I've watched so many people quit when they were thisclose to making it.
11) Hydrate often. Just don't reach down for the bottle until you've got a really smooth stretch ahead of ya!

I hope this helps. I've taken a LOT of folks out on the trails for their first MTB ride. This seems to help. I am definitely NOT an expert, but I have had many "experts" drill this stuff into my head. (Usually when standing over me post-yard sale and saying "What did I tell you???") Aahhhh.

I really hope this helps. Sorry if I prattle on and on and on and on... If you can't tell, I really really biking. Kinda obsessed.

MtnKat

Oh wow. So glad to hear that I'm not the only one!

I hate riding my bike around my home. I live in the mountains and some of those hills scare me to death. If I were in a flat place like Michigan, where I grew up, there would be no problem at all. My husband teases me but he doesn't understand lol.

I think practice would help relieve that fear. Just get up there and do it :-) (my hubby tells me the same thing lol...did I mention it makes my butt hurt....)

zoom2

TE? Team Estrogen? Not a lurker or anything... :embarassed:

Yep! I'm zoom-zoom there...someone else already had that on MFP, hence the difference in username. :laugh:

bigdogc23

In my opionion it is ok and good in some ways to have a little fear of that bike. If you go all out without fear, that is when you will hurt yourself.

Remember when you started learning how to drive and it seemed so complicated? Remember when you first started and you would look directly in front of the hood and that of course made it much more difficult to drive. Finding a focus point much farther in front of you is one of the most important rules of riding. You want to know what is coming as far out as you can and not be surprised by a giant rock or root etc.

One of the things I leanred in riding bikes is that you will eventually eat it. It's ok though, because 9 times out of 10 it's not that big of a deal. I can honestly say that I'm gald that I burned in a few times. It made me realize that it's not near as bad as I thought it was going to be. It's of course a must to have a great helmet, tightened properly on your head and have at least fingerless gloves so when you do burn in it won't destroy your palms when you are trying to brace yourself.....

Proper shoes and pedals whether they are lock down pedals or you wear regular shoes with regular pedals it's a must that you and the bike can get a long especially when the times get a bit harry.... Me, I never liked the lock down shoe/pedal combo. I like freedom of movement. I just found a good shoe that would straddle the pedal well and would not slip..

Lee510

You might check for local mountain bike riding clubs near you. The Tarheel Trailblazers near Charlotte, NC build/maintain approx. 75 miles of trails in the area. The ladies organization in this area is called the Dirt Devas. They organize trail rides geared to lady riders in the area, although men are welcome. They also hold trail riding classes every few months. SORBA - Southern (I think) Off-Road Biking Association or IMBA - International Mountain Biking Association might be able to direct you to a local club.

One big thing to improve is to push yourself to do better than you did last time. Don't push too far or let anyone push you too hard. You must ride your own ride. Just press the comfort zone a bit. If you succeed getting across the obstacle, down the ravine, etc., you'll gain a lot of confidence.

Always remember, this is supposed to be fun! If it isn't... Well, that's up to you.

midschool22

I have found this to be the case with cyclocross, too. The more I do it, the better I get and the more I want to do it.

Me too. After my one race, I am hooked on that crazy sport we call cross.

bikechic61

Zoom, I think we are on another forum together.

TE? :drinker:
[/quote


Yup, cool. that's where I got the idea for this app. I was doing Loseit before and that wasn't bad, but just not as detailed as this one.

bikechic61

TE? Team Estrogen? Not a lurker or anything... :embarassed:

Some tips from the MTB racer with the broken leg - so take it at face value, I guess! (BTW, I was totally hot-dogging when I crashed, but still...)

1) Make sure your bike is correctly adjusted. Seat height. Fork shock pressure for your weight. Rear shock also for your weight (if you've got one). Make sure you have the correct tires AND are running the correct air pressure. Tire pressure is almost a fine art, so have your MTB friends help you adjust your tire pressure for the terrain. I run really low pressure when I need the tires to "bite" extra into the dirt. If you're hopping and skipping (?jumpy skidding?) all over the place, lower the pressure (or make sure your shocks aren't running for a heavier person...) You definitely want your bike to be working with you, not against you.
2) When riding new trail, go with someone who knows the flow, direction, upcoming obstacles, and severity of climbs/descents. I think it's best if the "teacher" sits behind you "on your wheel" so they can coach you through. Some people think that's nuts and wanna be in back so they can watch. It's totally up to you... If you feel like you are being "pushed" too fast, tell 'em you wanna slow down. It's important that you ride the speed you are comfortable with. You'll get faster soon enough.
3) Look where you want to go. THIS IS REALLY BIG. If you look forward up the trail ahead of you, that's where you go. If you look down or over at the nasty rock/tree/cliff, well... you'll inadvertently steer that way. Also, work on looking way up ahead, sometimes through people ahead of you. Looking way ahead magically helps you straighten your line. I don't overcorrect my steering as much when I'm looking way ahead.
4) Hold on tight. Just don't death grip (it'll fatigue your hands!) Life really sucks when the terrain jerks the wheel and the handlebars get ripped out of your (loosened) grip. Hold on even when going down ie crashing. (it helps keep you from sticking an arm out and breaking it.)
5) Watch your pedals. When banking or leaning, bring the low-side foot up. If you are in a deep singletrack rut or you're preparing to jump something, bring the pedals parallel as much as possible (I know it makes it difficult to pedal). When you see gnarly roots and such, try to lift the pedal that is most likely to catch. This will get easier with practice.
6) When descending, put that butt waaaaay back... almost behind the seat, if you can. It keeps your weight on the rear wheel and prevents endos (you over the bars). Sounds weird, I know. But it works.
7) When climbing, keep the weight on the rear tire (aka butt on the seat). You need your body weight to hold the rear tire down for traction.
8) Ask someone to teach you how to bunny hop. (or check out youtube - there are some great instructional videos out there). Being able to jump something (or at least start to raise your front wheel up to help you clear something) is a great skill to have.
9) One of my biggest things is to COMMIT to tackling what's in front of you. Make up your mind to DO IT or DON'T. If you get wishy-washy, second quess yourself, and start to half-@ss something, you'll get in trouble. I say go big or go home. I made up my mind to start approaching everything this way and suddenly I was clearing things that used to scare the bejeezus out of me.
10) Speed is your friend. And so are ALL of your gears. When I have a really rooty nasty climb ahead of me, I bomb the approach, gear down before I get to the start of the climb, and then pedal like a fiend on the way up (with my butt on the saddle). Try not to panic and clip out until you absolutely have to. I've watched so many people quit when they were thisclose to making it.
11) Hydrate often. Just don't reach down for the bottle until you've got a really smooth stretch ahead of ya!

I hope this helps. I've taken a LOT of folks out on the trails for their first MTB ride. This seems to help. I am definitely NOT an expert, but I have had many "experts" drill this stuff into my head. (Usually when standing over me post-yard sale and saying "What did I tell you???") Aahhhh.

I really hope this helps. Sorry if I prattle on and on and on and on... If you can't tell, I really really biking. Kinda obsessed.

Sorry I had to repost all of this...
I tried to have my husband ride behind me to coach me some, but I was afraid I'd fall and he'd run over me:laugh: our biggest joking around together happens on bike rides when he gets too close to me I'm always asking him if he's just trying to collect the life insurance money or what!

That's really good advice about the mechanics of the bike. I may be going too soft on the suspension, trying to accommodate a shoulder injury. What I really need is for the bike store guy who sold me the bike to go riding with me sometime. He is such a good salesman and he always knows how to sell me the exact right item for me, He would also be able to judge how I need to set the suspension and all that. At one time in the past, he was informally coaching a women's group ride out on the trail.

I did not have a problem with any hills that did not have rocks or roots, so I know I've got the leg strength to do it, and like you said, if I get my geometry on the bike set right, the rocks and roots shouldn't be a stopping point if I can look to where I want to go. Something about that reminds me of the phrase "can't see the forest through the trees"

About the water bottle thing, after experiencing some dehydration symptoms recently, I'm going to have to invest in a camelback.

zoom2

About the water bottle thing, after experiencing some dehydration symptoms recently, I'm going to have to invest in a camelback.

I just got this one and really like it--that ventilation system on the back works super well. It has these air channels that allow airflow between the pack and your back.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1103238_-1___400161

My bike only has room for 1 bottle, so this made a lot more sense, rather than having to keep going back to the car for refills.