QUESTION: After suffering a broken clavicle on a downhill turn, unseen gravel, any suggestions for getting rid of the demons when making similar turns? – Steve S.
RBR Replies: That’s a good question, Steve. Overcoming fear after crashing is one of the toughest things for any rider, including pros, to do.
It’s not even a conscious thing, in many ways. If you’ve crashed in a certain situation, when that situation comes up again, you’ll automatically tighten up and feel nervous before you have time to think about it. This subconscious reaction makes overcoming the problem even harder than it normally would be.
The best way to get your cornering and descending mojo back is to work on a sequence of drills so your confidence returns.
The key to safe riding is to relax. Tight arms, shoulders and neck translate into rigid and stiff cornering technique. If your arms are tight, every bump on the road gets transmitted directly to your front wheel, often causing it to wash out. But if you’re fluid and sit on the bike in a cat-like state of alert relaxation, you’re much more likely to flow with the terrain rather than get bounced around and risk falling.
Tip! Tightness begins in the face and jaw. Notice if your jaw is clenched and work on relaxing your face. Relaxation in your upper body will follow.
Begin by riding an old road bike on a flat, grassy field. Set up cones and work on cornering at low speeds–maybe 5-6 miles per hour. If you crash it won’t hurt and you can experience the rear wheel sliding around as you push the limits safely. Gradually increase speed as you feel more comfortable. Not only does this improve your confidence, it also hones your cornering skills. And it’s fun!
Next, venture out on dirt trails. It doesn’t need to be gnarly single-track. Random trails in vacant lots used by kids on BMX bikes work well. You can use your old road bike or even a mountain bike with slick tires, although the road bike is better because it’s more specific to your road riding goals. Just have fun on the dirt, accelerating, zooming around bends and letting the tires break traction occasionally so you get a feel for a bike that goes sideways.
Finally, it’s time to get back on the road. Get on your good road bike and tackle a corner similar to the one where you came to grief. Ride around it repeatedly. No need to push the envelope. The idea is to make the corner not a place of fear but a normal situation through repetition. After sliding around on dirt you’ll soon find that the paved corner is much less intimidating, and you’ll relax and be much more in control.
These drills are as much psychological as physical. Safe cornering and descending are exercises in mental and physical control, and practicing, in contrast to just going out for a ride, is the best way to get better.
Thank you, this is a great encouragement!
(recovery story) On July 8 2017 after 38 miles and 2.5 hours of riding, I crashed and broke my left femur. After 5 months of a wheelchair, walker and crutches I finally started walking. Lots of little neighborhood walks. I really considered not riding ever again. Well, more orthopedic physical therapy and 1 to 2 mile walks and almost 7 months from crash day on January 28th 2018 I took my first ride. I rode my old bike with flat pedals for about 2 miles, taking square corners out of caution and fear, no lycra yet. As an endurance athlete I had the drive to do something and I didn’t know what else to do, but to ride. One of the motivational helps was my family gave me a Garmin watch in December 2017 (I have a wheelchair ride on Strava). So after more time and small rides, I am road riding again with confidence. 🙂
I think “relax” is the key; also maybe thinking about your weight distribution. 4 years ago, coming home just half mile away I took a left turn hard on unseen gravel and put my left shoulder into the pavement at 20mph, breaking my clavicle in 6-8 places; now I have a plate and 9 screws holding it together. I am past the fear, but then, yesterday, taking a simple left turn, I hit a pebble with front tire and watched in instant horror as the wheel skipped…but I was ok because I had slowed down and was relatively relaxed. But it occurred to me how if I had been going a little faster, I would have gone down just as bad. My weight was forward, too much on those handlebars. I realized that maybe I tend to lean too far forward. Probably thinking about the car behind me too, so I think as I took the turn, I lowered my body from signalling left…all of this BAD because I was effectively throwing my body towards those handlebars at the moment the front tire hit that pebble. I am going to 1) continue taking turns easy, 2) try to sit back a bit and keep my center of gravity back, and 3) relax on the handlebars. It’s OK to slow down. I am 56 and want to be doing these rides when I am 76!