Loose corners

Pick a line & stay loose to avoid being caught out in tricky turns

LEAN

When cornering, lean your bike in the direction you want to go. To do this, straighten your inside arm while keeping your body upright. This way, you’ll remain in balance above the bike but the inside edge of your tyres will be forced into the ground for extra grip. Dropping your outside foot will lower your centre of gravity even more and increase your stability in the turn.

advanced tips

A consistent loose surface can be perfect for getting your drift on. Lean the bike right over to the point where the tyres break traction, go light and let them slide. Stay off the brakes, look up and stay loose.

PRESSURE CONTROL BALANCE

If you want to increase the amount of grip you’ve got in a loose corner, compressing your bike into the ground by pushing through the pedals and making it heavier will provide extra traction. Keeping your core mass in balance over the bottom bracket makes it easier to correct a slip or control a drift. Try not to hang back off your handlebar because this will put your weight too far back.

RELAX

Loose corners can be unpredictable. Keep your arms and body relaxed and loose so you can iron out any changes in grip and absorb little slips. Keep your head up and focus beyond the exit of the corner to help your balance.

PRE EMPT

Scan the ground as you approach the corner. Look for areas with the best grip, and adjust your line so you can do most of your turning on these grippier sections. If it’s all loose, get ready to slip before you regain any grip.

COMMIT

When the ground is loose it’s important to choose your line and commit to it because any quick changes in direction or sudden braking will likely cause your front wheel to wash out. Try to do all of your braking before you start to turn, then focus on keeping your chest low, your head up and your weight central over your bike’s bottom bracket.