Cornering at high speed & Tires...
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 764
Likes: 0
From: GTA
Bikes: Dahon Mu SL 08 / Matrix 08
Cornering at high speed & Tires...
So to bring some "fun" into the daily commute, i tend to always mimic my driving style but on my bike.
Obviously it'll be near impossible to make the tires squeal like you can on a car or motorcycle during cornering.... except when you break really hard to avoid collision.
But none the less it's still fun to feel the G force in action doing those right hand runs at almost a 90 degree angle.
doing a hard turn at 30km/h entering the corner at your regular biking distance from the curb, aprox 2 to 3 feet, i always get sling shot out to about 1 meter after i exit the corner.
Most time there is not enough space to wheel out to leverage the cornering due all the cars/trucks in the way.
keeping the bike as tilted as possible to the ground without losing contact with the tire, it's quite challenging, any wrong move you end up flipping over to the other side of the road.
Using the racing tires (Kojacks or Sportcontacts), i wouldn't be able to make the same close turn. It slides and both times almost lost control. (Sharp turns are the best way to test tires performance for cornering
) However using Racing Ralphs, it was magnificent and easy as a pie.
Best thing is it can do it the same way on both dirt roads and pavements.
When i was using the Kojacks or Sportcontacts, the tires will just jam in into the dirt (grass) if i missed the pavement when the turn is too wide or too fast.
Personally, i prefer road-off road type of tires, they are usually wide and comfy and rides into the places i like to ride.
My list of favourite tires:
Moe Joes
Racing Ralphs
Marathon Extreme
Ice Spiker Pro
Marathon Winter
Obviously it'll be near impossible to make the tires squeal like you can on a car or motorcycle during cornering.... except when you break really hard to avoid collision.

But none the less it's still fun to feel the G force in action doing those right hand runs at almost a 90 degree angle.
doing a hard turn at 30km/h entering the corner at your regular biking distance from the curb, aprox 2 to 3 feet, i always get sling shot out to about 1 meter after i exit the corner.
Most time there is not enough space to wheel out to leverage the cornering due all the cars/trucks in the way.
keeping the bike as tilted as possible to the ground without losing contact with the tire, it's quite challenging, any wrong move you end up flipping over to the other side of the road.

Using the racing tires (Kojacks or Sportcontacts), i wouldn't be able to make the same close turn. It slides and both times almost lost control. (Sharp turns are the best way to test tires performance for cornering
Best thing is it can do it the same way on both dirt roads and pavements.
When i was using the Kojacks or Sportcontacts, the tires will just jam in into the dirt (grass) if i missed the pavement when the turn is too wide or too fast.
Personally, i prefer road-off road type of tires, they are usually wide and comfy and rides into the places i like to ride.
My list of favourite tires:
Moe Joes
Racing Ralphs
Marathon Extreme
Ice Spiker Pro
Marathon Winter
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,257
Likes: 5
From: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
I lost to a patch of pea gravel on asphalt yesterday, damn construction not cleaning up after their mess. 
I was only going 20~22km/h or so.

I was only going 20~22km/h or so.
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Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
#3
Full Member


Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 264
Likes: 53
From: Russell Township, Ohio, USA
Bikes: 1975 Paris Sport 700, 2007 Dahon Mu P8 (folding bicycle), 1984 Miyata 210, 2024 Tenways CGO600 Pro e-bike
I used to corner much faster on tubular tires. Their profile was always perfectly circular. When I switched to clinchers it became unsafe, especially at the transition from the tread to the sidewall.
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If something doesn't ache, I could be trying harder.
If something doesn't ache, I could be trying harder.
#4
Sounds like it will be fun till the road says "Gotcha!". You might want to find a nearby velodrome or closed course where you can know what is ahead of you.
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"He who serves all, best serves himself" Jack London
#5
Banned.
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Forgot to stop pedling the other day and did the right pedal in.4.2 kms to work,
in my truck = 10-15 mins
on my bike = 9-13 mins.
9 mins being personal best so far.
#6
haha i accually broke my wrist doing exactly that... pushed it too far and the bike slid out from underneath me. it was all fun till i did that now im skidish goin around corners too aggressive. i did it on ****ty cont ultra sports.. but now i run vittoria corsa 320 tpi. so yea its just a matter of time till the road says GOTTCHA!!
#7
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 764
Likes: 0
From: GTA
Bikes: Dahon Mu SL 08 / Matrix 08
I wouldn't do the same crazy thing on a moist/wet road, definitely not in winter time.
I agree about the construction sites, they always leave a big mess around, those areas are also not quite safe to do those kinds of turns.
it's a bad bad mixture of very loose sand/dirt over a solid asphalt road, the tires gets no grip on those situations.
I agree about the construction sites, they always leave a big mess around, those areas are also not quite safe to do those kinds of turns.
it's a bad bad mixture of very loose sand/dirt over a solid asphalt road, the tires gets no grip on those situations.
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,257
Likes: 5
From: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
thing is, I only did a 20~25 degree turn when the front slid out.
not even close to those 30~35km/h 90 deg. turns you can do at intersections.
not even close to those 30~35km/h 90 deg. turns you can do at intersections.
__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
#9
But none the less it's still fun to feel the G force in action doing those right hand runs at almost a 90 degree angle.
doing a hard turn at 30km/h entering the corner at your regular biking distance from the curb, aprox 2 to 3 feet, i always get sling shot out to about 1 meter after i exit the corner.
Most time there is not enough space to wheel out to leverage the cornering due all the cars/trucks in the way.
doing a hard turn at 30km/h entering the corner at your regular biking distance from the curb, aprox 2 to 3 feet, i always get sling shot out to about 1 meter after i exit the corner.
Most time there is not enough space to wheel out to leverage the cornering due all the cars/trucks in the way.
#10
Raptobike Rider

Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: Chicago, IL
Bikes: Raptobike Lowracer, Redline Conquest CX, Cruzbike Vendetta
Cornering on my raptobike is fun. The picture below is only 35kph (22mph). I take an S turn every day at 52kph (32mph), no need to stop pedaling in my case either.
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My stable:
2013 Redline Conquest CX
2010 EasyRacer GRR
2015 Cruzbike Vendetta
2009 Raptobike Lowracer #0067
My blog
My bike pictures
My stable:
2013 Redline Conquest CX
2010 EasyRacer GRR
2015 Cruzbike Vendetta
2009 Raptobike Lowracer #0067
My blog
My bike pictures
#12
#13
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,115
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
I like the Continental GP 4000. Great cornering, relatively hard wearing, not outrageously expensive. The 25mm versions are nice and round and feel really grippy in a hard turn.






