Handling Corners?

[Bethany1]

I bought a couple of books and started working turning corners with my bikes. I can hit 17 mph around a street corner on my mountain bike with no problems using the tecnhiques from both books.

However; when trying it with my Madone at around 10mph I felt like the bike was going to slip out from under me. Not that I want to beat a speed limit, but I want to corner safely on this bike. It's so light that even a slight lean seems to almost bring the bike out from under me during a corner unless I slow way down.

How far should the bike lean into a regular street corner?

[OakLeaf]

There's no single answer to that. It depends on traction (model of tires, condition/age of tires, road surface, contaminants on road surface); your sight line through the turn (can you see all the way to the exit to where you'll be able to stand the bike back up without crossing the center line); camber/crown of the road; traffic conditions; wheelbase; bottom bracket height; and of course your own skills.

But a better handling bike will naturally need to lean less to go through the same turn at the same speed, and I think that's what you're addressing. It will also take less force to achieve the same lean.

[zoom-zoom]

I always had to slow WAY down to corner with my Cannondale Synapse. I now have a Cannondale SuperSix in the same size. The way these two bikes handle on corners is starkly different. I simply could not blast through a corner on that Synapse. The steering was mushy and numb on the Synapse...by contrast my SuperSix goes exactly where I want to go, without my really having to *think* about steering. Fast, slow...it's all good.

[zoom-zoom]

?!?!?!

Interesting...

I liken it to comparing the steering on a midsize family sedan to the steering on my sportier hatchback. Hubby's car has softer suspension and less responsive steering. My car is all about the zoom-zoom (they're both Mazdas, but mine's the fun one)!

[pll]

I always had to slow WAY down to corner with my Cannondale Synapse. I now have a Cannondale SuperSix in the same size. The way these two bikes handle on corners is starkly different. I simply could not blast through a corner on that Synapse. The steering was mushy and numb on the Synapse...by contrast my SuperSix goes exactly where I want to go, without my really having to *think* about steering. Fast, slow...it's all good.

That's intriguing (as the owner of a Synapse). Comparing my old bike (an aluminum Felt f85) to the Synapse, I love how my Synapse corners. Could simply be the better fit and upgrade in wheels, but I may be "forced" to test a SuperSix now, just to know...

-pll (who also drives a Mazda)

[zoom-zoom]

That's intriguing (as the owner of a Synapse). Comparing my old bike (an aluminum Felt f85) to the Synapse, I love how my Synapse corners. Could simply be the better fit and upgrade in wheels, but I may be "forced" to test a SuperSix now, just to know...

-pll (who also drives a Mazda)

I've done a couple of rides on my Redline CX bike with the same tires from my SuperSix. Even that corners better than the Synapse, but not as well as the SuperSix. Stiffness/geometry-wise the Redline is right between the Cannondales. Redline and Synapse are both aluminum, SuperSix is carbon.

[westtexas]

I've done a couple of rides on my Redline CX bike with the same tires from my SuperSix. Even that corners better than the Synapse, but not as well as the SuperSix. Stiffness/geometry-wise the Redline is right between the Cannondales. Redline and Synapse are both aluminum, SuperSix is carbon.

I was confused by your mushy comments about the Synapse as well - I corner great on mine, much better than my old bike. But, my Synapse is all carbon with very upgraded wheels. I can easily take a corner at high speeds, if I choose. I see that yours was aluminum. I wonder if that's what the difference is.

What works for me is to lean away from the bike. If I'm turning right, I lean left (and it's not a subtle lean at all whatsoever). Someone taught me this technique for taking corners on steep hills so you can maintain speed without losing the bike under you. So far, so good.

[indysteel]

Keep in mind that different sizes of the same bike may handle differently. The headtube angle and rake of the fork could be different, among other attributes. Obviously, it could just be a difference in the subjective perceptions of the riders, too.

[Hi Ho Silver]

I always had to slow WAY down to corner with my Cannondale Synapse. I now have a Cannondale SuperSix in the same size. The way these two bikes handle on corners is starkly different. I simply could not blast through a corner on that Synapse. The steering was mushy and numb on the Synapse...by contrast my SuperSix goes exactly where I want to go, without my really having to *think* about steering. Fast, slow...it's all good.

Are the wheels different on the two bikes? Wheel stiffness, or rather the lack thereof, can contribute to "mushy" handling.

[Bethany1]

The books I picked up are "Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills" and "New Cyclist Handbook". I figured I'd trying the cornering techniques and see what works and what doesn't on both my bikes, a mountain bike and my Madone by just going around the block over and over.

I was surpised that putting pressure on the outside pedal and using your hips to steer worked so well. I didn't try countersteering since I was just getting used to leaning a bike.

First time with the Madone gave me a heart attack as I hadn't expected the bike tires to feel like they were sliding out under me at 10 mph on the first corner. I have the original tires and have a little over a 100 miles on them.

Obviously the Madone vs. a mountain bike has totally different handling.

I think I've always had a fear of corners after I was riding with my dad on his motorcycle and he leaned too far taking a corner and we nearly crashed when I was a kid.

Veronica, the picture is beautiful and I love your bike.

[ny biker]

Note items 3-5 in the descending skills clinic.

http://trainright.com/tdf-stage-17-d...iting-finale2/

Also I find it helps alot to point the inward knee away from the bike.

[zoom-zoom]

Are the wheels different on the two bikes? Wheel stiffness, or rather the lack thereof, can contribute to "mushy" handling.

Ahhh...yes, they do have different wheels (Synapse had some lower-end Shimano wheels and the SS has Mavic Aksiums). Though I've talked to several people who have test-ridden both the Synapse and SuperSix with more comparable specs who have marveled at how relaxed and comfortable the Synapse was vs. the SuperSix and also noticed how differently they handled in fast corners. Mine are hard to compare, since they were spec'd out pretty differently ($1200 difference).