Cornering

[mickjordan]

This is more of a general 'bent issue than Cruzbike specific.

Now that I am getting comfortable on the bike, I've started cornering in the 'hood. I find myself turning the front wheel more than I would on a DF bike and, related, I'm leaning less.

Last weekend I happened to take refresher course on cornering on a DF bike, put on by the San Francisco Randonneurs. In short, reduce speed, position the body correctly (to outside) weight the outside bar, lean the bike over, wait for the apex, sink body down into apex, rise up and get ready for next turn.

Not too much of this seems to translate to a 'bent but, since bents generally descend faster than a DF, correct cornering seems pretty important. I asked the instructor but he had no experience with 'bents.S

So how do you experienced riders handle corners on descents at apeed?

Mick

 

[MrSteve]

All of my cornering, on single track vehicles, has been done with short-wheelbase bikes.
All current Cruzbike machines are short-wheelbase bikes (the Cruzbuke Sigma is a long-wheelbase bike.)
All the cornering techniques that apply to mainstream short-wheelbase bikes apply
to short-wheelbase Cruzbikes.

In general, when you're traveling at 25mph or less, the technique you've learned from
the San Francisco Randonneurs is correct.
This is the same low-speed cornering technique taught to the California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers
(CHiPS).
-My uncle and a cousin were CHiPs.

In transitional speeds (where you transition from low-speed technique to high-speed technique)
-you generally keep your weight aligned with the vertical axis of your bike.
Neither weighting the outside nor the inside, in other words.

High speed (over 30mph) is where interesting things happen and they happen quickly.
It's very important to be relaxed.
Confident, smooth and relaxed.
It's also important to see 'through' the corner: you will go where you are looking.
If you cannot see through the corner -and you are not on a racecourse- you are going too fast.

Since bicycles, compared to motorcycles scooters and mopeds are powerless,
you will not use any body english (steering methods) that require you to, "hang off".
No knee sliders.
No hanging your body inside your bicycles' turn.
Besides, our recumbent bicycles do not have footpegs -or even bottom brackets- where they need to be
to accomodate "hanging off!"

All your high-speed cornering should be done with your body in line with your bikes' vertical axis.
You're in-line with your bike, in other words.
Just like old-fashioned motorcycle racers used to do (before King Kenny Roberts started winning with
hanging off).


---

For your safety, you ought to practice getting your inside foot unclipped from your pedal.
Why?
You'll need your inside foot -the foot inside your turn- down on the ground, should one of
your wheels wash out (slide) on gravel, sand, diesel, roadkill or other slick patch.
Practice unclipping your inside foot in turns.
If you're unfamiliar with the road you're on and you're riding through blind corners you ought
to consider unclipping your inside foot before you enter a blind corner.


Other than these few pointers?
Practice!


Ride safe,
-Steve