Quick Tips For Faster Riding: Cornering
Cornering is one of the most important skills to master on bike. Get it right and you will see your times plummet and your confidence soar. When it is done right you will be able to flow through sweeping descents with out having to scrub your speed or have to pedal hard to catch back up with the pack. Yet it is the often the skill that riders find the hardest to master. This technique sheet is designed to break cornering up into a few keys points to focus on which in turn should make your riding smoother and by default faster.
Break the corner down
As you approach a corner think about it in a de constructed manner focusing on each key part.
Entrance: This is the green line in the diagram. This is the point of no return when entering a corner. Once you pass this point you commit to the corner, follow the points we are about to go over and trust your bike and ability. Remember smooth riding equals faster riding!
Apex: This is the centre of the curve. If you get your cornering right you should pass this in a smooth sweeping arc.
Exit Point: As the name suggests this is where the corner ends and the trail either straightens out or the next corners entrance starts. This is the red line on the diagram.
Control Speed
Don’t slam on the brakes in the corner!!! This causes those braking bumps we all hate so much and scrubs your speed undoing all that hard work you have just put in. Instead control your speed before you cross the entrance line. Slowing to a controlled speed will still get you a quicker time than slam a brake on mid way through a corner and is a lot safer.
Look!
As soon as you cross the Entrance line look at your exit point. To start with over exaggerate this movement and before you know it the move becomes second nature. Through out the corner focus on that exit point, your bike will go in the direction your looking. On the photo this is represented with the blue arrow.
Smooth Line
If you have control your speed before this and focus on your exit point you will get a nice smooth arc. Don’t get too hung up on going really high on bermed corners to start with if you have got the hang of smooth cornering the quicker you go the high you will ride the berm.
Body Position
Before crossing the entrance line you should be in the attack position with level pedals. This will keep grip on both tyres and give you clearance when going round the corner. If you are handling the corner at speed you can drop your outside foot in order get your bike lower whilst maintaining traction.
Exit
If you feel the bike is running away with you, once you cross the exit line this is where you should brake to reduce speed. For the more confident rider try getting out of the saddle and putting a short sprint in once you cross the exit line, this is a great way to open up the gap if your in a race situation or out on a group ride.
