Help me with my cornering problem.

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Help me with my cornering problem.

21 posts & 13 voices | Started 2 years ago by Earl | Latest reply from sweepy

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Earl - Member

On bike 1, (80mm hardtail), I can corner as hard with as much weight over the front as I like.

On bike 2, (80mm hardtail 29er), when I corner I can't seam to weight the front at all. Always feel my weight moving back - even when I consciously make an effort to keep it forward? In effect it sort of under-steers and doesn't feel very planted.

Setup is similar however bike 2 has the seat lower and more in-line with the bars. Both bikes in good condition with decent kit.

Whats wrong here (My lack of skill !!)?

Posted 2 years ago #
GW - Member

conclusive proof that 29ers are shit!

but even on a shit bike you'll corner better standing up

Posted 2 years ago #
ken_shields - Member

due to the large diameter pram wheels it takes more effort to turn due to increased centrifugal force

longer spokes will mean more flex (I would have thought) in comparison to a similar set up with 26" rims

Posted 2 years ago #
Mark Datz - Member

Put ur insid fut on grownd lene into turn jam on bak break and u can drift rownd with wikid skid totaly awsum dude

Posted 2 years ago #
soobalias - Member

its spelled dood, duck.

Posted 2 years ago #
poppa - Member

Make sure your technique is flawless before blaming the bike...! Unless you are ambling around a corner gently you should really be stood up. Some 'classic' pointers:

1. Look ahead - anticipate the corner.
2. Adjust your speed before you reach the corner - if you brake on the corner you are highly likely to skid and/or come off.
3. Look in the direction you wish to travel in. Don't look at the tree/rock/badger you want to avoid, as you will probably end up riding into it instead.
4. Stand up.
5. Drop the outside crank.
6. Put your weight through the outside crank and the inside handlebar.
7. Lean the bike over, but not yourself.
8. Revel in how much faster you can take corners in comparison to when sitting on the bike upright.
9. Get a bit of a semi.

Apologies if you know all this already. I have issues with corners so have been doing some practising...

Posted 2 years ago #
Mark Datz - Member

Dood is 4 diks dude

Posted 2 years ago #
JonEdwards - Member

How different is the bar height? Presumably the 29er has a higher front end, which could be a chunk of the problem? But yes - bigger wheel, more momentum, harder to change direction.

Posted 2 years ago #
Whathaveisaidnow - Member

5. Drop the outside crank.

Some of my tightest most immaculate hairpin turns in the Alps were achieved by dropping the inside crank, (where doable of course), this whips you very tight to the bend and allows for better flow IMHO.

Posted 2 years ago #
Earl - Member

I do do steps 1-7, though I never really think about it.

The bars on bike 1 are an inch or or more below the saddle. Bike 2 they are level. Maybe (as suggested) by standing a bit more I will have my body position the same. I did try dropping the bars on bike 2 but my cornering got worse

Posted 2 years ago #
al_f - Member

Whathaveisaidnow - Member
Some of my tightest most immaculate hairpin turns in the Alps were achieved by dropping the inside crank, (where doable of course), this whips you very tight to the bend and allows for better flow IMHO.

Bit risky that IMHO, given the likelihood of grounding it and flipping yourself off the bike down the mountain.

Posted 2 years ago #
tracknicko - Member

ha ha quite. i think all of my bikes would compress, hit the pedal into the floor, uncompress and pitch me out of the hairpin faster than you can say 'what a crap idea that was...'

Posted 2 years ago #
parkesie - Member

Put your weight through the outside crank and the inside handlebar.

Inside handle bar are you sure???

Posted 2 years ago #
poppa - Member

Yup!

Posted 2 years ago #
Whathaveisaidnow - Member

Bit risky that IMHO, given the likelihood of grounding it and flipping yourself off the bike down the mountain.

It worked for me, when and where doable, It has a high bb mind you, try it next time your out.

Posted 2 years ago #
parkesie - Member

putting weight un the inside of the bars on a turn would cause the front to wash out shirley.

Posted 2 years ago #
poppa - Member

Not IME, it's what i've always been taught. E.g.when turning to the right, you lean the bike over to the right and put your weight through the right-hand handlebar and left-hand (outside) crank.

Since you have your weight going through the outside crank and inside bar you can control your bike much better than if you had your weight on the outside bar.

It would feel wrong weighting the outside bar to me - the outside bar would be comparatively high in the air, and weighting it in preference to the inside one would be much less stable.

Maybe i'll give it a go and see what happens!

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

This is the kind of question that costs (very well spent, obviously) money to answer properly. I'll give a little bit for nowt - thinking about weighting the front is probably not going to be the solution. Not on its own anyway. Sounds to me like the difference in bar height is causing you to assume that it is a front-weight problem, but since good cornering isn't particularly a question of weighting the front in the first place I think that's a red herring.

Posted 2 years ago #
parkesie - Member

its all a balancing act im going to have a play tomorrow.

Posted 2 years ago #
tracknicko - Member

turn in, dab the brake brake with your foot, point the steering wheel into the corner, turn into the skid... then gripping the horse with your knees, open that throttle wide and power out.

or something.

Posted 2 years ago #
sweepy - Member

tracknicko- you forgot to adjust power/trim to stop prop cavitation

Posted 2 years ago #

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