Descending and cornering technique

[ChrisEyles]

I've been trying to work on my cycling technique over the last year, and have made good progress with cadence, pedalling in smooth circles, and keeping a nice relaxed position... but I still feel decidedly unconfident on fast descents and corners.

My main issue is drifting wide due to not being able to corner as sharply as I want to. This is especially a problem on right hand bends, where running wide would mean hitting the hedge/ditch/wall on the left hand side. I've had a few scary moments where I've not been at all sure I'll make it around without a trip over the handle bars, and one incident where exactly this happened, at reasonable speed (fortunately bike and head were OK).

Here's what I'm doing (or trying to do) now:

- Rely mostly on the front brake for stopping power and use the back to augment this where necessary

- Brake from the hoods and keep my hands there throughout (I get the serious fear going into the drops on uncomfortably fast corners! But mostly feel I get adequate braking power from the hoods)

- Brake hard-ish on the (straight) approach into a turn, and allow the bike to accelerate on the way out (rather than applying a softer continuous braking force during the descent)

- Keep weight on the outside pedal, and lean the inside knee a little into the turn

- Lean the inside shoulder a little forwards and into the turn, keeping the tilt of the body equal to the tilt of the bike

- Keep a relaxed grip on the bars with soft arms, and weight shifted back on the saddle (I have real problems eliminating excessive tension in my legs though)

- On unfamiliar hills, proceed at granny-pace so I'm not caught out by any nasty surprises!

- When riding with friends, ask them to go in front and allow a good distance between us

Does this sound sensible? Maybe I just need a little more confidence to lean further into the corner to make the turn a little tighter... I will admit to a bit of a mental/physical block about doing this, with my hind-brain yelling at me that I'll slide the back wheel out and fall off if I do!

If anyone's got any good advice/tips to share, or is suffering from similar difficulties, I'd love to hear them!

 

[Sauce pot]

I've been trying to work on my cycling technique over the last year, and have made good progress with cadence, pedalling in smooth circles, and keeping a nice relaxed position... but I still feel decidedly unconfident on fast descents and corners.

My main issue is drifting wide due to not being able to corner as sharply as I want to. This is especially a problem on right hand bends, where running wide would mean hitting the hedge/ditch/wall on the left hand side. I've had a few scary moments where I've not been at all sure I'll make it around without a trip over the handle bars, and one incident where exactly this happened, at reasonable speed (fortunately bike and head were OK).

Here's what I'm doing (or trying to do) now:

- Rely mostly on the front brake for stopping power and use the back to augment this where necessary

- Brake from the hoods and keep my hands there throughout (I get the serious fear going into the drops on uncomfortably fast corners! But mostly feel I get adequate braking power from the hoods)

- Brake hard-ish on the (straight) approach into a turn, and allow the bike to accelerate on the way out (rather than applying a softer continuous braking force during the descent)

- Keep weight on the outside pedal, and lean the inside knee a little into the turn

- Lean the inside shoulder a little forwards and into the turn, keeping the tilt of the body equal to the tilt of the bike

- Keep a relaxed grip on the bars with soft arms, and weight shifted back on the saddle (I have real problems eliminating excessive tension in my legs though)

- On unfamiliar hills, proceed at granny-pace so I'm not caught out by any nasty surprises!

- When riding with friends, ask them to go in front and allow a good distance between us

Does this sound sensible? Maybe I just need a little more confidence to lean further into the corner to make the turn a little tighter... I will admit to a bit of a mental/physical block about doing this, with my hind-brain yelling at me that I'll slide the back wheel out and fall off if I do!

If anyone's got any good advice/tips to share, or is suffering from similar difficulties, I'd love to hear them!

I hate downhills full stop. Get me on the flat and I will fly along but put any downhill in my way and I freak out and pull on the brakes. My partner is screaming at me to just go for it but I crawl along at a snails pace

 

[ChrisEyles]

@Sauce pot - know exactly what you mean! I love tough climbs, and have to search out the steep wiggly side to climb, and go down the flatter straighter side where possible. Going fast down nice wide open, well surfaced roads I really enjoy, but the freak-out happens when I see those black and white chevrons advertising a nice hairpin at the bottom!

 

[MikeW-71]

@ChrisEyles That all sounds good.

I will usually be onto the drops for any decent downhill, particularly if turns are involved. Not just for better braking potential, but I have better grip on the bars there and it pushes a little more weight onto the front wheel, which will help grip.

I also turn left better than right. Apparently this is a biological thing and it applies to pretty much everyone, this is just how humans are wired up. You can train it to get better though. Don't look at what worries you, look where you want to go (easier said than done sometimes). You can also lean the bike further than you think.

Above all, don't go faster than you are comfortable with, I saw plenty of Sportive riders being very cautious downhill recently. After all, some lycra isn't going to do much in the way of protection if you fall off at 30mph.

 

[ChrisEyles]

@MikeW-71 Very interesting to hear that lots of people find right hand bends trickier than left (this is quite a strong difference for me). I always assumed it was because the hedge/wall/ditch on my left was messing with my subconscious. I wonder if it's the same for left handed people, or in the US and other countries where they ride on the right (where they have a slightly easier time of it, since it wouldn't matter so much if you drift a touch wide).

I agree that getting into the drops should give more stability and control, I just don't have the nerve to do it at speed (ditto leaning further into the turn). I'll start trying to do this at lower speed and see how I get on, sounds like a good way to make progress.

I am mostly very good about keeping the speed within what I find comfortable (I just wish this was a little faster!). Occasionally I get caught out by strong tail winds - without a speedo I go by the volume of the wind - and have to brown-trouser it around a right hand bend.

Should also say I get *plenty* of practice at descending, most of my rides have 60+ ft/mile climbing/descending, usually with the odd steep 15%+ gradient (Devon is a wonderful place to cycle )

 

[ChrisEyles]

@User3094 - Loose arms is definitely a must (though like I say I can't seem to stop my legs tensing up on the tighter bends). I'm not sure where my eyes stray on those right handers, but that's also a good point, thanks. I'll pay attention next time I'm out, and try and keep them far ahead on the road, rather than straying to the nice big rock waiting to get me on the left hand verge!

 

[Citius]

This might not be the answer you want to hear, but you will only know where your (or your bike's) limit is by exceeding it. Unfortunately, exceeding it can sometimes be painful.

 

[ChrisEyles]

@Citius - True! I have already done this once, hence the over-the-bars moment... Speed-wise I am definitely looking to remain comfortably within my limits, but you're right that I will have to challenge myself to get my cornering a little sharper. I'm mainly wondering if there is some limiting factor that's holding me back on the tight turns, but from the comments above seems like possibly not. I will check my line-of-sight out though, I wouldn't be enormously surprised to find I do flick my eyes to the obstacles on the left when making a right hand turn, and bicycles do have an uncanny tendency to go where you're looking rather than where they should.

 

[MikeW-71]

A good technique is to break down the approach and corner. You can also practice this when driving, it applies to that just as much (you will also find that preference for turning left there too, this is why oval car racing always turns left).

On approach, think about your speed. Do I need to brake? Look for your braking point.

As you near your braking point, your eyes switch to look for your turn-in point.

As you are braking towards turn-in, your eyes switch to look for the corner apex.

As you turn in, your eyes look for the exit line and beyond.

It will take some deliberate practice, but you then look one step ahead of where you are going and this leads you through the corner.

If you can see multiple corners ahead, you can plan your line between them. You might need a tighter exit from the first one to get the right position to turn into the second, and you can adjust speed and line accordingly before you even get to the first turn.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Hadn't ever thought of practising this while driving, but that's a great idea, thanks!

 

[ChrisEyles]

I'm going riding in the Cotswalds with a friend this weekend, and I just know he's going to bomb down the hills and fly around the corners like its no bother... I would like to say with all that practice I might at least beat him on the uphills but this is also sadly unlikely... damn those with excessive natural ability!

 

[Mugshot]

Does this give me an excuse to post this?



This fella looks like he knows what he's doing, copy him, carefully

 

[nickyboy]

I used to think I was a good descender until I went for a ride with @I like Skol

He's a very experienced MTBer. I suspect those skills help a lot on sketchy, twisting descents. Get out there and throw it around a bit and build up some confidence in what you and your bike can do. And relaaaaaaaax on the bike if you can

 

[ChrisEyles]

The closest I've ever got to MTBing was doing the Dartmoor ring road with a friend. It starts off innocently enough, with rough-ish tarmac roads, and gradually descends into steep mud/loose rock tracks. I rattled a mudguard bolt right off on one of the descents, and was not at all sorry to have to slow down and stop before it jammed in the front wheel. I am in awe of some of the stuff MTBers can take on, must take some serious bottle!

 

[mythste]

Apex Apex Apex.

Not talking about swerving out into possible oncoming traffic or anything but most sharp corners are not nearly as bad as they appear if you can take a good line through them and by taking a good line you end up with less of that mid-corner panic of "crap, I'm not gonna make it out the other side!".

Practice on corners you know well, getting a good smooth line, coming from wide and cutting in as tight as you can, before long itll be second nature.

*All of the above, of course, is in the absence of traffic