Been out for a blast round Leigh Woods after work, first time out on flats, too.

Noticed a couple of bad habits I’ve developed

Firstly, leaning back & putting my weight over the rear wheel in berms, which isn’t ideal, to say the least, but I know I need to be getting my weight more forward.

Secondly, putting the inside foot down going through corners, not dabbing mind, inside pedal lower than outside! I’ve been getting away with this, so far. It isn’t every time, I’m usually level on the pedals, but if I drop one it seems I drop the wrong one 1 time in 3 (ish)

Is spending some time on a weekend arsing about on one of the local pump tracks until I get it right consistently the way to go?
Or might doing something else be more effective?

Riding more? HTFU? 😉

STFU – Smarten the …. up. 😉

if I drop one

*sniggers*

PTFU (practice…) or attach a car battery to your nipples/nads, then everytime you do it wrong, give em a zap. That’ll learn ya!

Here take this magic pill…ah bother not invented yet.

Time to concentrate more AND critically in my view slow down a bit. Do it right then start adding the speed back on.

Berms (in fact any corner): just to yourself: LOOKING (at the exit)… FOOTWORK… BODY POSITION. I am rubbish at berms, but when I tell myself this before I hit them I seem to do OK.

Practise riding ovals both clockwise and anti-clockwise on the flat (end of cul-de-sac, car park etc) with correct technique. Then practise figure of 8s once your feet and hands and head and torso are doing the right things.

Just what i have learned and been taught…

In general you are aiming to maintain normal even pressure on each wheel and stay in balance neither pulling or pushing on the bars. It may be that you push back because you are resisting braking forces through the turn. Brake before entry to set your speed and no brakes at all until out the other side. All braking does is make the bike stand up, unbalance you and ruin what cornering traction you have. Don’t brake in corners.

Dropping the inside foot will eventually cause you to have a nasty crash when it hooks up on the ground. Yes drop the outside foot and tip the bike in if you want especially on flat loose corners. But I have spent the last year undoing this habit for any corner with even a slight berm or edge. Here you can adjust the feet just a little off level and pump the turn at the apex for grip and speed. The big advantage comes when there are several corners in a row – it’s much quicker and easier. But also, it helps in tight rocky corners where dropping either foot would hook up on something.

AC and LW are great for learning corners and squeezing speed IMO.

Yeah, fortunately I’m not actually braking through the corners, learned that lesson the hard way 😉

I’m more leaning back as if lightening the front wheel will help it get round, which is insane & makes no sense

The inside pedal down bit is going to get me into trouble eventually, that’s why I’m trying to break it before it breaks a few teeth.

Thanks for the advice I’ll be trying a few of those tips* & hopefully it’ll click soon enough

*Not the electro shock therapy one though, I’m not that dedicated