Fear!!

suzyb wrote:

Maybe us women are designed to be that little bit more cautious so we don't die and leave the kids motherless.

My motorbike instructor said something similar to me but he meant it as a positive. He said women make good motorbike riders as they have a natural survival instinct. I dont think its a rule though as I seem to see so many women with far more guts than myself! And recently I have been told of a few guys that dont attempt some things that I dont attempt.

I have been riding a while really with breaks due to college work and lots of things but I lost my confidence on a fall when I started out. A new section of follow the dog on cannock chase opened with rocks curling round onto a boardwalk. I had only ridden the old route before a couple of times and decided to ride this in the rain on a hardtail with no skills, slipped and bashed my hip, leg and knee quite badly on the edge of the boardwalk. I have never ridden it again! And generally avoid the trail or anything too difficult (I do prefer natural trails anyway but would still like to be able to do it!). But recently I have decided to try to build my confidence up and as you said I have started slow and just try one thing at a time as too much technical stresses me out. Over the past week I have done a couple of things that may seem small to other people but I was scared of it or didnt think I could do it and managed it. So I can now say ''I was scared of that, but I did it, it wasnt that bad actually''. I think a key thing also is that my boyfriend and riding partner is normally pretty hard on me (which doesnt help does it?) but recently he has been more patient and helped me learn. So a good riding buddy must be important.

My aim is to mix up some not technical but fitness with a bit of technical to learn each ride and enjoy it. If your too hard on yourself I think it spoils riding and having fun is the whole point. But at the same time I can take the easy way out too quickly so I need to make sure I try something each time I go out!

So I've been getting out at least twice a week recently for some really decent rides and I was building my confidence and fitness up. I was really enjoying myself and thought I was getting my mojo back, then my non-boyfriend suggested we went for a ride (I don't usually ride with him) and took me on a loop round Ladybower in the Peak where I ride all the time...........

.................. but then insisted we incorporate 'the beast' at Hope Cross http://monkeyspoon.com/tracks/track-hopex-dh

Now I can handle every other descent in the area, but this one I have not tackled for a good couple of years, when I remember having to push down half of it.

I kept going far too slowly and stopping becasue I was panicking, then had to walk my bike back up the hill again so I could re-do the bits I bailed on. I did do it all on the bike (just) but it was in very broken sections and I hated every second.

I KNOW I am technically good enough to do everything on there, I just have FEAR FAIL!!!!

I then did another descent afterwards that I fly down with confidence most weeks and was cr@pping myself on that becasue the beast had messed with my mind. http://monkeyspoon.com/tracks/track-gores-dh

Aaaaargggghhhh :evil:

hi danielle,

ive been riding about 4 years now and ive only had 2 off's, neither any damage but they shook me up like what youre describing for a few months - 6 months after the event.

my only advice is it takes time unfortunately, but once you get the confidence back you can block out those nagging negative thoughts and trust that you are more skillled than you used to be.....

also helps who you ride with i find.

adele x

I go biking with my other half also I find he gives me confidence cause he'll go down a scary bit first and when I've seen him make it to the other side/bottom I know I can do it too. Another thing that I think helps (even though it's not great at the time) is if I fall off he finds it hilairious which makes it not as big a deal.

The only thing that puts me off is if it's a really rocky down hill or something and I can see his bike skipping all over the place I'll just walk of if he tells me to be careful cause it's quite slippy etc. I can get put off something I would have done had he kept quiet lol.