Can't Cycle after Spill - Page 2 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

01-27-2004, 08:12 AM

Rollers have been used for indoor bicycle training
for many years. This website has lots of information:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Jack

"Elisa Francesca Roselli" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote in message news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
>
> What is rollers? I assumed you meant roller-blades but that doesn't
> accord with what you say about biking.
>

01-27-2004, 08:59 AM

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 15:58:03 +0100, Elisa Francesca Roselli
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>Badger South wrote:
>
>> Don't be in a hurry to 'label' it a phobia. When you do that, it kind
>> of locks in the fear cycle. Try to keep the mental ruminations low.
>> Don't force yourself to the point where you're having anxiety dreams,
>> IOW.
>
>Yes, this is true. My colleague says that a bike will always sense your fear
>and act up accordingly; like a dog. But then I have a friend who is persuaded
>that "bikes have no malice". I'm not sure who I believe.
>
>
>> Go ahead and start simple, put the seat down, get back in there
>> gently.
>
>What I'm not sure about is: should I force myself to get back into cycling as
>soon as possible, or just put it out of my mind for a while and hope that a
>beautiful morning and the memory of past pleasures will rekiindle the flame?

I would suggest a middle road. Perhaps put the biking on hold while
the weather's not so good, but it's -only- because the weather's not
ideal, not because of any, you know, worries about biking. It's just
that the weather was poor. That's all. Weather. Not you.

-B
PS, whatever you do, you'll be fine. ;-)

01-27-2004, 09:23 AM

>Has anyone here had to deal with this sort of situation?

Yes, but not in relation to bikes.

What works for me is to *continually* run through my mind what is *logical* and
realise that the fear is *illogical*. I also found deep breathing exercises to
be claming and very, very helpful. Also - be gentle on yourself. Give yourself
time and space. Take it one step (or one pedal revloution!) at a time. Each
little success builds on the one before. If you have setbacks - again - be
gentle on yourself. Accept and start again. Accept also it will take *time* to
conquer a phobia. With mine, what helps is accepting the phobia will never
completely go, but knowing I can control it, not allow it to control me. I have
conquered it - I will not allow it to conquer me. I hope my experiences help
you at least a little.

Best wishes,
helen s
(in England and wishing she was cycling in France again!)
--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove dependency on fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e**nd***$o$ts***i*$*$m**m$$o*n**s@$*$a$$o* *l.c**$*$om$$

01-27-2004, 10:21 AM

Elisa Francesca Roselli <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...

Elisa,

Just about two years ago I had a bad accident. I remember nothing of
the events; I was found unconscious on the side of the road, and
pretty well beat up.
As the bones healed, teeth were replaced, etc., the doctors had two
fears: that I
would try to ride a bike again too soon, and that I might have
paralysis and
never ride again. I had the latter fear, but not the former (too much
pain to
ride too soon). One of the big helps for me was having a doctor and a
physical
therapist who were both cyclists; they probed and worked to ensure
that if the
mental block was too strong they could try to deal with it.
Fortunately I was
able to work through it without the involvement of other
professionals.

Things that helped me were: 1) refitting the bike. Mine was needed to
minimize
pain, but it sounds like you need to replace Behemoth, and in the
meantime fix
the brakes on Myrtille - then ride her; 2) spend some time in a
trainer. I used
a wind trainer, which was OK for me. Someone else suggested rollers;
rollers
are a bit tricky as they take good form and balance to be able to
ride, but the
upside is that they help you develop good form and balance. This
would be good
for your situation.

The other suggestion is what you tried; ride where there is little/no
traffic
so the risk is low. Practice stops/starts and hills, which seem to be
the
issues.

Good luck; it is a very good thing to get over the fears. I have
ridden around
11,000 miles since my accident, so as you see the fear was
short-lived.

- rick

01-27-2004, 10:36 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]omcom (dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers) wrote:

> >Has anyone here had to deal with this sort of situation?
>
> Yes, but not in relation to bikes.
>
> What works for me is to *continually* run through my mind what is
*logical* and
> realise that the fear is *illogical*. I also found deep breathing exercises to
> be claming and very, very helpful. Also - be gentle on yourself. Give yourself
> time and space. Take it one step (or one pedal revloution!) at a time. Each
> little success builds on the one before. If you have setbacks - again - be
> gentle on yourself. Accept and start again. Accept also it will take *time* to
> conquer a phobia. With mine, what helps is accepting the phobia will never
> completely go, but knowing I can control it, not allow it to control me.
I have
> conquered it - I will not allow it to conquer me. I hope my experiences help
> you at least a little.
>

I had that experience after being hit by a car at an intersection I always
feared and hated. I call it the Intersection of Doom. Since it ended my
season, when I started up again, I was so terrified to go through that
intersection I simply avoided it. But it's hard to avoid. That's the thing
about phobias. I've had anxiety disorders and panic attacks in the past,
and it's like any phobia. Try telling the claustrophobic that the closet
isn't going to close in on them! To them it's very real- they are
convinced they'll die.

I read an article in Velonews during that time about how to recover
emotionally from a bad crash, of course ,they meant racing. But the
phobias are the same. One thing is to visualize yourself doing the race
and going through the place where you crashed. Also, try anxiety
exercises. Just think, 'It's anxiety, I won't die." Just let your heart
pound and let yourself feel afraid, but remember it's just a physiclal
reaction, not impending death.

Eventually I went through the intersection with someone else, but insisted
we bunch closer together, since at that intersection it's easier for cars
to see you if there's more than one. MY heart was pounding but I made it!
Then I went through alone. However, I still avoid it at rush hour- that's
when I had my accident. It's just too dangerous!

01-27-2004, 11:28 AM

George Bush has done the same thing to the American people.

"Q." wrote:

> ... She has let her
> fears control her to the point where her mind "invents" things to be afraid
> of ...

01-27-2004, 02:03 PM

Elisa,

I'm pretty far from an expert in this field, but my understanding is that
there are some good therapies that can help people overcome the situation
you find yourself in. I think that since it's keeping you from doing things
that you want to do, you might want to consider getting that kind of help.

Here's a link that might be helpful:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Oh, and please find somebody who knows something abou this (I really don't).

Eric

"Elisa Francesca Roselli" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote in message news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> I'm very upset about this.
>
> I mentioned that last Friday, riding a bike with recently upgraded
> brakes that I was unused to, I had my two first falls in traffic. I was
> unhurt both times, and conscientiously got back in the saddle both times
> immediately, because I was afraid of going phobic.
>
> Unfortunately, by the time I took Behemoth out to go to work on Monday,
> phobia had well and truly set in. I was unable to start the bike up the
> initial hill from my home. I wheeled her to a flatter section on a
> secure bike path, and was able to start. But then I was unable to start
> on another uphill and had to wheel her into work. On arrival, I was
> shaky and weepy.
>
> By evening, I was unable to start at all. Simple paralysis. I cannot put
> that initial pedal down and let go of the brakes and move. After
> wheeling her home I tried starting on the easier Myrtille, in the
> security of the underground parking where there is no traffic, no
> weather, and completely flat conditions. Same result: complete paralysis
> at startup. My brain says "Go on, you can do this", but my body just
> will not respond. I can no longer ride a bike.
>
> I'm particularly worried because about ten years ago I abruptly lost the
> ability to mount an escalator. Unlike this occasion, it was not the
> result of an accident, but to this day escalators are such an issue to
> me that I have to go out of the way on my trips on the Paris metro to
> avoid them, and cannot use certain shops that have no elevators or
> stairs. I am sometimes able to get on an up-escalator (never a down),
> but it takes so long, and so much psych-up, and raises blood pressure so
> high, and keeps so many people waiting, that it is no longer worth it.
>
> Every time I think about biking now I have an anxiety attack, and I had
> anxiety dreams about biking all last night. I was delighted with a
> weather warning of black ice conditions because that gave me an excuse
> to come to work on foot and just not face the bikes today. (In fact, the
> morning was warm and there was no ice or snow). All the pleasure has
> gone out of it.
>
> Has anyone here had to deal with this sort of situation? I'm at loss
> what to do. I think this weekend I shall have to go back to the very
> first thing I ever did on a bike: put the seat way down to kiddie-height
> and try to balance her downhill without pedalling. But I trust neither
> bike: Behemoth is too difficult overall and Myrtille really needs to
> have her brakes softened before I will risk her again.
>
> EFR
> Depressed in Ile de France
>
>
>

01-27-2004, 03:03 PM

"Gary Smiley" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
>> ... She has let her
>> fears control her to the point where her mind "invents" things to be
afraid
>> of ...

> George Bush has done the same thing to the American people.

As opposed to Bill Clinton who pretended for 8 years there was no threat ...
doh!

Sorry Elisa, just couldn't help it (c: Besides, it was a masterful example
of derailing a thread ... from bicycling anxiety in France to Bostonian
liberalism in 5 seconds flat!

C.Q.C.

01-27-2004, 04:28 PM

>Has anyone here had to deal with this sort of situation? I'm at loss
>what to do.

Elisa,

You certainly are not alone! Not only am I a psychotherapist who works with
anxiety/phobias, etc., but I'm also trying to get over my own fear after a dog
knocked me off the bike in November.

The most effective treatment of phobic avoidance (supported by research
studies) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that uses the 'exposure'
technique to, in essence, desensitize you to the particular situation that
triggers the strong emotional response while helping you learn to think
differently about the experience. There are, no doubt, some good CBT
therapists in Paris; check out a psychiatric clinic, university medical center,
etc. for references.

It's hard work, my progress has been slowed by the wretched weather here in the
Eastern U.S. this winter, but come Spring I will be back on the bike.

Bonne chance, mon amie!

Joan

01-27-2004, 05:13 PM

Tue, 27 Jan 2004 15:58:03 +0100,
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Elisa Francesca Roselli
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote, in part:

>Yes, this is true. My colleague says that a bike will always sense your fear
>and act up accordingly; like a dog. But then I have a friend who is persuaded
>that "bikes have no malice". I'm not sure who I believe.
>
It's a collection of pipes, wire and rubber that is what you make of
it. Mine's a passport to a whole new place every day I ride it.
>
Badger South advised:
>> Go ahead and start simple, put the seat down, get back in there
>> gently.
>
>What I'm not sure about is: should I force myself to get back into cycling as
>soon as possible, or just put it out of my mind for a while and hope that a
>beautiful morning and the memory of past pleasures will rekiindle the flame?

Forget it, you're hooked. Riding a bicycle is probalby the most
difficult thing you've ever accomplished.

Nobody here learned to ride a bike without falling more than twice.
Get over it. It's part of the learning curve. We fall, we get up, we
ride on just like you did. You'll probably fall a few more times
before getting it all figured out. Then falling almost never again
because you'll stretch your limits gradually, unlike 20 yr. old males.

You might address this fear by reducing the chances of hurting
yourself. Consider using appropriate body armour while you're still
learning. Gloves, shin guards, knee pads, elbow and wrist protectors
are all readily available for roller bladers and footballers. Skinned
knees or palms and minor bruises covers the majority of injuries
experienced by cyclists too. You can ride without worrying about minor
scrapes by wearing these types of padding until you no longer feel a
need for them.

I'm older than mud and riding since birth but fell twice onto my hip
in three kilometers last month. I was wearing armoured shorts because
I expected a few surprises with the ice. No bruises, no crushed ego,
no bad dreams. I put on a studded rear tire and went back out. I
didn't require the protection of the shorts again but I wore them
until all of the ice was off. Now if I get caught off guard by black
ice, riding with slicks and no crash pads, I'll possibly fall and get
bruised. I know the bruises will heal so it's not enough to keep me
from riding.
--
zk