# My wife is going downhill slowly



## HarryTheDog (15 Nov 2014)

My wife has finally succumbed to the dark side and has taken up cycling after watching me and the kids go out commuting, sportiving, racing and generally mucking about on bikes for the last 7 years. Both the kids have left the nest and she has decided to set herself a goal, the Welsh Velothon long route ( 75 miles) she has signed up so no going back. She is quite fit for her age ( late forties) so dont think the mileage is going to be a problem. We have gone out only 5 times on the weekend and got her up to 26 miles so far and onto clipless pedals. However as soon as the road starts to point downwards she is on the brakes and limiting herself to around 12mph. On the flat and uphill she will quite happily go a lot faster. I am hoping she will get more confident and the problem will go away. She is not so sure and is considering hypnosis. Slow downhill with just the two of us is not a problem , however I know from speeding along in large groups a rider slamming on the brakes too eagerly downhill is likely to end in grief for everyone. Anyone else have the same problem with thier other half of a similar age and did it get better with time or have any tricks to boost confidence or tried hypnosis?


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## fossyant (15 Nov 2014)

Plenty of practice.


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## ScotiaLass (15 Nov 2014)

HarryTheDog said:


> My wife has finally succumbed to the dark side and has taken up cycling after watching me and the kids go out commuting, sportiving, racing and generally mucking about on bikes for the last 7 years. Both the kids have left the nest and she has decided to set herself a goal, the Welsh Velothon long route ( 75 miles) she has signed up so no going back. She is quite fit for her age ( late forties) so dont think the mileage is going to be a problem. We have gone out only 5 times on the weekend and got her up to 26 miles so far and onto clipless pedals. *However as soon as the road starts to point downwards she is on the brakes and limiting herself to around 12mph*. On the flat and uphill she will quite happily go a lot faster. I am hoping she will get more confident and the problem will go away. She is not so sure and is considering hypnosis. Slow downhill with just the two of us is not a problem , however I know from speeding along in large groups a rider slamming on the brakes too eagerly downhill is likely to end in grief for everyone. Anyone else have the same problem with thier other half of a similar age and did it get better with time or have any tricks to boost confidence or tried hypnosis?


Well done Mrs HarryTheDog!
I ride a MTB and was petrified of going downhill - I know! - a year later (and aged 50), I can bomb through woods and downhill at 15-20mph quite happily.
It doesn't sound a lot but I rarely got over 10mph, whether down a hill or not!
I know it's not the same as large group riding, but I am sure she will gain confidence. The trick is to keep practicing and relax.
I used to grip the bars like I was on a ride at Alton Towers! I've now learned to relax (and practiced it), not just physically, but mentally, too! 
I am sure she will get the hang of it soon!


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## Cycleops (15 Nov 2014)

Thank God it wasn't a assisted dying thread. She's done well, you just need to encourage her. My wife can't even ride a bike, even though she expresses a desire to sometimes.


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## ColinJ (15 Nov 2014)

It wouldn't actually be a "_problem_" unless she was aiming for a quick time! 

I am constantly surprised how nervous many cyclists are on descents. I get dropped on climbs by most CycleChatters on my forum rides, but then steam past them on the downhills.

I am generally a very nervous kind of person but I don't have any problem up to about 50 mph. (I do start to get a bit worried as speed gets closer to 60 mph though!)

The question to ask is why she feels the need to go slower on a downhill than she does on the flat? Maybe she is worried that her speed will build up too quickly and that she will lose control? She needs to develop a feel for progressive braking so she is confident that she won't suddenly have to panic brake and risk launching herself over the bars. The other thing I would suggest is to teach her about pushing down hard on the outside pedal on downhill bends so she can corner better.

She hasn't been riding long and will probably relax as she gets more used to it. I was definitely a lot more cautious when I first started riding again as an adult. 

She has made a good start and will just get better and better!


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## arranandy (15 Nov 2014)

Practice and relax. One of the pros - can't remember which one - was a poor decender. To help him relax he would listen to classical music on decents on training rides


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## vickster (15 Nov 2014)

What bike is she riding? If a road bike, fit her some cross levers, I for one am much more confident down hill on the bike that has these, than the bike that doesn't. Less stress on the hands too, especially if reaching from the hoods


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## coffeejo (15 Nov 2014)

Long straights are great for building up confidence as you don't have to worry about steering / balance issues.


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## Bobby Mhor (15 Nov 2014)

Let her go at her own pace...
She will either get more confident or will still be happy to descend at her own pace.
Good on her being out with the family..

I wouldn't push her into doing anything she didn't want, it may have the opposite effect.


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## dawn72 (15 Nov 2014)

ColinJ said:


> It wouldn't actually be a "_problem_" unless she was aiming for a quick time!
> 
> I am constantly surprised how nervous many cyclists are on descents. I get dropped on climbs by most CycleChatters on my forum rides, but then steam past them on the downhills.
> 
> ...



I'm exactly like this too for the very reason that colin has mentioned above. - I worry about the build up if speed and ending up out of control. I have gotten slightly better as my confidence has grown but being a natural worrier doesn't help


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## gavroche (15 Nov 2014)

Never had a problem going downhill. The trick is to look well ahead so you can see if the road is clear. My problem is going uphill, then I am slower than slow. Congratulations to your wife for taking up cycling and best of luck for entering a 75 mile sportive. I know I couldn't do it as my longest ride so far is 51 miles.


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## moo (15 Nov 2014)

You could get a tandem, although the screams of terror might be a little offputting


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## totallyfixed (15 Nov 2014)

Same thing with my better half, goes uphill quicker than down, mind you, going down isn't that slow. Some of you will understand this. More seriously I have come across this many times and nearly always it is predominantly the fear of not being able stop quickly.


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## ColinJ (15 Nov 2014)

moo said:


> You could get a tandem, although the screams of terror might be a little offputting


The scariest descending that I have ever witnessed was a couple on a tandem on my Settle forum ride about 3 years ago. We were doing a very fast descent to Garsdale Head and I overtook a few other riders, me doing over 45 mph, when suddenly the crazy tandemists shot past doing what must have been close to 60 mph because they rapidly dropped me!


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## Effyb4 (15 Nov 2014)

I am terrified of going downhill and don't go faster than 20 mph. I can reach this speed on slight declines as well and am much happier than on faster descents. I think it is a fear of losing control. I frequently ride in a group and have done a mass participation ride without a problem, having said this, I don't slam on the brakes. You'll find most people will just go round her.


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## User269 (15 Nov 2014)

Mrs Whiskywheels, competent downhill/crosscountry skier, marathon runner, fitness instructor, skater, agile etc. etc. but put her on a bike facing downhill and it's panic time! We sold her road bike recently, and despite a low mileage the wheel rims were dangerously worn due to excessive braking. Uphill, and she's not as far behind as some I ride with.

To some extent it's just a matter of practice and experience. I also think she needs a damn good slapping to relax and go at what ever speed she likes. After all, what does it matter how slow she goes downhill as long as she enjoys it? Apart from the fact I've got hypothermia after waiting at the foot of a long descent for ages, I mean , that's nothing compared to her never putting the rubbish out, and leaving the top off the toothpaste, oh, and have you seen the state of her car?? Well , I can tell you, the amount of rotting food in the fridge beggars belief, and another thing...............(cont. on P94).


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## Fab Foodie (15 Nov 2014)

Mrs FF almost went through a set of discs in N Italy this summer on her hybrid and we only went out a couple of times. When I get to the bottom of a hill I've time for a beer and anti-pasti whilts I wait - so it's not all bad!
Some people don't like going fast I guess ....


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## Fab Foodie (15 Nov 2014)

arranandy said:


> Practice and relax. One of the pros - can't remember which one - was a poor decender. To help him relax he would listen to classical music on decents on training rides


Relaxing is key. Modern bikes generally become more stable the faster they go as long as you don't hold it in a death grip.
The 80s 531 Holdsworth can get a little out of shape changing direction or hitting the brakes above 40 mph, on the other hand the 2004 TCR is steady as a rock up to 50mph (and probably beyond) even if you hit the brakes hard for a tight turn it does exactly as asked without any fuss.


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## steveindenmark (15 Nov 2014)

I cant see where the problem is. Jannie is the same but I just wait for her.


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## fossyant (15 Nov 2014)

Just come and follow @dan_bo down a hill. Fast as f...


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## byegad (15 Nov 2014)

The first Mrs Byegad did the same as the OP's lady. Eventually she blew the tyre off a rear rim after a long slow descent and nearly frightened herself and me to death!


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## HelenD123 (15 Nov 2014)

I can totally empathise with Mrs HarrytheDog. I'm pretty nervous going downhill and can be slower than on the flat, on the brakes all the way down. It's very early days so don't push her to do more than she's comfortable with or she could completely lose her nerve. If she has drops, teach her to get down on the drops going downhill. I found I could get much more power on the brakes than from the hoods and that helped my confidence. Also try her on rolling hills. If she can see an uphill ahead which will act as a natural brake she may feel more able to let go and pick up some speed. For me, I'd also start to panic slightly when the wind started rushing as the speed increased, fearing it was a horrible side wind which would buffett(?) me around. It may sound silly to the fearless cyclists out there who can bomb downhill but these are some of the things that may be going through your wife's head.

I'm still not great at descending but after months of practice and the right conditions (a straight, smooth downhill with an incline at the end) I got up to 37.5 mph. Just give your wife some time to get used to her bike and she'll improve.


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## fossyant (15 Nov 2014)

It's often about getting to know your bike and it's handling !


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## HarryTheDog (15 Nov 2014)

Thanks for your comments so far. I think that time and experience will be the key. On answer to some of the comments, Yes her going slow downhill is fine if the aim was to just enjoy the country air and each others company, and I am quite happy to pootle along behind letting her go at her own speed, She claims to be completely non competitive but she has already shown signs of trying to chase people down who overtake, as they overtake, her speed rapidly rises which makes me grin. The speed stays up till they are out of sight or go downhill. She wants to do a decent time at the Velothon, also she wants to end up going out on club rides with my club which averages around 18mph over 50-80 miles with no slow group. Cross brakes on the handlebar was mentioned, Yes she does ride a road bike a second hand Kuota Kom Evo. My wife is a petite 5ft 1 and Kuota do a 50cm TT in all their bikes.My wife tends to go down on the drops for braking downhill, I showed her where the cross brakes would go but she pointed out that would move her hands in towards the stem and she would not be happy with that . Also relaxing was mentioned, yes the KOM is a bit a hardcore race bike and maybe just a bit over the top, my wife has already noticed that if you tense up on it , it becomes a bit twitchy and it completely changes to a lovely bike when relaxed. I have shod it with the grippiest tyres I know Vittoria open Pasvesto increase confidence. I have ridden it ( cos I am short arse as well) and I love the way it tracks the road, but yes maybe something more forgiving would have been better, she tried a Kuota K Lite ( my daughters winter bike) and found that less twitchy and preferred it but the bikes been bought now and she thinks she will get used to it. This afternoon my wife informed me she has booked up the Hypnotist for next week. We will go for a ride tomorrow and see if we can go for the same ride next weekend to see if the hypnotism actually works. I am a skeptic but if it does work brilliant! Again thanks for the comments.


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## Pat "5mph" (15 Nov 2014)

I'm terrified of downhill too, especial long twisty ones on unknown country roads.
Don't mind up and downs with good visibility ahead.
Maximum speed I've ever reached is probably 30mph.
I don't think this will cause Mrs HtD any problems on the sportive, unless of course she hits her brakes suddenly. The fast ones will just ride round her, let her be and enjoy the event.


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## ColinJ (15 Nov 2014)

coffeejo said:


> Long straights are great for building up confidence as you don't have to worry about steering / balance issues.


Best not to mention severe gusting crosswinds though ...


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## vickster (16 Nov 2014)

Why would she not be happy to move her hands towards the stem for a short time while braking? It also puts you in a more upright position so you can see the road better in my opinion


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## Gravity Aided (16 Nov 2014)

ColinJ said:


> Best not to mention severe gusting crosswinds though ...


With Panniers!


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## ColinJ (16 Nov 2014)

Gravity Aided said:


> With Panniers!


I have only ridden with a very large saddlebag and even that made a big difference to the bike's handling.

I do take it easy on windy descents now after almost being blown off the road once when hit by a sudden gust of crosswind when I was doing about 45 mph!


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## coffeejo (16 Nov 2014)

vickster said:


> Why would she not be happy to move her hands towards the stem for a short time while braking? It also puts you in a more upright position so you can see the road better in my opinion


I'm of the opposite opinion. I feel much more balanced when I'm on the drops vs hoods / tops on a descent and the bike seems much more responsive. I guess it's different for everyone. My cross lever brakes on the tourer are fabulous for keeping the bike stationary when waiting on a hill for traffic lights to change or keeping it controlled wheeling it fully loaded on and off ferries but there's no way I'd use them for a descent - I have given it a go and felt top heavy and out of kilter with the bike.


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## Gravity Aided (16 Nov 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I have only ridden with a very large saddlebag and even that made a big difference to the bike's handling.
> 
> I do take it easy on windy descents now after almost being blown off the road once when hit by a sudden gust of crosswind when I was doing about 45 mph!


Panniers do make a difference, but they also seem to contribute to stability, if the weight is properly distributed, but the panniers also catch the wind readily.


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## HelenD123 (16 Nov 2014)

Gravity Aided said:


> Panniers do make a difference, but they also seem to contribute to stability, if the weight is properly distributed, but the panniers also catch the wind readily.


My Ultra Galaxy felt like a different bike once I put front panniers on in addition to the rear ones. I instantly felt much more confident.


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## HarryTheDog (17 Nov 2014)

vickster said:


> Why would she not be happy to move her hands towards the stem for a short time while braking? It also puts you in a more upright position so you can see the road better in my opinion


She just thinks it would feel weird having her hands so close together, her bars are only 40cm wide as it is. The ones I have in the parts bin( came with my CX9 which I took off, because for me they just got in the way) I put on the bars of her bike to demonstrate ( not connected up) she just did not like it and at the moment too much work to set up properly unless she really thought it would help.
As to someone else mentioning a tandem, my wife thinks I am a loon and would never contemplate it,


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## vickster (17 Nov 2014)

My bars are a 38cm on the Genesis, never had an issue (not much space for stuff though especially with thick tape all the way to the hoods)

Sounds like she is a rather more hardcore rider than me. Maybe look at a shallower drop bar if that helps reach to the brifters?


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## Berties (17 Nov 2014)

lots of slow riders going down hill .I'm not the quickest going down hill ,its just makes me put more effort on the flat and I'm an animal going up hills,
i like 28s and 25s tyres for going down hills ,


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## Kestevan (18 Nov 2014)

Mrs Kes used to struggle on long/fast descents. She found the reach to the brake levers too far to be comfortable and this unconsiously lead her to gripping too hard and over braking. This in turn resulted in hand ache and poor braking so she was really not happy.

A set of shallow drop bars, and a switch to SRAM levers made things much more comfortable and she now happily zooms down at much increased velocity secure in the fact that she can actually stop if needed.


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## xzenonuk (19 Nov 2014)

when i started cycling again i found i was nervous going down hills at speed, if she sticks with it she should soon get more confidence, now im hitting 32 mph on steep downhills on a mtb 

if i could get my bike to go faster with the gearing i would and i was hammering the brakes when i started again


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## Shortmember (20 Nov 2014)

When you consider the damage done to Bono's face and arm in his recent cycling accident I think it's a wise thing to cycle around at moderate speeds.You might get to your destination a few minutes slower than the rest, but who cares as long as you arrive in one piece?


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## vickster (20 Nov 2014)

There was that chap on here recently who buggered his shoulder and other bits royally when he lost control on a big hill, thus happy enough to go down gently especially where unknown or twisty, or busy with traffic


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## Mo1959 (20 Nov 2014)

vickster said:


> There was that chap on here recently who buggered his shoulder and other bits royally when he lost control on a big hill, thus happy enough to go down gently especially where unknown or twisty, or busy with traffic


Yep, ditto. Believe me, slamming into the road at 20mph hurts.....a lot! I still get flashbacks and tense up quite a bit on downhills as soon as the speed creeps up.


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## cyberknight (20 Nov 2014)

Just stick a couple of bricks in some panniers, sorted


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## Feastie (20 Nov 2014)

I've got a problem with going downhill as well. Also, turning to the right in too tight a circle. If you've fallen off before when doing something (in my case, the 2 above), it really messes with your nerves. I came off going downhill when my brakes failed once (read: threw myself off to avoid going into a busy road) and quite recently was turning right and the front wheel just slipped out underneath.

Psychological damage, that's what it is!  Every time I go to do those things, physically I feel like I'm re-creating the circumstances where I ended up hurting myself before. Even though a fear of turning right is so ridiculous all I can think of is Zoolander. I'd love to know the 'cure' for this - but otherwise, I'd say if your wife is happy to accept her own limitations, it's so much more relaxing to cycle in a way which makes you feel safe and secure on the bike. Feeling terrified something is about to slip or go wrong is really unpleasant. I plan my routes around this exact thing - avoid big downhills, avoid going too fast round right turns. Although admittedly I'm not competitive, just cycling to commute and for pleasure!


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## jefmcg (20 Nov 2014)

Mo1959 said:


> Yep, ditto. Believe me, slamming into the road at 20mph hurts.....a lot! I still get flashbacks and tense up quite a bit on downhills as soon as the speed creeps up.


I've never had a high speed crash, but when Wouter Weylandt died during the Giro d'Italia, I accidentally visited a news site that had a photo of his face after the crash. He was a far more skilled rider than I will ever be. Can't get that image out of my head. 

Still, that was 80kph, which is a lot faster than I generally go downhill.


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## HarryTheDog (22 Nov 2014)

Just a quick update and points to note. Yes the bars are short reach and shallow drop. The aim is not to get her to descend like a demon just to get rid of the overwhelming anxiety, it is ruining her enjoyment and could be dangerous in a large bunch. Anyway she has had the hypnotherapy on Tuesday, she thought it was just like going to a relaxation class and was unsure it did anything until asked to open her eyes. She felt them glued shut. She came home and jumped on the Turbo for over an hour which was surprising as I bought it 6 weeks ago and she has been on it once up till now so maybe something mentally was triggered. We hoped to do the acid test today but our son paid a flying visit so the morning got disrupted and then the roads looked too greasy for confidence as a drizzly shower was coming down. Also she enjoyed our one outing on MTB's the other week, ( apart from the downhill anxiety) so she decided she would rather do that tomorrow. So I then spent part of the morning sizing her up on it and lopping 2 x 1.5 inches off the bars on her MTB as they are so wide. So hopefully tomorrow I may have some moderate success to report if we go out ( might not if too wet), its going to be sloppy mud on the route we will take so no speeds will be achieved but she can gauge her anxiety levels. If huge anxiety is still present then we wasted a few quid on hypnotherapy and its a case of time on the bike or sack the idea of a fast time on the sportive sell the road bike ( or I keep it, as its more modern than mine and I fit on it perfectly with a slightly longer stem) and stick to going for a bimble on the MTB's .


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## ColinJ (22 Nov 2014)

Feastie said:


> I've got a problem with going downhill as well. *Also, turning to the right in too tight a circle*.


Ah - I feel odd doing that too, but I don't worry about tight left turns! It is probably because one tends to fall towards the inside of the turn, and I habitually unclip my left foot when I stop.

I decided to do a u-turn on a narrow lane once and fell onto my right knee, which hurt _*A LOT*_!


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## vickster (22 Nov 2014)

HarryTheDog said:


> If huge anxiety is still present then we wasted a few quid on hypnotherapy and its a case of time on the bike or sack the idea of a fast time on the sportive sell the road bike ( or I keep it, as its more modern than mine and I fit on it perfectly with a slightly longer stem) and stick to going for a bimble on the MTB's .


Why does a fast time matter on a sportive, surely the speed is made on the ups and flats not the downs...unless it's all downhill! However, as it's a 75 mile sportive somewhere hilly an extra couple of mph on downhills will make diddly different, better a couple of extra mph up the hills on a better bike with better wheels. Why sell the bike?


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## HarryTheDog (22 Nov 2014)

Hi 


vickster said:


> Why does a fast time matter on a sportive, surely the speed is made on the ups and flats not the downs...unless it's all downhill! However, as it's a 75 mile sportive somewhere hilly an extra couple of mph on downhills will make diddly different, better a couple of extra mph up the hills on a better bike with better wheels. Why sell the bike?



My Missus was/is quite proud of her present fitness having been clinically obese in the past, she has done fitness classes for the last few years and done the moon walk on 3 occasions and did a couple of adventure races ( like a really long assault course). She also has raced sailing dinghies for many years and used to ride horses most weekends. She has had to give it all up due to problems with her back ( facet cyst, bulging disc and vertebrae out of alignment may need fusing) so was losing her fitness , Her consultant advised cycling or swimming . Running, doing berpees, squats, pulling on ropes, hanging out of a boat or trying to rein in a stroppy horse was out. She decided switch to cycling as a means of fitness , Cycling is more convenient, plus me and the kids have been doing it for years. Pain block injections are keeping her pain free at the moment but if her vertebrae need fusing it is all likely to go out the window for months anyway. 
She has no great love of cycling or road traffic and wanted a challenge to drive her on. The Velothon is the challenge ,which incidentally was picked because it is on closed roads. The decent time means she is not over the hill just quite yet, she has a certain pride. The anxiety with hills is a problem she wants to go away, it ruins her enjoyment and self confidence that's why she booked the hypnotherapy up fairly quickly. Selling the bike is actually a bit of a joke it will probably become mine as I can fit on it no problem with a longer stem and my road bike is 7 years old and is starting to delaminate, but hers would be available if she wanted it back. Plan B is the MTB's she had a big grin when we went around the local park the other day as no anxiety from traffic just the hills, she wont be able to any technical trails because of her back but could plan interesting trails to keep her enthusiasm. I have time to go out with her and happy to bimble along as my going out with the club and racing days look be over as well , the same time my wife's back went so did mine ,, I was poleaxed for the best 3 months of the summer after trying to race 2 locals up a mountain in Swizerland. I was in agony the next After getting back to the uk for a scan it was found I had 4 deteriorated discs, one bulging disc. I started riding again 8 weeks ago, commuting only.
I get your point about you can make up more time on the uphills and flats and she is certainly on the bike ( Kuota Kom Evo) with very nice wheels ( Reynolds Attacks) and has power in spades to do that. My concern as I have said before is danger in a bunch, there will be 15,000 people on the day starting at different times peletons may form from groups behind and start scything through stragglers, the front guys may see my missus doing 12 mph downhill and calls out, indicates etc but the 20th geezer may not be paying attention and slam into her. I incidentally will be riding shotgun so they would actually slam into me . 
Looks like we wont get to test the hypnotherapy tomorrow as due to rain all day, and she does not cycle in rain yet.


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## KateK (23 Nov 2014)

I would second getting used to the drops, on the flat at first. Also identify a not too steep not too high hill that has a safe runout and try to include it often. She will get used to how the road feels and feel more confident. I think the drops helps because it puts your weight forward a bit: I used to get front wheel wobble if my weight was too far back. And try to relax. Consciously relax your fingers and make sure your arms don't go straight, keep shoulders relaxed. Sing, talk to yourself, whatever to keep relaxed and focused on the road. 
Panniers aren't a problem. Crosswinds are when they're about 16mph plus. Look out for gates and side roads on roads with hedges as this is where it will hit you unexpectedly. 

She can always brake part of the way down and then let off for the bottom bit when she can see the end in sight. 

I think It's more important that she becomes happy with hills rather than viewing it as just going faster.


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## HarryTheDog (30 Nov 2014)

Well time for a update, my wife seems to be much happier on the MTB and off-road away from traffic. So we decided to try Route 1 out of Chelmsford today on the MTB's I was itching to find out whether the hypnotherapy had worked. *Well it was a success!*. No she did not go mad and zoom down every hill like a crazed loon.( was a little worry in the back of my head) She still had the obvious good sense to keep the speed down considering the chutney out on the tracks but on some of the little slopes she managed not to use any brakes at all with no worries which would not have been the case before, on the longer downhill slopes she was sensible keeping it below 20mph but a lot faster than her old 12mph. So overall she considers the cash paid out on therapy money well spent. She probably is never going to enter a DH competition but this has increased her level of enjoyment and dampened the old worries she had. I don't know when she will try road again, the road bike is sitting on the turbo now getting a good battering a couple of times a week. I am happy enough discovering tracks I would have not tried before. Maybe Epping Forest next weekend!


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2014)

That's good progress!

TBH, I would be a lot more worried at 20 mph offroad on mud than I would be on a dry road at 30+ mph. I reckon she will be quite nippy when she gets back on tarmac.


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## PpPete (30 Nov 2014)

Great news !
If my experience is anything to go by, in a short while she will be not much slower than you downhill, and drop you big time on the ups !


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## hopless500 (30 Nov 2014)

HarryTheDog said:


> My wife has finally succumbed to the dark side and has taken up cycling after watching me and the kids go out commuting, sportiving, racing and generally mucking about on bikes for the last 7 years. Both the kids have left the nest and she has decided to set herself a goal, the Welsh Velothon long route ( 75 miles) she has signed up so no going back. She is quite fit for her age ( late forties) so dont think the mileage is going to be a problem. We have gone out only 5 times on the weekend and got her up to 26 miles so far and onto clipless pedals. However as soon as the road starts to point downwards she is on the brakes and limiting herself to around 12mph. On the flat and uphill she will quite happily go a lot faster. I am hoping she will get more confident and the problem will go away. She is not so sure and is considering hypnosis. Slow downhill with just the two of us is not a problem , however I know from speeding along in large groups a rider slamming on the brakes too eagerly downhill is likely to end in grief for everyone. Anyone else have the same problem with thier other half of a similar age and did it get better with time or have any tricks to boost confidence or tried hypnosis?


Might depend on the brakes. Sold my TCR recently cos I just couldn't stop on it. Only was really obvious after having done @ColinJ's Trough of Bowland ride and having to grip on so flipping hard downhill that I had blisters, and I also had an 'incident' locally where I couldn't stop at a junction. Luckily the car did . Discovered on a road bike that Shimano gears are a no no for me. They pivot in the wrong place for the size of my hands, and I basically have no brakes whatsoever. Fine on the hybrid, and tear downhill as fast as I can. Max 42 so far on my Marin hybrid. Anyway. That is digressing . Further investigation at the LBS finally brought to light that I need Campag brakes on a road bike. They hinge much higher up and they actually work for me. What does your wife ride??? Is she desperately braking downhill because she knows she can't stop??


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## ColinJ (30 Nov 2014)

Hmm, brakes not working properly would be a major worry which would certainly make me avoid gaining too much speed!

I did some severe descending this afternoon (25% in several places!) and my wheel rims felt rather greasy. I was having to use way too much force on the brake levers and at one point I had to pull them back almost to the bar tape ... So, make sure that wheel rims are kept clean!


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## HarryTheDog (2 Dec 2014)

Hi hopless500, my missus knows she can stop the bike nothing wrong with the brakes. She is small but has largish hands and is very strong.( sailing and horse riding does that to you) Its was/is anxiety about keeping control,she was the same with skiing ( only tried it twice) . Looks like after the hypnotherapy she is mostly over it from the riding offroad experience this weekend. Not done the acid test on the road bike yet, .The brakes are shimano ultegra on the road bike by the way. I never liked the shifters on compag I only tried the Veloce version and could not stand the thumb shifter for changing up a gear ( or down depends on how you look at it) . My son uses compag but that's purely because he thinks everything cycling should be Italian if possible. 
Colin J, greasy rims and 25% hills, time for discs? I


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## ColinJ (2 Dec 2014)

HarryTheDog said:


> Colin J, greasy rims and 25% hills, time for discs? I


I had that happen once before - a scouring pad and washing up liquid fixed the problem! It has been too long since I gave those rims a good clean. I've rinsed them and given them a quick wipe, but I haven't made the effort to clean them properly since the mucky weather started a month or so back.

I am going to buy a cyclocross bike in the New Year and that definitely _will_ have disk brakes. I think they are the future and will make sure that any new bikes from now on have them.


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## Mo1959 (3 Dec 2014)

ColinJ said:


> I am going to buy a cyclocross bike in the New Year and that definitely _will_ have disk brakes. I think they are the future and will make sure that any new bikes from now on have them.


They are certainly much more efficient than the average rim brakes around. When I first rode my mtb I nearly put myself over the handlebars the first time I braked.


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## Phil25 (20 May 2015)

On downhill slopes I stay at about ten miles an hour and operate only my rear brake handle. I don't touch my forward brake handle; keeping my hand on the handlebar grip. I have been told by some people that sounds all right, while others say I take a chance by relying on only one set of brakes. My rear brakes are very good, and I use them only for short moments while coasting. My hilly roads have bumps, potholes and a veneer of grit on the pavement. I have learned that front brakes are demanding to use with those conditions, even on flat ground; I won't touch them headed downhill.
Is there a better way to ride down these roads ?


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## Sauce pot (27 May 2015)

I have the same fear of going downhill. It just scares me to death. I worry about the implications if I do come off. I just see a downhill decent and it's instant panic and fear, the hands go onto the brakes. My partner then has to wait for me at the bottom. Cycling on the flat and I'm fine and will fly along as fast as I can. But the sea of fear descends when I see a downhill section. Recently I did a sportive and hit a downhill section and my partner was screaming at me to just go for it. Here I actually got up to 25mph which to me felt like I broke the sound barrier the hands were still hoovering on the brakes.
So maybe I should try some hypnotherapy, I wish I could dispel this fear and just go for it.


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## HarryTheDog (27 May 2015)

Holy thread resurrection batman, @Sauce pot and @Phil25 . My missus actually gave up cycling after my last post on this thread for a while and only re-started a fortnight ago. Her hypnotherapy seems to still be working, plus she did some MTB skills classes last weekend ( woman only) at Hadliegh. On a road bike she is now happily recording just under 30 mph downhill with no worries. Hypnotherapy wont work for everyone but maybe give it a bash?


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## buggi (27 May 2015)

Yes it can cause problems. A rider slamming on her brakes in front of me, downhill, on a sportive, was the cause of my concussion and broken collar bone. This has resulted in my own nervousness downhill although I'll still do it at speed, but I am very wary riding with other people now. 

It will take some time for her to get used to it but I would avoid encouraging her to ride in groups until she's more confident.


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## PhilDawson8270 (27 May 2015)

Hypnotherapy to reduce the anxiety of traffic?


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## HarryTheDog (28 May 2015)

buggi said:


> Yes it can cause problems. A rider slamming on her brakes in front of me, downhill, on a sportive, was the cause of my concussion and broken collar bone. This has resulted in my own nervousness downhill although I'll still do it at speed, but I am very wary riding with other people now.
> 
> It will take some time for her to get used to it but I would avoid encouraging her to ride in groups until she's more confident.


Yes as I had mentioned earlier in the thread this is exactly the issue I wished to avoid, her causing and being part of a accident in a large group, the sportive she entered ( velothon wales) we cancelled. As well as the MTB coaching she took, she has also signed up to do a lady's road skills course at Redbridge cycle centre ( Hog Hill as was) . Anyone who knows that course knows it is basically a long downhill follwed by a long uphill drag then short sharp steep uphill, so hopefully she will get some group skills there.


PhilDawson8270 said:


> Hypnotherapy to reduce the anxiety of traffic?


Hypnotherapy can work on anything given that you have the right hypnotherapist and a patient open to suggestion. It worked on my wife who also believes in psychic's and such like. It has been tried on my daughter before ( for thumb sucking when she was younger) and it did not work,


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## HarryTheDog (30 May 2015)

@PhilDawson8270 Just a example of how my wife's hypnotherapy seems to have worked, she went out for a ride by herself this morning,( she left me snoring in bed) 20 miles 12.9 mph average, max speed 38 mph. A speed she would never have imagined doing prior to hypnotherapy. She actually cant believe the garmin she know she went down a hill as fast as possible without looking at the speedo as going so fast. She only checked it when she got in.
After uploading it, the 38 was a spike and looks totally wrong, max speed was actually probably 24 mph, still better than it was.


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