Handling Corners?

[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.

[smilingcat]

Go around a corner at your comfortable speed. As you ride more, your confidence will increase on your new bike and along with it your speed around a corner.

Straight leg on the outside, bear weight on it!
Inside hand bear weight on it! This helps with front wheel traction.

Keep your eye on where you want to go! You will naturally head in that direction.

With approaching fall, be very wary of leaves on the ground. Even if it looks dry! Don't ride over it go around it, if possible. Layer of wet leaves are like sheet of wet ice. NO TRACTION.

[Bethany1]

You know..if your tires are almost flat, you really can't ride a bike or turn corners. Sigh. No wonder nothing has been working right. I need to check the tire pressure more often. I was at a 10 and a 30 when I checked today.

With the tires at the right pressure I was flying around corners and handling hills much better. I still didn't get far today as I was working on technique, but it was SO much easier.

Other than nearly a head on collision with a truck it's been a great day. Probably scared the crap out of him and I feel terrible. I took the corner to wide and ended up in the left side of the road with the truck coming towards me. I was able to steer out of the left lane and out of the way but it was close. How do you apologize on your bike? Any universal hand gesture?

I really hate helmets and the reduced visibility of cycling especially when cornering. Add in that none of the street blocks don't have stop signs and you really are on your own for safety. I honestly feel safer on the highways than on neighborhood roads.

[malkin]

You know..if your tires are almost flat, you really can't ride a bike or turn corners. Sigh. No wonder nothing has been working right. I need to check the tire pressure more often. I was at a 10 and a 30 when I checked today.

Wow! I'm amazed you made it around the corner at all!

[Owlie]

Given that tire pressure, I'm surprised you made it around the corner at all!

I'm a big chicken when it comes to cornering--granted, I'm a big chicken all around. Outside pedal down, and I lean the bike, not me (though this depends on the corner). And I slow wayy down--like 8-12 mph if it's a tight corner (like the S-curve on a trail back home).

And +1 on the helmet. If it's restricting your vision, something's wrong.

[BC2COCyclist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTunW-3uW24

I found this intriguing...

[OakLeaf]

Okay, I didn't listen to the audio, but it seemed that the video did a pretty good job explaining the physics of cornering.

However... the rider in the graphic was dangerously close to the center line on both corner entry and corner exit.

That's how you'd do it in a closed course race. Not in the real world where oncoming traffic that you can't see on corner entry is ... at best, hugging the center line just as closely as the video depicts the rider doing ... at worst, well over the center line, as any of us know who've ever ridden or driven in hilly rural areas.

The fastest way around the corner just is not the safest way, not on a public roadway. Please. Be careful.

[Roadtrip]

(like the S-curve on a trail back home).

I HATE that corner Owlie

+++ 1 on the helmet... And the tire pressure. Check em often!

Shannon