cornering tips

[markathome]

So i'm thinking of racing this year with the old guys and I must say my cornering skills suck. I rode kicking horse last week and even on the wide fast fireroad on the top I was coming into corners too fast, scrubbing too much speed and basically coasting out of the other side rather than a nice smooth and fast transition. So any of you DH racer guys got any tips to for me to keep my speed up? Anything helps - pedal position, body english, whatever. I pretty much come into every corner the same way - left pedal forward and trying to weight my front end. What am I doing wrong?

[mchfreeride]

Do as many laps as possible chainless! keep your corners nice and round, push your handle bar to the ground while cornering and have confidence in your tires. keep your head in the game, lean in to your corners and push hard out of them, even over exagerate your movements so you get comfortable with what you are trying to acheive.

[Midas]

keeep your feet level. right foot forward for left hand corner and left foot forward for right hand corner i find is kinda helpful.

[.Robinson]

keeep your feet level. right foot forward for left hand corner and left foot forward for right hand corner i find is kinda helpful.


im surprised u didnt say cutties.

[safetee]

Cutties!

[bcbud]

Cutties!!!!!

[ProBikeGeek]

Whats Cutties?

[Midas]

Cutties is a cornering technique, taken from australian surfing terms where you drift your back wheel around an off camber corner without braking so you can keep your momentum and speed. There is a good tutorial in Dirt Fundamentals video.

[Wayne P]

I knew that without all the cute "NVLOC" terminology.

[SIDESHOW]

you guys are forgetting the "MOST" important part of turns........


brake before you get there, and trust your sideknobs.....push thru with yer feet...and send it.

I am addicted to cornering...

[TheGiggler]

i find carving on pavement really helps me practise railing corners.

lots of open room so you can push things more without smoking a tree if you get a little sideways ...

[Troup]

Do not brake while cornering/in a berm, brake before or after.
Keep low and put all your weight onto your pedals.
Try and look ahead and just rail it.

[DaveM]

Shaums March offers a cornering/braking clinic designed towards racing. He usually has something going the same time as the major races. Check him out at www.madmarchracing.com maybe send an email and see when he's doing it next.

www.corridorclub.com also has the Shaums March clinic, but I don't know what the summer schedule is. Really nice people, fun clinic.

[ito]

If you want to learn some killer cornering technique, watch the roadies. They do it right and the position on the bike translates very easily to dirt.

Sideways drifting is always fun as well. :dizzy:

Brake before the turn, not in or after. Weight the outside of the bike, but keep the inside knee out for balance. Don't take your feet off the pedals, good way to catch and break. You can take them off sometimes, but only out of the corner, otherwise you can be in some trouble.

Counter steer as well. Works well in loose conditions and is a must on flat turns.

The Ito

[mchfreeride]

Cutttttiiiieeeessssss