By Victor Jimenez

 

It was pouring down rain and I was screaming down a hill on my bike. I could see the huge puddle that stretched across the road and realized that there was no way I could get around it so I just rode straight into the middle of it. Big mistake! At 20 mph my front wheel sank into a pothole that was invisible under the water. I went flying over the bars and landed on my back in six inches of water. I hit so hard that it knocked the breath out of me and I couldn’t move. 

 

Everybody hates crashing

Let’s face it: Nobody wants to crash. But the reality is that if you ride a bike you will crash at some point. I have been riding and racing bikes for 30 years and have crashed more times than I care to think about. Even after all of those crashes I am still here, still riding. Most crashes don’t cause real harm, just that to your ego and a few scratches. The hardest part of crashing is getting back on the bike afterward.

Fear is a powerful emotion. It’s the trigger for our fight-or-flight response. Once we have had a bad experience, like a bike crash, our subconscious is going to do everything possible to keep that pain from occurring again. So how do you get over the fear of crashing again?

 

Get back on the bike

One of the most basic ways to get over a crash is to brush it off and get back on the bike. Sometimes that’s all that is needed to send fear into remission. Unfortunately, fear is not always going to go away so easily. It can be persistent and, if not kept in check, can actually cause you to crash again and ruin the pleasures of riding a bike. With a little effort you can implement some simple steps to trick fear.

 

Simple steps 

To get beyond the fear you need to revisit what caused it to come up in the first place. In your mind go through the scene of your crash. Maybe you turned a corner too fast and hit some gravel, or you fell while trying to clip out of your pedals. No matter the cause of the fear, the solution will be the same. Start with some micro goals to set yourself up for success. 

 

Examples of micro goals

  • Ride around your neighborhood
  • Clip in and out of your pedals
  • Ride with a small group before heading back to your big group
  • Ride in the rain

 

Make your micro goals progressive, achieve them, then move on to harder and harder goals. You may want to enroll in a class on bike-handling skills to build your knowledge and confidence. These small achievements trick your fear emotion by showing that not every ride is a crash. Crashing may even make you a better rider by bringing to your attention skills that you need to work on. 

 

“Come on, just get over it” is what many of us hear from our friends. But most of the time it’s not that easy. Fear is a trigger for our brain and it is not going to go away easily. That part of our brain keeps us alive and overrides everything else. So don’t be surprised if you can’t “just get over it.”

 

I survived 

I did manage to come from that crash with little more than a few bruises. I did get right back on the bike and ride home but had a really hard time getting over the fear of puddles and potholes. I still ride through puddles but I have learned to avoid the low spots in the road and to temper my speed a bit more before riding into the puddle. 

 

Analyzing what happened and then setting micro goals can help you conquer your fears and become a better rider. 


Helmet Safety Tips

 

Make sure that your helmet fits correctly: With the helmet on your head, hold the sides of the helmet stable and shake your head as if saying no. If the helmet fits correctly there should be little movement.

 

Check your helmet retention strap: They come out of adjustment frequently.

 

When replacing your helmet: Look for one with a retention system that tightens around your head and holds the helmet in place even before you buckle the chin strap.

 

Inspect your helmet for cracks and dings: If your helmet is damaged in any way it may not perform properly in a crash.

 

Replace your helmet every two to four years: UV light breaks down the plastics.

 

 

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Victor Jimenez is the owner and professional bicycle fitter at www.bicyclelab.com. Bicycle Lab is a small boutique studio that specializes in bicycle fitting, custom bicycles and education. Victor teaches clinics and classes to individuals, coaches and teams on bicycle fit and the technical aspects of cycling and is co-host of the www.cycling360media.com podcast. www.Bicyclelab.com, www.Facebook.com/bicyclelab, victor@bicyclelab.com