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Road bike cornering tips

2724 Views 18 Replies 16 Participants Last post by pulser, Jul 3, 2009

mountainbiker2911

Discussion Starter · Jun 27, 2009

I know a lot of you race/ride road as well to train. When cornering in the drops, do you have any tips? I can never seem to just flow through the apex of the turn. I have developed the bad habit of not cornering in the drops. I think it is a confidence issue for me.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

xcracer87

· #2 · Jun 27, 2009

i know its a weird question but are you bending your elbows when you are in the drops? It could be your position on the bike. and the last thing you said is probably a big factor... experience is key.

Benno

· #3 · Jun 27, 2009

Some quick tips.
-Place your weight on your inside arm and outside leg.
-Outside leg down.
-Brake in a straight line. If you need to slow down do it before the corner starts. Do not touch the brakes mid corner if you are railing a turn.
-Stay outside on the entry of the corner longer than you think you should. This way you are not diving to the apex too early and missing it.
-Relax your upper body but keep a firm grip.

LMN

· #4 · Jun 27, 2009

Cornering (on the road or MTB) is more about vision then technique (although technique still plays an important role).

Look way through the corner. You get in trouble when you look at the stuff in front of you rather than where you want to go

pulser

· #5 · Jun 28, 2009

Take a look at the books from Keith Code. A Twist Of The Wrist. There about motorcycle racing but alot of it still applies to bicycles. Its really all about keeping the upper body lose, looking threw the corner and counter string. And lastly practice practice practice. I think the best thing i ever did that made me alot faster was to do some track days with my motorcycle. I now love to go fast down mountain roads.

chiplikestoridehisbike

· #6 · Jun 28, 2009

how not to corner

pulser

· #7 · Jun 28, 2009

chiplikestoridehisbike said:
how not to corner

Classic low side when the front wheel loses traction. That one were the guy high sides in front of Lance and he has to go off road and down to get back on the road is a good one too.

Le Duke

· #8 · Jun 28, 2009

-More weight on the front wheel.

-Unless you're under 5'5", if you're running a 90mm or shorter stem, you aren't weighting the front wheel enough.

-Counter steer.

accesspig

· #9 · Jun 28, 2009

Benno said:
Some quick tips.
-Place your weight on your inside arm and outside leg.
-Outside leg down.
-Brake in a straight line. If you need to slow down do it before the corner starts. Do not touch the brakes mid corner if you are railing a turn.
-Stay outside on the entry of the corner longer than you think you should. This way you are not diving to the apex too early and missing it.
-Relax your upper body but keep a firm grip.

this is perfect. i might add practice the countersteer on a slightly downhill grade, no corners. get a feel for how quick the bike will turn based on different pressure. it is usually faster than you think, which changes how and when you apply the countersteer in corners. like technical rocky mtb downhills, it might take a few tries but when you get it, the ah ha moment is awesome

Poncharelli

· #10 · Jun 28, 2009

+1 on the countersteer.

I like practicing one handed countersteers using the inside arm.

Also, I have the opposite problem, no confidence cornering on the hoods; mainly during crits.

ebarker9

· #11 · Jun 29, 2009

http://www.leelikesbikes.com/how-to-rail-a-road-bike.html

Shmack

· #12 · Jun 30, 2009

If you are having issues cornering in the drops, spend more time riding in them in total. The more you ride in the drops, the better you will feel!

Get your bike checked for fit to make sure this isn't an issue either.

WR304

· #13 · Jun 30, 2009

ebarker9 said:
http://www.leelikesbikes.com/how-to-rail-a-road-bike.html

There's a link from that leelikesbikes page to the "Red Bull Road Rage". The text is only in German or French but there are some good pictures and videos. It sounds fun.

http://www.redbull.ch/roadrage#page=ArticlePage.1213274420247-153264520.default.media.images.0

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mechBgon

· #14 · Jun 30, 2009

Also, just to state the obvious, you don't want to push the envelope unless you're confident of the road surface. Before we race on the perimeter of the course shown below, I personally go inspect and sweep the hairpins with a push broom, and then feel pretty confident laying the bike over AND pedalling through the corners (Speedplay pedals = insane cornering clearance). Also, we have the entire track to work with, but in a road race, the centerline rule often applies (cross centerline, you're DQ'ed), so you have to pick a far more conservative line when you're under those constraints.

(red arrow = normal wind direction)

Good racing tires also help; I wouldn't be so aggressive on ho-hum tires (I have a big grind mark on my hip to remind me why not).

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granpa

· #15 · Jul 1, 2009

get slightly off the seat so you can lean the bike...not your upper body

corner on the brake hoods till your ready to get back to the drops

scooter2468

· #16 · Jul 1, 2009

granpa said:
get slightly off the seat so you can lean the bike...not your upper body

corner on the brake hoods till your ready to get back to the drops

Please, please, please do NOT raise yourself off the saddle when cornering, not even a little bit. It requires a tension of the outside leg to do so and the resultant stiffness will make everything about the turn screwed up. I've seen folks corner like that, and I guarantee you once I were to recognize someone as cornering that way, I would NOT ride behind them.

If you can't figure out a way to lean your bike without leaning your upper body, I'm guessing you rode the short bus to school as a kid.

Le Duke

· #17 · Jul 1, 2009

granpa said:
get slightly off the seat so you can lean the bike...not your upper body

corner on the brake hoods till your ready to get back to the drops

I'm hoping this was tongue in cheek sarcasm?

jrcxu

· #18 · Jul 3, 2009

Do what Benno said.

And don't get Twist of the Wrist to learn how to corner on a road bike. The only thing that would be helpful for is picking lines...nothing else is similar (other than the whole 2 wheel thing).

Oh and do what Benno said.

pulser

· #19 · Jul 3, 2009

jrcxu said:
Do what Benno said.

And don't get Twist of the Wrist to learn how to corner on a road bike. The only thing that would be helpful for is picking lines...nothing else is similar (other than the whole 2 wheel thing).

Oh and do what Benno said.

It also enplanes what counter steering is, how to brake in a state line before you start your turn, Other then there being no engine its actually vary similar.

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