Cornering, AKA turning is one skill that scares a lot of new riders. This is a essential skill that will build your confidence and make you a safer rider. Here are three tips to help you become a more confident, powerful cyclist.
1.Apex of the turn.
Picking your line through the turn sets you up for success. Finding the apex of the turn gives you the fastest, straightest, and safest line through the turn. Picking a line that is to early, late, or missed will slow you down or worse.
Picking your line through the turn sets you up for success. Finding the apex of the turn gives you the fastest, straightest, and safest line through the turn. Picking a line that is to early, late, or missed will slow you down or worse.
2. Look though the turn.
Your bike will go where your eyes lead them. You want to look where you want the bike to go. It's also important to keep a level head. In the image to the left notice the head position of the riders. You want to keep you eyes parallel to the ground as you are looking though the straightest line through the turn.
Your bike will go where your eyes lead them. You want to look where you want the bike to go. It's also important to keep a level head. In the image to the left notice the head position of the riders. You want to keep you eyes parallel to the ground as you are looking though the straightest line through the turn.
3.Controlling the bike.
There are a few ways to actually position your body on the bike to take a turn from the image below. We will cover these in more details during our outdoor riding classes. One thing to note is that the outside leg, the leg farthest from the turn is down and the riders weight is pushing into the pedal. This retains even weight on the tires and keeps you from clipping a pedal in a turn. Clipping a pedal means the inside pedal hits the ground and kicks the wheels out from under you...NOT GOOD!
There are a few ways to actually position your body on the bike to take a turn from the image below. We will cover these in more details during our outdoor riding classes. One thing to note is that the outside leg, the leg farthest from the turn is down and the riders weight is pushing into the pedal. This retains even weight on the tires and keeps you from clipping a pedal in a turn. Clipping a pedal means the inside pedal hits the ground and kicks the wheels out from under you...NOT GOOD!
To learn skills like cornering, descending, climbing, and just becoming a more efficient cyclist, check out our outdoor training classes. Become a better rider!
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