Guys my boy is a psycho when it comes to riding his bike except when it comes to going down hill. I mean even the slightest incline. Seriously sometimes I think I could walk faster. He is all about going up hills but is scared to death to go down them? Any ideas to get him over this? Seriously you would think we were riding on a cliff or something the way he acts when there is a little hill.
What is the fear? Down Hill
- Thread starter Bryce R
- Start date
disconnect his brakes...
nah i've got the same problem, i don't like down hills either but have followed some pros down some pretty crazy sections. Have him follow you down a few that you can jump halfway down and don't have rockshere have him watch this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrD65i3FUcU
im the same way dude...not as bad as i used to be but still scared to go down some hills, i mean sometimes i would get off and walk my bike down hills that are like nothing at all and some i wouldn't go down at all i would have my friend take my bike down then i would walk down. i would say he'll get more used to it once hes riden a little more, just gotta man up.
Yeah I would rather go down then up. Guess I have flipped it to many times going up hill. I could understand it if he had wrecked or something but he never has. And I'm not talking steep hills. I'm talking any hill. In fact alot of times I'm giving the bike gas and just cruising where he is scared. 
ride behind him on one and say "my brakes are not working so dont slow down or ill run you over" 
As Dan mentions, it takes time for the young kids to get the confidence. You need to get it into his brain to lean way back on the bike when going down the hills. Depending on the incline and terrain, it is easier to go faster than slower but that only comes with experience. My kid does pretty good and I taught him to always use the front brake but just enough so you don't brake it loose as this is where you get most of the stopping power. I believe your boy has just begun riding and going down hills is the worst fear of all riders to my knowledge. Take him to a hill and ride it up and down many times and let him get the feel of it, working the brakes, etc. 
Give a demonstration of the gyroscopic effect.
Go pull the front wheel off of a bicycle and have him hold it in front of him by the axle. Tell him to tip the wheel over. See how easy that was? Now tip it up straight again and give it a spin and tell him to tip it...
It's easier to fall over if you're not going fast enough. If you're not going fast enough, you're not in control.
I know, you can explain it all day long and it just doesn't help. It's all in your head. Sometimes a simple demonstration will make the difference.
Go pull the front wheel off of a bicycle and have him hold it in front of him by the axle. Tell him to tip the wheel over. See how easy that was? Now tip it up straight again and give it a spin and tell him to tip it...
It's easier to fall over if you're not going fast enough. If you're not going fast enough, you're not in control.
I know, you can explain it all day long and it just doesn't help. It's all in your head. Sometimes a simple demonstration will make the difference.
It takes time, confidence and as Dan said patience. The best thing you can teach him is to be standing when ever going down hill with his but hovered about an inch or so above the rear fender and back of seat, elbows out, head up and looking forward, and most of all cover the front brake as well as your rear brake.
I used to have major fear of downhill especially considering my bike is 300+ lbs. so the momentum really grabs ya. With the weight toward the back of the bike the front tire will not be digging into the earth so much and has a greater chance to get over small obstacles and turn without washout. You would actually be surprised of how steep an incline you can come to a full stop on if you tried it.
I used to have major fear of downhill especially considering my bike is 300+ lbs. so the momentum really grabs ya. With the weight toward the back of the bike the front tire will not be digging into the earth so much and has a greater chance to get over small obstacles and turn without washout. You would actually be surprised of how steep an incline you can come to a full stop on if you tried it.
Guess that is where I am. I know I can stop the bike on a hell of a lot steeper hill then I can ride up. (Without speed) Shoot alot of times I inch down narly stuff. Down I guess doesn't scare me cause when I get off the bike goes down the hill. Going up that bastard is going to chase me back down the hill.
Yeah I would rather go down then up. Guess I have flipped it to many times going up hill. I could understand it if he had wrecked or something but he never has. And I'm not talking steep hills. I'm talking any hill. In fact alot of times I'm giving the bike gas and just cruising where he is scared.
I've never looped it, my main delio is having to turn around......It's just a big PITA!
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