Cornering techniques

[LegsRsore]

Another newby question..... sorry

I did my fist 20 mile ride today averaging 15.5mph. Quite happy with it if I'm honest! Anyway;

During a really fast downhill section that bends to the left, my left foot pedal clipped the floor. I wasn't pedalling at this time but I did have my left leg extended giving it a stretch. Luckily it just scraped so I didn't lose balance. I thought nothing of it at first but with about 2 miles to home, I did it again with my right pedal turning right but this time I wasn't going fast at all. I was banking quite a lot though.

This got me thinking that my cornering technique isn't right and I am concerned I will come off the bike if I lose balance next time it happens.

Am I banking too far over?
Am I leaving my leg extended on the side I'm turning when my pedals should be in a neutral position?

What do you think?

 

[Rob3rt]

The inside pedal should be up!

 

[Mo1959]

Even as a newbie myself, I would hazard a guess that you should be extending the leg opposite to the way you are turning to avoid precisely this issue. If you feel you need to bank over, I find just looking into the corner and slightly extending your knee out slightly seems to bank you over totally naturally. As I say, I am a new cyclist myself so look forward to hearing of some good techniques from the experienced riders.

 

[Sittingduck]

As Robert said, get the inside pedal at the top position and the outside foot at 6 o'clock! Press down on the outside one too...

 

[mangid]

Another newby question..... sorry

I did my fist 20 mile ride today averaging 15.5mph. Quite happy with it if I'm honest! Anyway;

During a really fast downhill section that bends to the left, my left foot pedal clipped the floor. I wasn't pedalling at this time but I did have my left leg extended giving it a stretch. Luckily it just scraped so I didn't lose balance. I thought nothing of it at first but with about 2 miles to home, I did it again with my right pedal turning right but this time I wasn't going fast at all. I was banking quite a lot though.

This got me thinking that my cornering technique isn't right and I am concerned I will come off the bike if I lose balance next time it happens.

Am I banking too far over?
Am I leaving my leg extended on the side I'm turning when my pedals should be in a neutral position?

What do you think?

As others have said, inside pedal up, outside down. Having said that , however, I mostly ride fixed, and don't recall ever coming close to having the pedal contact as I go round a corner, I don' t think I'm particularly slow, so it maybe that you were banking more than you needed to.

 

[black'n'yellow]

As others have said, inside pedal up, outside down. Having said that , however, I mostly ride fixed, and don't recall ever coming close to having the pedal contact as I go round a corner, I don' t think I'm particularly slow, so it maybe that you were banking more than you needed to.

It's not really possible to 'bank more than you need to' without either a) over-steering or b) falling off. Lean angle is usually dictated by corner speed and required rate of turn.

Either way - inside pedal 'up' = problem solved.

 

[Rob3rt]

As others have said, inside pedal up, outside down. Having said that , however, I mostly ride fixed, and don't recall ever coming close to having the pedal contact as I go round a corner, I don' t think I'm particularly slow, so it maybe that you were banking more than you needed to.

If your fixed wheel bike is well designed then there is a reason you don't clonk a pedal. A track bike or a well designed road fixed wheel bike will have a higher bottom bracket and in some cases, will also be fitted with shorter cranks in order to avoid pedal strike. The design is informed primarily by the use of the bike on a banked track, but it also proves useful out on the road.

 

[Get In The Van]

I'm sure the most helpful advice i read on this forum was slow down to a stop, get off bike , walk round said corner, back on bike and away you go, safest way by far!

 

[mangid]

If your fixed wheel bike is well designed then there is a reason you don't clonk a pedal. A track bike or a well designed road fixed wheel bike will have a higher bottom bracket and in some cases, will also be fitted with shorter cranks in order to avoid pedal strike. The design is informed primarily by the use of the bike on a banked track, but it also proves useful out on the road.

Yes, I had heard that, neither of mine (Langster and bespoke Bob Jackson) have that though. Cranks may be shorter at 170 compared to 172 .5 on road bikes.

Cornering at speed is something I'm going to have to practice, going coast to coast along the Pyrenees in a couple of weeks, and it's the descending I'm most concerned about

 

[Archie_tect]

Happily cranked my motorbike over to graze the footpegs when I was 17... rarely trust my thin bike tyres enough to really go for it!

 

[Graham1426]

Outside pedal down, and for added traction on the rear wheel apply pressure on the pedal.

 

[Brommyboy]

I just corner with the pedals level. It makes no difference as to which way you are turning.

 

[Stevie135]

Regardless of catching pedals etc, there's another good reason that you would want you inside pedal up when cornering...... If you were banking with inside leg extended, should the bike slip and you loose control your leg is more likely to be trapped under the bike, virtually guaranteeing you some serious concrete contact time. However having inside leg up makes it easier for your foot to find purchase on the ground giving you a better chance of control/recovery.

As other people have posted outside leg extended actually keeps you better balanced therefore decreasing the chances of loosing it in the corner. Cycle safe....