fbxcore

Hey guys, I've tried searching a bunch of different times on the forum/google without any real conclusive results for tips on bike handling.

I was just wondering if some of you could elaborate on the proper body positioning/weight distribution for being able to take turns at a higher speed.

Also, for the turn line, what is a good technique? I was wondering if the whole race car line concept applies to cycling as well (enter on outside, go to inside @ apex, then go wide to the outside on the exit)

Thanks

merlinextraligh

1) watch people who are good at it and emulate.

2) read what Davis Phinney has to say.

https://books.google.com/books?id=LDm...num=2#PPA50,M1

https://www.southgeorgiacycling.com/ProSecrets.pdf

botto 

watch this, and apply.

DScott

https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/468205-cornering.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ight=cornering

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ight=cornering


Oh, and this place: https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-bike-racing/

zoom!

MONGO!

Keep your inside pedal up and put your weight on the outside pedal.

fbxcore

^ Thanks everyone

DaveSSS 

Most imprtant, understand what makes the bike lean and turn. Just like a motorcycle, the more you countersteer, the more lean and the tighter the turn. A lot of people never quite figure this out. To make a sharp right hand turn at high speed, push on the right side of the bars to initate the lean and turn right. Keep pushing or the bike will straighten up and go straight.

steve-d

The race car anology is a good one. The counter lean info is not of great assistance. Counter steering is intuitive if you've ridden a bike or MC. You don't 'think' about counter steering. If you start, in the words of Carroll Smith, other sports beckon.

The biggest lessons to be gleaned from auto road racing:

**LOOK where you want to go and not what you wish to avoid. If you focus on the edge of the road or ditch, you'll end there. Pick the point of your turn ahead of you where you wish to go, focus on it, and you'll end there; and

**The 'line' concept is equally true in auto road racing and bike racing. Pick your entry point to achieve a late apex. Usually, it'll be a later entry point than you're used to taking. The late entry and late apex will allow you to carry more speed into the curve and to apply speed upon exit at an earlier point as compared to an early entry.

Steve

davids0507

Just follow the Cal guys.

(zing!)

umd

I'm a medium-good descender... I know how to pick lines and all that but just tend to brake more than I need to. I followed a cat 2 teammate down a 3 mile descent today and although it took me oinly a hair over 5 minutes he did it in about 30 seconds less. I told him for a little sucker he sure is fast downhill, and he said "just don't brake". So that's the secret. Don't brake. f-me.

Randochap

Thanks. Never actually seen a video of it in action before.

fbxcore

https://www.wccc-info.com/2009/Road/index.html and hit team omnium

swak

do you think its possible, while going (say high 20'skm/h) down a hill and approach a corner very close to 90 degrees, to not brake, and of course not bail?

umd

Considering that even 30 kph is not 20 mph, that's pretty slow and you should be able to take a 90 degree corner without braking or even apexing, really.

DaveSSS 

One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is riders failing to make a corner because the bike is not given sufficient countersteering, the rider panics, quits pushing on the bars and goes into the on coming lane of traffic.

If you're ever in a high speed right-hand hairpin and don't know how to keep the bike on the right side of the road, remember countersteering. It is NOT that intuitive in this situation. I watched a pro bike race where on of the Shleck brothers did this. He was following others who made the curve on a mountain descent, but at the last moment he paniced, quite turning and even unclipped in anticipation of hitting a guard rail. A good rider would have stayed in it and slid out if there wasn't enough traction. Going over the front is usually a lot worse, particularly if there's a steep dropoff on the other side of the guardrail.

merlinextraligh

I have to disagree with this. Once you learn that the bike turns by putting it over on angle, and that you can tighten or open up the radius of the turn by how much you press down on the inside handlebar, a whole new level of control opens up.

If you get the "Phinney method" its comparitvely easy to alter your line in a high speed turn, such as to avoid obstacles, or to deal with an unanticpated descending radius turn.

Without this understanding and technique, its much harder to alter your radius in the turn, and you're stuck on the arc you started with entering the turn.

See the Andy Schleck example cited above.