Gaining confidence

Mrs Toast

Well, I've made friends with my Trek 4500 and have taken it out quite a bit down local country roads, and on the green trails at Cannock Chase. I'm now at the stage where the green trails, although very nice, are getting a little dull - not to mention are infested with walkers and mad dogs on a Saturday, who seem to really resent making room for a slow travelling hobbit on a mountain bike.

I want to move onto something more challenging, so I can learn how to move my weight around properly. I've tried going on the red route (the bits that are still open anyway -_-) but there are parts where I feel what can only be described as 'unadultered terror'.

I'm fine racing down narrow tracks, dealing with roots, bumps, sharp corners and the like, but as soon as I hit an uneven downhill section I panic. I tend to hit the brakes to slow myself, which makes the wheels skid on loose stones and gravel - logically I know that I should go with it, but I feel a wee bit out of control going down steep hills. I'm also painfully conscious of how inept I must look wobbling about, and don't want to hold people up.

So, can anyone recommend ways of gaining off-road skills? Should I just stick to doing the red route, and hope that confidence will come with familiarity, or are there other routes in the Midlands that I could learn on? I noticed up in Dalby they had a blue route, which is in between the green and red level of ability - does anyone know if there's any blue routes about West Midlands/Warwickshire way?

supersonic

Thing is not all routes are the same, even when graded similarly. Its practice and gaining confidence that will eventually win out. You want to feather the bralkes and feel for them locking up, and how it varies on differing terrain. When going downhill, get your weigh further back, and hover off the saddle.

lost-time

I'm not sure how long you've been biking but if fairly new to it then just more time out in the trails. Doing the same trails in the wind and rain can seem very challenging than doing them in the dry....

If there is a section of trail where you chicken out see if you can break the area up into a shorter length such as a bike length or 2, say, where there are some nasty roots or rocks, then if the run out is 'safe' you can try increasing your speed just for this tiny bit of trail. You'll probably be nervous but I'm sure you can do it. Keep practicing and try to find a good line ( maybe by walking it first if necessary and look at it from different angles ).
You'll soon nail it and find both your skills and confidence increase. If you do have a fall you are likely to be prapared to a certain extent and although denting your pride you can learn alot from a little misshap....

Not sure what I've said makes sense but it's been a long day.

Mrs Toast

Heh, thanks guys. I know the theory of shifting my weight around, and have done it on the green trails, but when I get on a 'proper' trail, I tend to stick my arse on the saddle and grip the handlebars for dear life! I suppose it's a bit like learning to drive - reading the theory books and pootling around an industrial estate on a Sunday afternoon is very different from actually going out on a busy road.

I had two minor mishaps yesterday, which were both caused by a lack of speed, so I know I've got to keep my speed up, it's just a matter of getting the confidence, I suppose. I did become a bit more confident when I was overtaken by a small girl in jeans and no helmet - if she can do it, so can I!

lost-time

Gripping the bars for dear life eh!? Easy for me to say but try to stay loose on the bike. Regardless of shifting your weight around just staying loose ( but still holding tight on the bars ) will help absorb the bumps and also let the bike 'fall' into the dips.

Another thing to do for tricky sections is to drop the saddle by a couple of inches ( should only need to this whilst in learning mode unless you're going to throw yourself on DownHill courses! ), To give a bit more stability you should be able to grip the saddle between your thighs...all this helps keep the bike under control.

Good luck!

formerlyknownasbonj

I guess the reason you panic when you're on a downhill section is that you're conscious that when you get to the bottom of it you're going to be going too fast to deal with the next corner (or what's round it), rather than the technical nature of the section itself.
So the advice I would give you is similar to the advice to roadies looking to get up a hill: know your hill. If you know how to deal with what's at the bottom and what speed you can take it at, you're going to be more confident about going down it. Don't be ashamed of thinking 'hmm, I could have done that a little bit better', or 'hmm, I wonder if I'd have taken that line instead I would have been smoother through there', and to then push back up for another crack at the whip.
Also avoid the temptation to not brake at all until you're going fast enough so as you panic, and then slam the brakes on hard, as that could change your weight distribution and cause obstacles to be more likely to throw you off course.
And the number one golden rule, keep your weight back apart from when you're riding the forks to take a corner - your arse should be over the back wheel and gripping the saddle with your legs for extra stability.

toasty

From what I saw the problem seems to be sitting down through the whole ride, weight on the saddle start to end. I think if she gets to grips with standing up and moving her weight back the confidence would come from the safer, smoother riding position. Which oddly also means less pedalling to maintain speed, you only pedal to replace lost momentum, if your body is bouncing up and down you lose it instantly.

The weight on the saddle also means it was too far forward on downhills and she's unable to move on berms, usually meaning falling off :?

Not sure how best to practice something like this though really, is it a similar set of muscles to normal biking? Mrs has had knee problems so they're pretty weak which I think is what the problem stems back to.

Still, on the plus side she did make it through the entire follow the dog red route after about a fortnight of cycling (as in could barely ride a bike at all before!). 8)

nicklouse

Mr Toast.

some thoughts for you to look into.

suspension seat post. might help reduce the forward head over bars motion. (thinking thud muncher parrallelogram moving back wards).

or a gravity dropper seat post.

toasty

Yeah, we did ponder suspension seatposts, are they intended to literally be sat on over big bumps or will the rebound make things even worse?

If you sat down and rode over a 1 foot high, short bump for example at speed you get big upward forces throwing you off if you don't take some of it in your legs.

I'm sure her leg muscles will build over time, I'd guess it'll come naturally with riding more. It's odd though, she can power up some meaty hills (leaning forward lots) which made me wonder if it were a totally different set of muscles used or just a technique thing?

toasty

I did become a bit more confident when I was overtaken by a small girl in jeans and no helmet

Oh and on a completely different note. We were overtaken by two old ladies this time, to their credit they were awesome though, one on an old marin full sus (the old thin tubed type) and one on an NRS. Both grey haired and nattering while rocketing along, before laying down a sheet for a picnic.

Mrs Toast

Those old women were ace.

I think the problem is in the back of my mind, I can't help but think that crashing at low speed would be so much less painful that crashing at high speed!

lost-time

On an easier section of difficult trail just follow Toasty and all would be OK! Seriously, I did this on a couple of bits on my local trails with my other-half-to-be and it did work (eventually) Although she found that once that fear was there for one section nothing would make her ride it.....

Mrs Toast

Went over the local hills for a rollabout, which helped a lot - I could go to the top of a hill, ride down, go back up, do it again, getting faster and faster, without the pressure of holiding up super-l33t riders.

Unfortunately, I got a little too confident, and followed Mr Toast down a path that didn't look too bad. I decided to take a slight diversion, however - I hit a rock, my wheels bounced sideways, and I think I may have hit my brakes a little too vigorously. I say 'think', as falling sideways of a five foot rocky drop makes things a bit blurry.

So, to summarise, falling off cliffs hurts!

BigLee1

Good stuff! Now the fear of the unknown of falling off is gone you can advance in leaps & bounds!!
Keeping your body relaxed lets it absorb shock rather than transferring it all the way up to your head where it make your eyes blurry so you can`t see the next obsticle & slow down even more. When you`re whizzing downhill a good way of knowing your arms are nice & loose is if you can flap your elbows like a chicken you`re ok. Your arms will then absorb any shocks from the front of the bike. Now all you need is to get your bum off the seat & have your legs as the shock absorbers & so isolating your body from the bike bucking and weaving under you!
Try sitting on the bike with your arms locked & bum hard on the seat, then ride off a kerb...ouch!
Now do the chicken thing with your arms & absorb the drop...ow, sore bum!
Then lift your bum off the seat & bend your legs & do the chicken thing with your arms....thats better

Good luck

Peakmtb

Mrs Toast,
Find a piece of trail that you would normally find difficult and with someone experienced spend a few hours at that one spot, choosing lines, deciding styles, and discussing position, (prob best if its not part of the chase trails, so you dont spoil any one eles fun.) Whatch other people do it and then allow them to coach you through it. Turn off your own thought and just listen to what they are yelling at you ref speed position no braking ect. Start easy and build up.

Bromski

Hi

When I wanted to progress I found that the skills loop at Hamsterley forest was absolutely brilliant for gaining confidence.

I would definately recommend it ahead of the blue route at Dalby which is long but mainly on fire road.

Get familiar with handling the bike on the Hamsterley Skills loop, then tackle some of the the red at Dalby - it has escape points so that when you've had enough you can go back to the visitor centre to reward yourself (and steady the nerves) with a nice cuppa!

Hope this helps

Bromski

Mrs Toast

Heh, unfortunately Bromski I live in Warwickshire - I only get to hit Dalby when Mr Toast and I go 'Oop North' to visit his family! The nearest mountain bike specific trails to us are an hour's jaunt to Cannock Chase, where we normally go at the weekend - on week night rides it's local roads and badly kept bridleways for us.

Find a piece of trail that you would normally find difficult and with someone experienced spend a few hours at that one spot, choosing lines, deciding styles, and discussing position, (prob best if its not part of the chase trails, so you dont spoil any one eles fun.)

Problem with being new to mountain biking as well is I'm not sure where I can go outside of the trail centres. I know bikes are allowed on bridleways, but most of the ones I've ridden on are either very flat, wide, and rather dull, or two-foot deep in thistles, grass, and/or horse crap! I'm also quite cowardly, so I fear being chased by angry ramblers/farmers/environmentalists if I stray onto somewhere I shouldn't...

Good stuff! Now the fear of the unknown of falling off is gone you can advance in leaps & bounds!!

Heh, funny you should say that, because I did go to Cannock Chase a few days later, and I actually managed to do most of FTD without stopping, falling off, AND at a decent speed! I think falling off the drop taught me that my body can actually stand up to some punishment without serious injury...whilst being painful enough to remind me not to be too cavalier!