NachosGrande

Any suggestions for faster and safer cornering for road (asphalt)? Although, with an increase in speed, of course, the safety factor declines. Also, would tire pressure affect cornering as well? For example, would one be able to corner faster and safer at 100psi instead of 120psi? Particularly, would the lower pressure allow the tire to flex more, and therefore stick more of its tread on the pavement?

The psychological factor is an obstacle for me as well, because few years ago, when I just started getting back into cycling after a 20-year hiatus, I fractured my left elbow into three pieces and broke my left hip, which were not from cornering; however, the fall has affected my confidence in the techniques for riding faster. Intellectually, I know the cornering techniques. 20 years ago I was even able to push the bike more to the ground, put massive pressure on the opposite pedal and keep my upper body more upright (or leaning less than the bike). I seem to have lost my edge due to age and I hope to race again, but of course this will not happen unless I get some decent bike handling skills back.

gsteinb

120? what the hell do you weigh?

globecanvas

Yes.



Ok then. Honestly, lots of people go through phases of being a little bit chicken. The only way to get the confidence back is to take corners more aggressively and continue to not wipe out. If you ride scared it becomes a bad feedback loop.

NachosGrande

I only weigh 127, but I just feel faster on the striaghtaways at 120psi

globecanvas

That 1 sq mm contact patch might have something to do with your cornering issues.

grolby

I weigh about what you do, and I run 23mm tires at about 85r/80f in most crits. Never higher than 90r/85f. Doesn't have any noticeable effect on speed, and traction is much better.

NachosGrande

Thanks globecanavs and grolby. I recently switched to the 25mm Mitch Pro4 Serv Course tires, and will try running them at 85 or 90psi.

gsteinb

you're doing it wrong



there you go

shovelhd

There's no reason to run 25mm tires above 100psi. I run mine at 95/90.

I practice cornering at the beginning of every season. I'll use the same corner and take different lines through it. I'm one of those guys that likes to refresh skills before racing begins in earnest. For example, I spend time practicing clipping in.

Wylde06

I need to do that. I missed way too many clip ins last year.

Ygduf

I inflate them to 110 so I only have to put air in once/week!

Doge

Puppy Doge (son) went down in Europe 1st K on a rented bike on his own and made some comment blaming the tires. IMO - it was his fault for not getting used to new equipment before hot dogging it. It still shook him up and he is still mentally recovering. Trainer said "it takes 6 weeks to get you confidence back" so, he thinks it takes 6 weeks. That will be Feb 13 :-)

I used to like to find dirty pavement so I could drift. I went down all the time and barely got hurt. Then one day just normal downhill riding I went down hard in the mist on a road I knew well. I ended up spending the night with a very good plastic surgeon who was working Emergency. I've never been able to corner as well since.

Yea - 120psi at 127# is too high for ideal cornering, but much of cycling is knowing what your equipment will do. Our rain race (SoCal) two weeks ago had fewer crashes than normal according to the officials. That wasn't better tires or pressure or grip, it was folks paying attention.
For similar reasons the slower casual days in the TdF get lots of crashes.

UmneyDurak

Eh... I don't think you want to push the bike down while remaining up right.

Doge

Like this is bad...
but has little to do with grip.

Position - pretty standard. Keep weight on your outside downward pedal.

While your equipment, which includes pressure, matters, your line and movement matter more. Your knowing where the limits of said equipment and road/conditions matter most. Practice. Practice where the road is like what you expect but where a crash costs the least. You can normally hear the rubber staring to give - and if you go down right after that, you were right.

Try to avoid changing acceleration - braking, accelerating or jerking. The ideal line is a parabola, not a semi-circle. The practical line is quick counter steer before the turn, dive in, hold a straight line through the apex and quick steer out. Practice it just like Nibali practiced cobbles and is practicing ice.

mattm

ice?

Doge

Ice aka - water on road that has frozen and cops closed the road but said rider and team group went ahead to practice riding on top of frozen road water. Or...its not about grip. It is about knowing your limitations. Clint would have been a great cyclist I am sure.

TheKillerPenguin

My experience in Belgium is that roundabouts turn into skating rinks in the rain regardless of the tires you run. Dunno if it's the diesel or a cruel inside joke they all play on transplants, but it's a thing.

cale

One of the best tips for anyone who wants to build confidence in corners is to look through the corner.

Your head and eyes should point where you want to go and you will naturally steer through the corner. The importance of using your head and eyes can not be underestimated.

jdms mvp

x100000

do not point fixate.

globecanvas

overestimated



https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4407

cale

Thank you. Dumb language...

mattm

is it national pedants day?? =]

globecanvas

I happened to have just read the article I linked to, which is about how it's really easy to mix up underestimating and overestimating, especially when you're talking about something that is considered negative. Basically nobody in the world ever gets that "underestimating the intelligence of the American public" quote right. In fact, I came across the article because I was looking for the exact wording of the quote, which I thought was by PT Barnum (it's HL Mencken).

My comment was intended more to link to the super-relevant language article, which I found interesting, not to make a value judgement. There's a lot of language stuff that is so arcane that you sound odder if you get it right than if you get it wrong.

How's that for a topic derail?

Wylde06

There is a training crit here in April, it was a new course last year (and probably the same this coming up). Coming out of the turn at the bottom of the hill is a fedex/ups/mailbox. On the 2nd or 3rd week, in the Cat 5 race, one of the guys hit it...then afterward they covered it up with inflatable mattresses and couch cushions.

So yea, look through the turn and not at whats on the side of the road on the outside of the turn.

revchuck 

Just for context, I ran Michelin Pro4 Endurance in 700x25 last year and ran them at 90f and 100r. I weigh 185.