Cornering.

[manual63]

We have written a lot on cornering. See Get Down and Leaning into turns. One thing we have not really touched on is what line to take.

Coming from a BMX background, I was used to big highspeed sweeping berms. There are about 4 or 5 lines you can take in a BMX berm and the berm holds you on the track fairly well. Riding single track on a mountain bike is a lot different than BMX when it comes to turns. Most are flat, some are grooved, some have roots or rocks, some are very sharp, and some are not so sharp. Some corners are on hills going up or hills going down. Sometimes you are going fast and sometimes you are going really slow. The possibilities are endless.

It helps to know the trail. If you are new to a trail, corners are much harder because you don't know what to expect. Take a new trail much slower until you start to remember the turns.

When I approach a turn, I aim for the outside of the path in the turn. This gives me a much better line. Your mind wants you to take the furthest inside line, but that only makes it a tighter turn. If you aim for the outside edge, the corner will open up, as I like to say, and you don't need as much brake and you can see the line better. Then just lean into it and take it. It's pretty simple and the more you try this, the easier it will make all of your corners. There may be a rare exception to this rule, but 98% of the time, taking the corner wide is best.

On wider paths, like in the Leb downhill areas, I start the turn wide and then cut in close to the inside. The forces of nature will send me to the outside of the turn as I exit it. Done correctly on the Leb downhill, you can go full speed with no brakes. I recommend a lot of practice before doing this, but it's possible to do.

[pwpatton]

One thing I've been playing with in tight corners is a pushing movement where I come into a tight corner with speed and just before the corner lean my weight forward a bit then move my weight backward through the turn in relation to the bike sort of pushing the bike with my hands. The movement is extremely subtle and seems to be affective. It can be practiced in an exagerated movement at low speed which is how I learned it. Here's the exagerated movement: Just before the corner stand up, level your pedals so neither foot is higher than the other, lean your whole body forward a little bit and as you come into the corner push the bike forward with your hand and feet. The feel is as if you are pushing the bike through the corner (I have a couple of guesses as to why this seems to be affective but I would probably sound stupid if I speculated). After doing that for a while I got bored and just started doing the movement at higher speeds without even thinking about it. I stay seated now and move my weight very subtly. I'm do it all by feel right now and am not even clear about the mechanics of the movement at higher speeds.

It's really only good for corners where pushing the outside crank down doesn't help the traction much (mostly very tight successive corners). One spot I use this at is in the expert loop at lebanon after the rock garden. There are a number of successive tight turns starting with a tight right hander that goes left and the right again. I used to lose traction there with any kind of speed and I would basically fall over. This movement seems to allow me to get through this section fast with no more crashing.

Does anyone do a movement like this through tight corners?

Phillip

[Trevize1138]

Originally posted by pwpatton
One thing I've been playing with in tight corners is a pushing movement where I come into a tight corner with speed and just before the corner lean my weight forward a bit then move my weight backward through the turn in relation to the bike sort of pushing the bike with my hands. The movement is extremely subtle and seems to be affective. It can be practiced in an exagerated movement at low speed which is how I learned it. Here's the exagerated movement: Just before the corner stand up, level your pedals so neither foot is higher than the other, lean your whole body forward a little bit and as you come into the corner push the bike forward with your hand and feet. The feel is as if you are pushing the bike through the corner (I have a couple of guesses as to why this seems to be affective but I would probably sound stupid if I speculated). After doing that for a while I got bored and just started doing the movement at higher speeds without even thinking about it. I stay seated now and move my weight very subtly. I'm do it all by feel right now and am not even clear about the mechanics of the movement at higher speeds.

It's really only good for corners where pushing the outside crank down doesn't help the traction much (mostly very tight successive corners). One spot I use this at is in the expert loop at lebanon after the rock garden. There are a number of successive tight turns starting with a tight right hander that goes left and the right again. I used to lose traction there with any kind of speed and I would basically fall over. This movement seems to allow me to get through this section fast with no more crashing.

Does anyone do a movement like this through tight corners?

Phillip

That's called pumping the bike, baby! :banana:

[pwpatton]

Ahhhh, That answers my question for you in another thread. Thanks again Chris!!!

[Trevize1138]

Based on your other posts, sounds like you've got a lot of skiing experience to pull on. A lot of that translates over to riding techniques, so I'm not surprised you happened upon this technique more-or-less on your own. :) Pumping the bike is a lot like carving in snow: pulling the skis (or raceboard, in my case ;) ) close to you on transitions, then pushing them away from you around a turn.

[pwpatton]

Originally posted by Trevize1138
Based on your other posts, sounds like you've got a lot of skiing experience to pull on. A lot of that translates over to riding techniques, so I'm not surprised you happened upon this technique more-or-less on your own. :) Pumping the bike is a lot like carving in snow: pulling the skis (or raceboard, in my case ;) ) close to you on transitions, then pushing them away from you around a turn.

Yea, it actually has the same feel. It's a great technique to keep your tires on the ground, much like keeping your skis on the snow.

[Trevize1138]

Originally posted by pwpatton
Yea, it actually has the same feel. It's a great technique to keep your tires on the ground, much like keeping your skis on the snow.

Speaking of, I can't wait unti winter!!! :banana:

[manual63]

I feel like I stick my head forward going in and as I pump around the turn my head a weight goes back. It feels weird, but it works great. It's easier to do while slightly standing, but if you are seated, you can still do it.

[Kevin Leis]

I would like to add to that: Feel your bike out. If its pushing the front tire try lifting off the seat a little and shifting forward a little sort of opposite to the downhill move of up and behind the seat. Also, if your finding yourself braking in the corner try reminding yourself that if there is enough traction to brake that there is plenty to turn at that speed as well. Sometimes it is a mental thing. If you ride at the same places alot try incremental speed increases until you wash out, then try changing techniques to go even faster. Also try dragging the rear brake, not actual really using it just some friction. This will settle the front end by transfering a little weight forward. It can help with the mental aspect as your mind thinks you're actually slowing when in reality your not. These tips helped me to drop my lap times at Elk River by 10 minutes( fitness helped alot too).:laugh:

[pwpatton]

Speaking of, I can't wait unti winter!!! :banana:
How do you feel now that winter is over?

I was so depressed I never got out skiing.

I built 2 bikes though :)

[pwpatton]

These tips helped me to drop my lap times at Elk River by 10 minutes( fitness helped alot too).:laugh:
I found technique is great but must be complemented with fitness. I bonked half way through the year last summer after taking a week off. I couldn't believe that taking a week off could destroy my lap times and cause me to feel like I was starting over again.

To help remedy the situation I bought some slicks and have ridden a couple of times so far. I bought a trainer but just can't make myself stay on it for any significant amount of time. I can't hit the trails yet but I can hit the road. Hopefully it will pay off on the trails.

[legoshoe]

Take a new trail much slower until you start to remember the turns.

This is exactly what I didn't do when riding Mad Squirrel at Mt. Kato for the 1st time last year. And I'd be lying if I said I stayed on my bike from it.:hit:

[Kevin Leis]

I found technique is great but must be complemented with fitness. I bonked half way through the year last summer after taking a week off. I couldn't believe that taking a week off could destroy my lap times and cause me to feel like I was starting over again.

To help remedy the situation I bought some slicks and have ridden a couple of times so far. I bought a trainer but just can't make myself stay on it for any significant amount of time. I can't hit the trails yet but I can hit the road. Hopefully it will pay off on the trails. I experienced a break through by road riding last season. I lost 15 lbs and dropped my lap times considerably, not to metion I could also ride longer. I force myself to ride the trainer. Which I have to do yet today. I want to cut another 10 minutes off my last years 2 lap time at Elk River for the race next month so that has been my motivator. Enjoy your road rides and happy trails.:scream: :banana: :scream: