Bike handling: cornering

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Bike handling: cornering

Postby CCS » 19 May 2013 19:51

Today's numpty cry for help...

Racing at Dorney today (rowing lake, so long straights, corners, and a few chicane type bends) - as part of my quest for speed, I decided to try and attack the corners more (in previous years, I have backed off, and lost time to members of the pointy hat brigade, who I now aspire to join) - so I tried to stay on the aero bars, and pedal round the bends...
... net effect was to scare the shit out of myself, as I could feel my heels gently scrape the floor a few times...
Any top tips?
Is it best to back off a bit and freewheel - or is there some other bike witchery tip that I am blissfully unaware of?

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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby Tritans » 19 May 2013 21:08

2 things spring to mind. Inside pedal up outside pedal down, as you go through the corner. Enter the corner wide and cut the apex of the bend.
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby ris » 19 May 2013 21:14

take the speed you think you can handle into the corner and then as tritans says, freewheel briefly with the outside pedal down and cut the apex smoothly - you'll only be freewheeling for 5secs or so. i find the outside pedal down also helps 'anchor' my weight as i lean through the corner (or not if you are me - got no bravery, particularly when turning right).

like everything... practice makes thingbob.
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby Tritans » 19 May 2013 21:34

Ah yes, good point. If you start to feel unstable, apply pressure to the outside pedal.

Also look to where you want to exit the corner(ahead) not where you are actually going.
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby Kevy427 » 19 May 2013 21:54

Slow in, fast out
Braking and gear changing done in a straight line
Clip the apex of the bend (think how racing drivers corner - it's the shortest route)
Then follow the advice from everyone else
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby Bendy Ben » 19 May 2013 23:48

Why can u feel heal on the floor ??

That's an off waiting to happen

Inside leg up, no pressure through cleats, outside leg straight and pressure through pedal

Don't over grip bars, look at bend exit point and voila
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby didds » 20 May 2013 08:25

Bendy Ben wrote:Why can u feel heal on the floor ??



because CCS is pedaling through the corner... so the inside pedal has to be down at some time...

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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby jonathon.e » 20 May 2013 09:14

The more you worry about an issue such as cornering the worse it gets, until the only thing going in tighter and tighter circles is your decreasing confidence. The good news is that becoming a far more confident bike handler is very quick, and surprisingly easy if you dedicate some specific time to it. You can also fit the sessions around your normal training for an ultra time-efficient double whammy.

The first step is to find a good, traffic-free place to practise. Empty car parks are great, especially multi-storey ones, which will be pretty dry, whatever the weather. If you’ve got a mountain bike (or can borrow one) then a soft grassy playing field gives a comfier crash surface for pushing your limits.

A training partner – either another rider or just someone who can come and watch what you’re doing and add coaching/encouragement – is a big bonus too. If it helps your confidence, wear a thick jacket and jeans, or even mountain bike style pads.

Now, make a short lap that you can do over and over again by riding round a couple of fixed points (water bottle, jacket, traffic cone, whatever is handy). At first, just lap slowly so you don’t have to brake and concentrate on relaxing and letting the bike roll round smoothly.

Press your weight onto the outside foot, point your inside knee into the turn, and learn to drop your inside shoulder too. Your bike will always go where you look, so concentrate on the correct route, not what you’re worried about crashing into.

As you come into the corner, stare at the turning point (apex). Once you’re passed that then immediately flick your vision as far past the exit as possible, and your bike will follow. Try a few laps in one direction, then turn round the other way to make sure your cornering is balanced and you’re not getting dizzy.

Now try riding hard out of corners and then braking firmly as you come into them. Never brake as you’re actually turning, as that reduces body relaxation and increases the chance of skidding. As your confidence in how fast you can go round increases, you can start to play about too.

Try going into corners wide and exiting wide, going in wide and exiting tight, going in tight and coming out tight and so on. See what difference that makes to your overall speed and workload around the lap.

Soon you’ll be flying round the lap, braking hard then swooping round like you never thought you could, before powering out the far side. At this point start to add variety such as a slalom run where you have to flick the bike from one side to the other.

Downhill and uphill corners mean you need to rethink your entry speed as you’ll accelerate or decelerate through the corner, which can be spooky at first. Devote some time to cornering confidence and you’ll be astonished how quickly you improve.
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby jonathon.e » 20 May 2013 11:15

The above reply was stolen from Bike Radar.

If I could add something it is too know your braking distance, no point in braking too soon, too hard or not enough.

As Kev says apply some racing driving logic to cornering, and some advanced driving techniques in recognising the acuteness of the corner.
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Re: Bike handling: cornering

Postby CCS » 20 May 2013 13:11

Thanks all!
Sounds like my main issue was in trying to power through and pedal all the way round the corners. That new bike is definitely a bad influence - I think perhaps because it feels so fast and comfortable, that I was getting over confident and just trying to do too much. Definitely don't fancy coming off at those sorts of speeds either!
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