You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So it seems like a dark art actually doing it properly and carrying speed...
Am I the only one who thinks it?
I have done some 121 coaching that covered it but just getting all the practice in it feels hard at the moment, I suppose just time in the saddle will help!
It’s the outside elbow up that I battle with and I’m so much better cornering one side to the other 🤣
I've got a lot better this year by 2 methods. 1) fitting b+ tyres to an already low 29er and turning it into a ludicrous corner-confidence machine then taking a bit of that confidence back to normal tyres, and 2) Hardly riding for 9 months so that when I got back to it I'd left some bad habits behind.
Annoys teh crap out of me though, show me a scary alpine hairpin and I'll ride it better than most. Show me a simple flat corner and I'll go round it like a noob
It is like witchcraft but these two tips might help:
a) make sure you lean the bike underneath you, I make a conscious effort to push the inside handlebar grip down
b) for example a left hand corner, just before I begin to turn left I’d make a subtle turn to the right and this will get the body weight leaning to the left a bit which will help the bike turn to the left
You make the turn by leaning the bike not turning the bars (unless you’re going slowly).
Be interested to know if this helps!
I recall watching a vid Barel did (I'm pretty sure it was him!), He said to keep the inside elbow straight, outside at 90deg, this means you naturally lean the bike over, and the straight arm pushes bike down as Edward says in a) up there ^
I also try to keep my body pointing towards the exit of the corner.
All goes to shit when I'm tired though!.
Annoys teh crap out of me though, show me a scary alpine hairpin and I’ll ride it better than most. Show me a simple flat corner and I’ll go round it like a noob
The green off buzzards nest is epic for flat corner practice.
Initiate the corner with countersteer.
It is one of those things I have to "switch brain on" to get cornering well. If not I default to lazy rider cornering....
When I do get bothered, I rip 😎
Skandi Flicks all the way!! We were just talking about this the other day. I seem to find I’m still on the brakes on the exit of corners!! Predominately ride Tweed valley which means if you lean to much on the corners you whack a tree! I really struggle with carrying speed down half these trails! I’d say I wasn’t slow but I feel pedestrian at times!
I’m pretty rubbish at most cornering, but recently been really concentrating on leaning the bike and that has massively helped. Guess it helps hook up the outer tread better. Either way it’s really helped. That and an Addix super soft Magic Mary on the front 😉
Go see jedi.
Yeah I think that’s the thing, I’m not slow and not a bimbler and yes I’ve always been able to get around corners but don’t always feel in control and I know it’s because I’ve not locked in the technique, as people are saying don’t turn the bars it’s all about body movement but it’s not muscle memory yet.
The main place I noticed it yesterday was as Hammers, they’ve recently surfaced accelerator and at the top level section I just need to dab my brake once but when it starts descending I’m carrying so much speed at the bottom of accelerator just before the left hand bend that I have to brake before because you come thundering into that wide right hand berm whereas I’d like to be able to rail it.
As I say though, they’ve recently resurfaced for long term so the grippy line hasn’t been worn as high as I’d like and if you get on those marbles it’s game over 🤣
Thing not mentioned yet is front back weight distribution. Happens to be the thing I need to concentrate on. Somehow the action of setting up for the corner tends to make me shift back on the bike unless I think about keeping the weight forward. Of course your problem area may be different.
A lot of sensible advice above but…is it not also true that tyres maketh the man (or woman) ?
’m so much better cornering one side to the other
Do you switch your leading foot as you corner left vs right? Outside foot down is one way, for some corners the inside foot back can feel better. Inside foot back means you lead with your hips facing the apex and it all seems more natural once you're used to being switch-footed for 'opposite' corners vs your natural corner direction. Certainly helped my mediocre cornering when this was pointed out to me after someone saw me struggle with a steep right hand switchback (I'm naturally right foot fwd). It works with faster, flatter corners too, helps my legs take the bumps and stay balanced overall I think.
The other tip I thought was good was the idea that you take your inside foot off instead of instinctive braking if you feel you're a bit fast last second into a corner. oc braking there is bad habit but swapping that reaction for inside foot off, or preparing to go in a bit fast by taking my foot off, seemed to persuade me that it was my balance and approach that was wrong and it wasn't too fast at all for the bike/tyres etc. Inside foot off and forward seems to weight the bike well and encourage a predictable rear wheel slide if anything, though the same result with both feet on isn't easy (I usually lack the commitment on entry to pull that off).
I think its a dark art.
Not fully convinced anyone that does it well actually understands how they're doing it, hence all the convoluted, complicated explanations and wives tales.
Biggest thing for me that has initiated a step change, is to save turning for when the tyres can really be loaded up vertically, either with my body or shapes in the ground. Which kind of makes sense since ultimately how much grip your tyre has is dependent on the vertical loading (more accurately loading normal to the contact patch so we're covering flat ground and berms) of the contact patch.
Slightly different take on the usual pointers from The Loam Ranger in this recent video, focusing on the what we’re trying to achieve:
I cannot claim to be fast at corners however I find the following helps me:
1) look round the corner to where you want to be (it immediately sets you body up for the turn)
2) make sure your outside foot is down and you weight it.
3) drop your seatpost (helps me weight the outside foot).
4) counter/positive steering (at the start)
5) do any braking before entry...
(1 & 2 from my Jedi sessions).
I’ve also found the jameso inside foot off works (and don’t fortget to stick it out front for 90’s style points 🤪)
Don't brake whilst turning, gyro effect tries to force the bike upright rather than leaning. It's the first thing that goes wrong for me when I get tired.
I agree with Greyspoke. In almost all situations, if everything is feeling a bit vague then I have drifted backwards again. This can be caused by fatigue or fear in my case.
Look through the corner, not at the corner
Twist hips to aim at the exit
Drop outside heel and pedal
Get the bike leant over then hold the bike up with inside hand
Dont brake
I think my cornering has improved lots in the last year. The one of the things that helped me was riding slower and making the right shapes, it takes a lot of practice to get that feeling of weighting the bike properly!
That loamwolf video has it nailed. Lean the bike abs the rest of your body will follow into the correct position. Look and lean.
Very interesting points here! Also another thing I forgot to check!
My coach told me to roll along and then let go of the bars lightly, if I fall over the back of the bike then I’m not centred properly...
I think it’s right that people who do it can’t easily say how they do it they just do, the leading foot argument is an interesting one so I may start trying that!
There’s not enough time is there? Want to go out sessioning but being an adult I have DIY, cooking, chores to do! 😬
Find a not too steep grassy hill, mark out a corner and try to get round it no brakes. The keep backing up the hill to ramp up the speed.
Challenge yourself with your mates to a no braking downhill corner competition. (remember to film it)
Love the sound of this idea, it’s not something I’ve ever done where apart from being on a trail pushing myself and the bike to see how far it can go until crashing 😆
This can be caused by fatigue or fear in my case.
Can be difficult to keep the weight forward when the next thing you see over the handlebars is the valley floor.