QUESTION: How can I overcome my fear of riding again after a crash? I started cycling about a year ago and really loved it, but recently, I hit a patch of gravel while rolling downhill at speed. I got pretty scraped up and had to have embedded gravel scrubbed out of my arm at an ER. I’m healing now, but the thought of getting back on my bike fills me with fear. How can I get past this? —Jerry K.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: There’s no single solution to this that works for everyone, but the fact that you want to get back on the bike puts you ahead of those who crash once and decide to never ride again. Below is a plan that may help.
Before you even try to get back on the bike, however, you should check it for damage. You don’t want to remount it only to have another crash because the bike is not fit to be ridden. (Remember that some damage, like a cracked frame or a misaligned derailleur, can be difficult to spot.) If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, take it to your local bike shop for inspection.
Spend some time thinking about your accident and whether it was unavoidable or was the result — partly or entirely — of rider error. Obviously, you couldn’t know about the gravel patch well in advance, but did you have your eyes off the road, perhaps checking your cyclometer or looking so far ahead that you weren’t noticing the road conditions right in front of your wheel? Decide if there’s anything you could or should have done differently, and then commit yourself to making that change in your riding practices. You might even talk with a more experienced rider about how to maneuver when coming upon expected road hazards.
At the same time, it’s best not to overthink the accident to the point that you assume you must relearn basic bike riding. You’ve ridden without problem for long enough before the crash that your body has learned the basics, and those haven’t changed.
Once you have ascertained that your bike is in good condition and considered what bike-handling changes you want to implement, do a short ride in a low traffic location on level ground — someplace where no tricky maneuvering is required. You may find it helpful to do similar rides a few times, gradually expanding your range, and eventually adding some small hill climbing and descending, but since you want to ride, you’ll likely find yourself back in the cycling groove before too long.
While I’ve had several crashes over the years, the only one that left me temporarily uneasy about riding again was, like yours, a downhill crash at speed. I received some scrapes and scratches, and a pulled thigh muscle that took about a month to heal. I also bent my glasses and cracked my helmet, but thanks to it, my head was okay. One side of my handlebars was bent so badly that I had to replace the bars. Upon careful inspection, I found no other damage to the bike.
But I knew why I had crashed. While I was zooming downhill, the wind caught a map I had clipped to the handlebar bag and snatched it away. I needed the map, and stupidly, I jammed the brakes on suddenly and hard to stop my descent. It was too sudden and too hard, and I went over the handlebars while my bike went through its own gyrations. Post-crash, it didn’t take much thinking to realize that I should have pumped the brakes on and off until I slowed enough to come to a safe stop.
But still, the thought of riding rapidly downhill again made me feel queasy. After I healed, I did resume riding, but my first descents were tentative affairs, where I kept my speed down. After a few of those, however, my confidence returned.
Your experience may be different, but recalling how much you enjoyed riding and wanting to do it again are good motivators to eventually remount.
One thing that many riders say helps them is accepting that a few falls or crashes are almost inevitable over one’s years of cycling. See my discussion of that here.
Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.
Dr. Matt Wachsman, MD PhD says
Ok, this is the wrong time of the year for this, but, 1) get semi=professionally trained at a martial arts class on fall techniques and then 2) practice on piles of leaves. Obviously spring is not quite as good a season to do this as in…. wait for it……. FALL!
Matthew Albert says
I need to disagree with the pumping of brakes. It only upsets the balance of the human- machine system. Brakes need to be applied smoothly and progressively and should be practiced. Also, you can go over the accident in your mind and create a new ending. A visualization if you will. I would also agree with going back to the same place and do it slowly to get confidence back.
Brian Nystrom says
I agree with Stan that the key is understanding what happened, so that you can determine how to avoid that issue in the future. That’s empowering, as it puts you in control, particularly if the crash was because of something you did, or should have done, but didn’t.
In cases where a crash is caused by an unforeseen, random event – a tire blows out, someone else causes the crash, an animal runs in front of you, etc. – you just have to accept that sometimes things will happen that you can’t control. That’s just life and we have to deal with it every day in everything we do. Fortunately, these incidents tend to be rare (unless you’re racing).
As for your particular crash, since you’re a relatively new rider, perhaps some time spent learning how to handle a bike on low-traction surfaces like gravel, sand, etc. would help. This can be done by practicing at low speeds on a grassy surface, so if you fall, you’ll have a relatively soft landing. You can find videos online for this, or perhaps a local rider can coach you.
Personally, the thing that improved my road bike handling the most was riding a mountain bike off-road, where you get used to riding on inconsistent surfaces and coping with varying degrees of tire slip. It makes you much more confident when encountering a low traction situation on the road, as you know how to handle them and avoid crashing.
So, “get back on the horse” and go for a ride. Enjoy the scenery and the fresh air. Get some exercise. You’ll feel better and you’ll relax and get your confidence back.
Kyle P says
On the first day of spring 2022, I was hospitalized for five days following a crash. I resumed riding in June after getting the OK from my neurologist and the surgeon who repaired my collarbone. It was my worst crash in over 30,000 miles so I figured it was an anomaly. It hasn’t reduced my riding but I still experience nervousness in some situations, especially downhill at speed.
As others have said, relax, ease back into riding, and realize that while your body may be healed it will take time to overcome your worries.
David Osler says
In addition to the afore mentioned suggestions, cyclist should also check helmet for potential micro-cracks and consider replacing it, even if there was no history of known head impact. JMHO.