Hi Everyone,
I have been riding one bike on my trainer and another on the road for convenience, but I just took the bike off the trainer to try the open road and was freaked out. I am used to riding my steel bike, and was kind of shocked at how fast I could go with the carbon bike I’ve had on the trainer. It made me kind of anxious. I know everyone here probably wants to get faster, but are there any others that get a little scared when things get fast? How did you work with it?
Thank you!
I started going through some of that last year. Power got up where it hasn’t been before, and was setting lots of new PRs on paved and dirt roads and single track (blowing away PRs that I set in 2017-18 when I was significantly lighter and still in my 40s), and got to the point that I needed to dial back some of the more twisty singletrack sections because I was outriding my technical ability (and don’t like running into trees). I’ve been working on my flat turns and turns in loose sand, and using my power where I feel safer, and dropping weight to make better time in climbs and have less inertia in the turns.
Some shoulder and knee aggravations this year have helped keep me in check, too, but now I know how good >300 feels, so I need to get back there.
Comfort comes with experience. It’s something you work up to. Like the riders that get 20 ft of air off a jump. Or F1 drivers doing 220 mph. They did not do that the first time out. Try to relax and pretend the road is super wide. Try to avoid tunnel vision. Looking where you want to go far down the road will help a lot.
This reminds me of the time my partner and I went skiing/snowboarding and decided to try cross country skiing the next day. We are both fine on black diamonds on our respective board/skis, even used to east coast ice and just bombing down, no problems hitting 30-40mph that day.
We got on cross country skis the next morning and thought we were going to die, we hit 7mph! 7! We can run faster but were terrified and had to keep stopping to compose ourselves.
Like the different types of skis different types of bikes definitely will feel different and respond different to steering inputs, weight distribution and leaning for turns that sort of thing. I can ride no handed on my crocket on or off road weave in and out of people go for miles without touching the bars. I can’t ride no handed for even a few seconds on my tri bike just due to the geometry. When I break it out before a race to acclimate to it again outside I’m convinced each time the bike is unrideable for the first few miles and then get used to it again. Bikes definitely can be different and take some getting used to going from one to the other.
Just spend time on it and work your way into it, no reason to rush things, but I bet it will come around faster than you think.
IDK. I’ve always gone as fast as I can on my road bike, uphill, level, and downhill. I’ll only reign it in on sketchy gravel or mtb tech to reduce the chances of crashes, otherwise it’s balz out. I used to race motos on road and mx, so pedal bikes seem slow.
Hey @licensedtojill 
Lots of good advice already! My personal one would be to ride the bike at a speed where you feel comfortable with it and progress into higher speeds. Even though the bike is not new, it is new to you outside, so getting used to how it handles takes a few good rides, but you’ll see that the more you ride it, the more comfortable you’ll grow with it, and the rest (speed and handling) will come naturally.
Thanks, @MikeMunson for the comment “outriding my technical ability” and also how you narrowed down specific types of things that you encounter that you notice you could work on. That helps me think about how to be work on becoming more aware of what specific situations where I am feeling anxious, and then, working on those. Makes the whole things more manageable. Thank you for taking time to write.
Thanks, @TrekCentury! The tip to look far down the road and visualize a wider space is one I’ll try today!
That was a helpful story @mrtopher1980– and also encouragement that things might “come around faster than [I] think”! I am noticing that reality-perception discrepancy. I am going to go out on the lighter bike today again maybe on the same route to keep trying.
Thank you @Caro.Gomez-Villafane ! It feels kind of amazing that an olympian (and so much more!) just shared kind advice with me. 
Much appreciated. I also learn a lot from reading your replies to folks all over the forum.
I admit Ive had a bit of a crisis descending over this last year, since an off since last August even though I’ must have cycled circa 170,000miles beforehand. My chemo damaged hand in unexpected cold weather (feel like 10deg C) that day was just too numb and I overpulled the front disc brake in the wet. I know its 99% psychological but I cant help locking up mentally on twisty descents/ poor conditions or over regulating speed on long descents. As time has went on, I’m only descending fast when I can comfortably see a clean clear road, where I can ignore the sensation in my hand and on descents where I can power down to maintain circulation. It also helps following someone at a distance selfishly knowing if there’s a problem round the bend they’ll encounter it first.
@licensedtojill thank you! Except the Olympian is my sister Sofia 
I did, however, represent Argentina in 2 Cyclocross World Championships! So the advice is coming from a sound place, haha.
@Caro.Gomez-Villafane World-anything is incredible! Neat that y’all both ride.
I agree with a lot of the advice here. Go at your own pace. Cycling can be dangerous, so it’s okay to be scared!
I’ve ventured away from the path of increasing speed at all costs. A faster frame, faster tires, more aero this and that, getting lower, is all great for going faster, but I’m more interested in the effort than the speed.
I like to go plenty fast, but I do know what you mean about going too fast, especially when you’ve got a sweet setup and are doing hard intervals.
Don’t be afraid to do things that slow you down rather than speed you up. If your bike is too fast (dare I say?) for doing hard intervals, try riding uphill, or doing things that might naturally slow you down a bit. It’s nice to be able to focus on the effort without worrying about speed and safety. 
Do you feel uneasy everywhere or in specific situations such as downhills or traffic? Personally, I don’t have much appetite for risk, especially unnecessary risk. In my experience, the biggest three factors are (1) traffic, (2) going downhill and (3) riding in groups. Overall, my attitude is that I am a father and I have nothing to prove. There are tons of people who can corner faster, but I’m too old to feel the need to compete.
Prepare So That You Can Trust Your Gear
Wider, quality tires provide more grip. This is especially deceptive on road tires, which “all seem bald”. However, rubber compound and tire construction make a huge difference. So in my experience, one of the first upgrades you should do to your bike is take out the credit card and buy an expensive set of tires. Don’t wait until the cheap tires that came with your bike are bald. Two solid recommendations are Continental GP5000s and (my favorite) Vittoria Corsa (Pro).
Be on top of your maintenance. If you ride your bike at extreme speeds, small issues may become big. A loose headset may be no issue during climbing or regular riding, but imagine hitting a pothole at 50 km/h.
Make sure your brakes are in good working order. If you have disc brakes, make sure to check your brake pads for wear. I haven’t and had to put my rear brake pads on the front once. 
Good wheels may also make a difference, a good set of carbon wheels can give you compliance in the vertical (up/down) direction to cushion bumps but not bend as much so as to allow you to “rail corners” (i. e. you are feeling as if you are riding on rails).
Traffic
Downhill
Riding in Groups
Ride Offroad
I feel you! I’ve had similar issues with speed probably due to getting a “faster” bike plus increased risk aversion as I age and need to stay in one piece for the sake of my daughter. So here’s the 2 things I’m on about when it comes to speed:
1.) Trying like hell to stay calm in the face of high speeds. Indeed, easy said. No shame in dragging a bit of brake when the speedometer ticks a little too high but getting nervous/scared can cause a person to tense up which then makes maneuvering more difficult which creates more fear and tension thus a vicious cycle of panic that only makes speed more terrifying. My main problem areas are winding descents with a steep grade, especially in unknown or infrequently ridden areas. What I try (doesn’t always work) to do is take deep breathes while telling myself to relax either internally or out loud and try to make sure my arms, shoulders and hands stay relaxed and don’t lock up. This helps me maintain control better so that I can modulate braking rather than squeezing which helps when those inevitable nerve wracking turns show up. Reminds me of a gravel race I did a few years ago where I ended up out front of my group by a little bit when we hit a very rocky and steep descent. I wanted like hell to stay in front to not have to worry about line choice so I “sent it” and managed to stay upright in spite of bouncing down a double digit rocky hill by literally yelling out loud at myself to relax.
2.) The thing that’s helping me this year is new frame that has a more relaxed geometry. In 2020 I bought my first roady road bike coming off an all-road bike and I knew nothing of bike geometry and what it meant for handling. This new roady bike wasn’t super aero but definitely more than nothing and more aero than the previous which meant it gained speed much more quickly, especially once the road pointed downward. I then found the handling was a bit “nervous or twitchy (some would say nimble)” which in turn made me nervous in the aforementioned trouble areas. I wasn’t quite understanding why all this was happening till I bought a new gravel bike that felt great on descents at speed and then compared the geo charts also comparing to other bikes I’ve ridden (previous all road and the wife’s trek domane). Long story not short I discovered I’m much better suited and feel far more comfortable and bad ass with a calmer, less “racey” geometry. I went from something similar to a Giant TCR (traditional race bike) to something Giant defy (“endurance”) adjacent. On paper it wasn’t a huge change but damn if it hasn’t helped my confidence at speed. I opted for a little bit longer wheelbase, longer front center and a slightly higher front end position (also left some room on the steerer to make it higher should that feel right). Not feeling so close to the road like I’m heading downhill face first plus not having geometry so nimble it feels like a twitch of the handlebars would send me into the next county has done wonders for my confidence at speed. I still drag brake when “shit gets real” but I’ll occasionally come home to see a new record for a downhill on strava without having gone for it. If your carbon bike is sold as a “race bike” you might consider going for something more “endurance.” Don’t let labels interfere with getting a bike better suited to your sensiblilities. Any bike is a race bike if you take it to a race. The Giant defy is on the more nimble side of endurance bike geos and has a “faster” geo than the Cannondale super six by the numbers which is their race bike so you can’t trust the labels all the time but it might help point you in a more comfortable, confidence inspiring direction.
All good advice. I’m not too much into bike radars myself but I do use mine on downhills to confirm no one is following me and as a pre-check when turning left.
In France we have an additional gotcha - priority from the right - which means that someone from a piss-ant side road can come directly into your main road. This rule doesn’t even apply universally with some side roads having stops, some not, all on the same descent. It’s madness.
I guess I must have visited areas of France where that wasn’t a rule, that sounds crazy!
Yeah, yet another reason to slow down. Even if you have the right of way, put yourself in the shoes of drivers: if you are pinning it and hit 85 km/h, you are speeding and drivers might not anticipate you going that fast and they may turn into the road.
Great points. To add to the first, avoid panicking as that may make you unsafe and lead to crashes. Panick reactions often lead to sudden and sharp inputs, which may unsettle your bike. An example would be sharp breaking in the middle of a corner.
Is the bike actually noticeable faster (something significant like 3-5 miles/h is extraordinary and probably not really noticeable).
Maybe the “fast bike“ is more harsh, twitchy/nervous, lower, smaller, …. Etc causing it to feel more scary, but the actual speed is probably a lesser factor