Thread: Cornering
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Old 09-22-08 | 07:42 AM
  #25  
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Bob Dopolina
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Taiwan

Bikes: KUUPAS, Simpson VR

I have a slightly different view of 'counter-steering' and weighting the bike than those I've seen posted thus far.

If I am setting the line through a tight corner I will always flick my front wheel out a tad before diving in. This allows me to get my bike into a steeper lean and results in a tighter line. I can't even count how many gaps I've open when being followed by a less than seasoned rider by doing this. It's a great way to slowly wear down other riders with no extra work required.

If the road is wide, and spills onto another wide road, then I set a line that allows me to pedal all the way through. This allows me to carry the most speed (despite a previous post claiming otherwise) and doesn't require me getting out of the saddle to accelerate out of the turn. Smooth and clean all the way through and out the other side. Sometimes I'll even crank it up a bit more as I exit just to add a bit of pressure to those on my wheel. If I go in at 50 I want to come out the same way.

Weighting the pedals, to me, isn't about putting weight anywhere. It is about unweighting the saddle and dropping my center of gravity. I have done many crits where I am convinced my center of gravity is passing over the sidewalk while at the apex. I may be wrong here but I think of high jumpers where their center of gravity actually passes under the bar.

If I am really hanging it, I drop my body as close to the top tube as possible and the nose of the saddle ends up in my belly button. In this position my weight is as low as possible and I can let the bike bounce around underneath me if there is any rough stuff. I am, of course, in the drops and as relaxed as I can be.

I'd be interested to hear from the BF gallery as to what I'm doing wrong.

To the OP, there are a host of reasons why their tires stuck and yours didn't. Most have already be mentioned. As much as it sucks right now, don't over analyze it. There is a good chance that you did absolutely nothing wrong.

Crashes happen when you are pushing the limits.
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