Going too fast to turn

Having not done much Bike Park riding, I went for a ride at a bike park (Aston Hill) yesterday and was washing out my front wheel going into one of the berms time after time and, whilst I stayed upright, was then way off line, going in slower meant I felt I was losing too much speed. Any hints on keeping pace through these things? Ditto bermed 90 deg turns too

Experience or lack of and less haste more speed (?) aside I wondered if I had too much weight forward as well?

If the front was washing out then you had too little weight forward not too much.

Its the simple and obvious answer but you need to learn to corner properly.

and leaning the bike rather than turning it quickly, and leaning it a bit earlier/timing it right. Leaning more and steering less gives more grip..

As above front is washing out due to your technique. I am rubbish at cornering “fast” (cough medium speed) and absolutely dire at flat corners where ime weight placement / technique is more important as you are not getting help from the ground.

You need more balanced weight on the bike (ie both wheels), the bike needs to be beneath you (as per video above), you should feel some weight on your inside hand, you should turn your hips and your head/eyes to where you want to go.

Book a skills course. I asked Jedi to focus on this with me (I fell off on the basic skills test and failed to go round one corner repeatedly on the correct line but I left knowing what I should do and 1 million percent better than when I arrived)

EDIT: that video @fast posted has some great tips, at the end he talks about how the front wheel is gripping and its ok for the rear wheel to skid. OP you are doing the complete opposite, rear wheel gripping front wheel washing out. You can practice on flat ground, even tarmac with a series of linked S turns – left right left right in a rhythm 🙂

Signed: Mincer who is a riding demon on the internet 😳

Let some air out of your front tyre?

very difficult to know given your description

which corner?
start slow and aim for smooth
gradually increase the speed into the corner, maintaining smooth
repeat till you get to old to ride.

Weight the front, a lot. Basically lean over the stem. Don’t turn, lean the bike. Outside food down. Get someone to video it.

Put some air in your tyre? I washed out catastrophically on Red 25, just next to were that chap died last year – due to an under-inflated front tyre..

More laser cock needed.

Trimix – Member
Weight the front, a lot. Basically lean over the stem. Don’t turn, lean the bike. Outside food down. Get someone to video it.

Yes, just like this:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/comedy-crash-tastic

Cheers Gents,

very difficult to know given your description

which corner?

it was the first set of berms at the top where the trails start, I am running 20psi on Maxxis Minnion tyres.

FastHaggis, many thanks, the elbow pressing is totally absent from my riding, got to be worth a go!

That first left hand berm has a quite loose gravel top coat. I’m not very good but I just go a bit higher up the bank to avoid the worst bit.

Trimix Outside food down. Get someone to video it.

sounds quite specialist to me…….. 😆

It’s surprising how few ‘full’ corners there are on my (and a lot of other peoples’ local trails). Trail centres are purpose built and often try to eke out as much descent as possible, so their corners tend to be more consistent in radius on the way around and turn through more degrees. I really have to make the effort to ‘complete’ turns at trail centres because of this (and I am way worse at cornering than smashing through rocks – although it sounds stupid to say it).

Those corners are quite tricky. Try focusing on entering the first left hander as far to the right of the trail as possible. You will probably need to adjust your line much further before the corner than you think to make it work. Follow the top of the small berm. Once you’re 1/3rd around the corner make sure you’re looking ahead at the next right hander. The following corner has lots of support.

Once you have that practised try finding another corner with better support and practise hitting it fast and purposely throwing your weight downwards in the corner to make full use of the berm providing support. Once you’re comfortable with this, try the same on the corner you mention.

More laser cock needed.

I think that flippant remark is wrong as, if you watch him, he pushes his hips forward to simulate pointing his pecker, which isn’t how they ride at all.

Great video that one though.

This one is missing now :

OP IMO which corner and tyre pressures are irrelevant questions. You need to practice cornering on the tarmac IMO, start with an empty car park somewhere. You want to build up your speed slowly. You might want to wear knee pads ! You should also practice skiddies 🙂

Your.weight.is.too.far.back.

That Fabien Barel one is the one I always go back to. It’s the first time it clicked with me.
The problem is I’m trying to replace technique programmed into my brain over 25 years. When riding within myself and smooth, I get close. Then something beyond my comfort level comes along I instantly revert to the old ways.
Someone mentioned above about videoing yourself – every time I see myself on video I realise that my arms are hardly bent compared to what I picture in my head.

Great to still be learning and getting faster though. Entering my first races for 20 years this year!

That Fabien Barel one is the one I always go back to

I like that one you posted most – the ‘screw yourself’ bit in particular.

health warning advice from some one who is no expert

But its n internet forum what did you expect

i’m with Jambalaya practice in a carpark

One of the few things I’ve ever done to move my riding on is spend half an hour working on cornering

I found an empty car park with a gravel surface and a boat of a slope leading in to a flat bit to get some speed

I created a corner with 2 cans

I then just rolled into my corner at the same speed every time. But each time i made the corner a bit tighter. I dangled my inside leg and planned to keep going until the bike slid out from under me. I didn’t get that far but I realised I has twice as much grip as I

I’m also confused by the first post. “The front washed out going into a berm”. Going into a berm aren’t you travelling in a straight line?

which corner is very relevant,(this is not the berm i thought you were talking about..) i think you are talking about the very first LH from the ramp. If you are struggling there, stop going up the start ramp before you do something dangerous.

there is a perfectly good pump track and the bombholes to get your cornering/pumping etc tuned in nicely.

plenty of progression available at AH

Cheers gents, the videos/comments are really helpful, time to go to school on body position it seems. I’m weighting my pedals correctly but having read this, my elbows and hips I’m sure are ‘following the bike around’ rather than ‘turning it through’ the corner. Need to go back now! I shall start on the pump track 😉

dont overlook the bombholes,
it tends to be quieter (further from the carpark), its a little less ‘sculptured’ with all variety of drops, berms etc to link together