HOW TO | CORNER
MASTER THE BENDS
Riding a bike well is mostly about cornering . Get the ABCs right and you can really enjoy the unique sensation of two wheels .
WORDS LUKE EDWARDES-EVANS • PHOTOGRAPH MANU MOLLE / HAUTE ROUTE
A
RELAX YOUR MENTAL APPROACH
Rule number one for anything bike-handling related : relax . Try to imagine your mind floating above your body as you cycle along , processing information and passing on instructions to your body . If the body starts to tense up , the mind needs to acknowledge that and set about with instructions to calm things down . Practise talking to your body , running through a set of checks that help to relax you . Are you tensing your jaw ? Open your mouth a bit and focus on steady breathing . Are you gripping the bars too tightly ? Loosen your grip ; try and get a feel for the road through the bars . Bend your elbows , relax your shoulders . Shift around in the saddle – unlock your position and try to replace anxiety with enjoyment .
B LEAN INTO THE BEND
You don ’ t turn a bike through a sweeping bend : you bank it over and , like a bird tipping its wings , the bike glides in the direction of lean . It ’ s the most natural feeling in the world and is the closest you get to flying without leaving the ground . There is barely any physical input to swooping through a corner . Doing it safely , smoothly and swiftly is all down to how you assess the corner in your head as you approach it . Try to look into and ‘ through ’ the corner as you approach it . The fastest bends are the ones where you can see all the way around to the exit . Next comes a bend that opens out as you go through it , always giving you enough room to gently brake into it or just flow around it as the bend rapidly opens up ahead of you .
C
ENSURE YOUR BIKE IS IN TOP CONDITION
If you are not comfortable on your bike , get a professional fitting session and some advice on what ’ s bothering you . Your bike is your best friend on the road ; you have to trust the brakes , the handling and feedback . A very stiff racer with tyres pumped up hard on carbon rims can feel light and lively on less than billiard smooth surfaces . Whatever your bike , confidence in the tyres is essential . Fit the best you can afford ; quality rubber is worth every penny . The trend for 25c fatter section road tyres adds some feel and comfort to the front end , and you can even drop to around 90psi on the front for extra suppleness . The same goes for your brakes – fit quality pads and replace the cables if they feel stiff . ●