CORNER

IS ANYTHING IN YOUR WAY?

Mid-season 2021, I was having a paddock chat with a fellow racer who was a middle pack finisher. He wanted dearly to make it onto the podium. He shared with me that his survival instincts would not let him corner faster, fear got in his way. He just wasn’t willing to do what made him feel unsafe, a good thing.

We agreed that his commitment to ride within his comfort zone was admirable and he should not ride over his head. We then wondered aloud; were the faster riders just more brave than he? We think not.

If his courage level was up to the task then something else must be holding him back.

My suggestion was that he should identify what issue was the first thing to come to his mind while riding at his best pace.

Did he trust his tires to stick?

If not, why?

Was the bike holding a steady line, trying to hunt its way through corners, or reluctant to turn?

Was his level of fitness or riding gear restricting his maneuvering about on the bike?

Were his riding techniques sound or were they haphazard?

What was fighting him?

Could he stand on the podium while riding within his bounds if he eliminated his restrictions, one at a time?

These restrictions do not come to us in a text or telegram, they are usually very subtle…but they are there. We must be perceptive and honest to ourselves to admit what they are.

If it’s tires, check the build date, confirm proper pressure, and watch how the rubber looks after a few hard laps, Make changes as needed. Satisfied enough to trust them? Check.

The bike corners with a mind of its own. Stop fighting it, or accepting it, and fix it.

Adjust the fork height to gain/lose some trail, causing the bike to work with, not against him. Or whatever change the issue calls for.

Can’t swiftly shift in the saddle to move quickly side-to-side in switchback areas of the track.

Stretch while in gear, before getting onto the bike and adjust armor,etc. Do what it takes.

Having a tough time making small arc adjustments at full lean while in mid-corner?

There are five ways to adjust an arc while in a corner, which ones are appropriate at what time?

Have an experienced rider-coach follow and critique technique to give more control over the machine while at speed.

Armed with a new commitment, some coaching, and new found confidence, his lap times dropped by seconds in the coming few races, even with the same level of comfort as before. Survival instincts still intact. Later in the season the podiums began to come.

As racers, we should continually seek out the next thing that is holding us back. Find it, fix it, and expose the next one, and the next one….

Love being on the podium.