why are left turns/U-turns so hard (for me?!)

[VeloVT]

I spent a whole lotta time this spring working on tight u-turns. When I first got my bike (last may, about a year and a half ago), I just couldn't do it at all.

One thing I found helpful when I was having trouble **thinking** that I could make a turn was to reach my knee out into the turn. This is something you still see people do, but much of what I've read lately advises against it because it decenters your weight (I took careful notice during the TDF and almost everyone DID do it, and also took careful notice at a local crit that had cat 1-4 riders (in different races of course), and maybe 30% of riders did and 70 did not...). Anyway, I find it helps initiate the turn more quickly.

As I've gotten a bit better at turning (it's still a skill I really need to work at), I find I'm using my shoulders a lot more -- not to "steer" the bike per se, at least not in the sense of "turning" the handlebar, but sort of weighting and unweighting either the inside or outside to control the line, if that makes sense (I may not be describing this clearly but it's not the same as turning the handlebars... if anyone gets what I'm trying to say perhaps they can explain it better??? ).

[annie]

If you can, ride with someone that corners well and follow their exact moves. I was never very good at fast, curvy downhills, much tho' I loved them. A friend of mine was awesome at descents! So I took to following her downhill whenever I rode with her and it definitely helped my confidence and abilities. That and practice, practice, practice, especially when you start feeling that you're "getting it." Keep doing it, till it comes more naturally.

Annie

[Bklynmom]

I do think there is something to this left right thing too. I have a dreadful time parallel parking on the right side of the street, and not on the left.

Maybe there's a depth perception issue or who knows what!

[rij73]

I can u-turn and ride in circles to the left, but I'm hopeless going to the right. I have no idea why! There's definitely something to it...

[bmccasland]

Does it corrolate with be left handed or right handed? Just a thought.

[kfergos]

Does it correlate with be left handed or right handed? Just a thought.

I was just going to say this! I've noticed that people definitely mount their bikes based on handedness: By and large, right-handers mount from the left, and left-handers mount from the right. Why should turning be any different?

PS - I continue to be an awful turner, so llb - thanks for asking. And everybody else, thanks for the useful advice.

[rij73]

I'm right handed but turn best to the left. To mount the bike, I stand on its left and swing the right leg over. I clip in the right foot first and clip in the left as I get underway... Trying to go against these instincts is definitely harder.

[Torrilin]

Does it corrolate with be left handed or right handed? Just a thought.

I'd guess the answer is "some". I'm cross dominant (right eyed, left handed, right legged), and I can mount from either side. And I do! This despite a 17 degree rotation inward on my right hip. I tend to prefer mounting from a curb, just because it's easier on me if my hip is giving trouble, but if that's not an option, it'll be whatever side I'm standing on.

I haven't noticed one direction of turn or another being notably easier. I'm more ambidextrous than normal, so that might be it. Or it might be learning to ride in a cul-de-sac as a small child. All that time doing tight circles, in both directions...

[Tuckervill]

(My son is an "ambidextrous freak", too, Torrilin. You should read The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket, if you don't mind kids books.)

I was going to say, about doing u-turns...it helps to pedal out of the turn, too. Just after you've made the hook, push that outside pedal down. Something about counteracting the torque, in terms of physics, but is more easily understood when driving a car. On hairpin turns, accelerate out and it makes the turn easier.

Karen

[RoadRaven]

One of the cycling disciplines I enjoy most is time-trialling. The courses are usually "out and back" along a straightish piece of road. This means they almost always will involve a u-turn.

Initially I wasn't confident, but we have a kilometre of flattish straight road from our gate, so one of my regular rides is to ride this back and forth along this.

So to do a 10km ride, I have to do 9 turns... a 20 km ride (verrry boring, but I do that sometimes) involves 19 turns.

This is what has made me good and relatively quick - but definately confident doing tight u-turns.

Practice, practice, practice... thats all I can say.
It is about getting to know how you and your bike feel and realising its ok... it takes time, but you get there.

Do it slowly in a car park, get a cone or some obstacle you can bike around, and over time - hours, days or weeks - turn closer and tighter to the cone.

[RolliePollie]

I seem to lose the ability to make good turns when I have to fit my turn into a specific space. If I'm out in the open, like in a big parking lot, I can do nice u-turns and tight right and left turns. But put me someplace where there's a curb or a road edge or bushes or anything else in the way, and I can't seem to turn well at all. I think practice makes perfect in this situation...at least I am hoping that will be the case for me!

And is there anyone else out there who is not flexible enough to swing a leg over the bike? I have to lean my bike towards me, bend my leg, and lift it over the top tube. I absolutely cannot swing it over the saddle. I also can't touch my toes, which kind of gives you an idea of how unflexible I am.

[latelatebloomer]

Sara, as I've been doing my bike "rodeo" (psyclepath, it's just not graceful enough for me to call it "dancing" yet) I find the same thing! I can do some very tight turns zig-zagging around the big parking lot, and when I start to do them within the parameters of the 2-lane road, sometimes I do fine, a lot of times I "clutch." What a silly headgame, eh? I reckon the only answer is tons of practice, review the basics, practice more. When I look where I WANT to go, lead with my chin, and don't brake in the turn, I do great. Then the next attempt, I might do every single thing wrong and wind up pedaling in grass.

I don't really care how many times I have to go the park and do my loopdeloops, by next spring I will execute a u-turn as smooth and easy as my racer friends do. I will, I will, I will. I don't care how many people at the park laugh at the big lady going around in circles. I know this practice is going to make me a safer rider in lots of situations and will have me positioning properly when I have more speed.

yet another reason I feel I should soon change my handle to relentless.