Tag Archives: on the road

Braking into corners…not entering or crashing

Technique is the key to fast and safe cornering

The Breakaway

Ignoring the sheer stupidity of riding a bike eg a trendy, beard friendly fixie, without brakes, mastering the skill of braking into corners is an essential cycling road skill. You only have to watch the pros come unstuck on tight fast corners to understand how important this skills is.

The Leadout

The key riding corners well lies in three simple points, B-L-L:
Brake – Brake early
Look – look where you want to go,
Lean – lean in

Here’s detail

The Peloton

Skill What to do
Brake Alway, always, always brake before entering a corner, not whilst you are going round it. In races or your daily commute through traffic intersections its tempting to hit the gas and go round fast.
Look Sounds so obvious, but its axiomatic.  Look where you want the bike to go, not where you are and certainly not down at the road.  Looking down may result in you panicking and slamming the brakes, mid-maneuver.  This is guaranteed way to loose skin, break bones and scratch up your bike.
Lean Body position in the corner is critical. A s you enter the corner raise your peal closest to the corner so that you knee is at a 90 degree angle.  Place the weight of your upper body on same side. This counterbalancing helps with traction.

Look at me Ma…No Hands…

Riding hands-free without losing skin

The Lead Out

Being a bit ‘unco’ I’ve always found riding ‘no hands’ a bit of challenge.  However, as I’ve been doing pilates and yoga for my bad back, I’ve found it a lot easier.  Core strength seems to have other benefits.  Here’s list of other practice exercises that I’ve read about that are supposed to help you

The Breakaway

Basically it’s about practice and confidence.  The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel.  Soon you’ll be able to ‘look at me Mom, no hands’ without this happening.

http://youtu.be/WAFs_IuG22Y – more proof that GoPro encourages young men of all ages to do stupid things 🙂

Also you really want to avoid doing this at the finish of a race -> http://youtu.be/yGcTCJxnQuI

The Peloton

So here’s the exercise:

  1. Ride in a gear that allows you to keep a steady cadence and a static upper body. In real-world situations, you’ll want to keep pedalling. To build balance skills, practice while coasting down a slight grade, with plenty of space around you.
  2. Sit upright with your pedals level and your hands on the top of the bar.
  3. Shift your weight onto your feet. Keep your butt light and remove all weight from your hands. Let your palms barely rest on the bar, as if they aren’t there.
  4. Steer and balance by subtly moving your hips from side to side. Keep your hands touching the bar for security, but resist the urge to use it for control.
  5. When you feel more confident, take your hands off the bar. Lift them further away and for longer periods, and experiment with sitting up and pedalling. Soon your balance will improve, and you’ll be sitting up, hands free and able to change clothes, unwrap an energy bar or do that victory salute!

But remember its really important to keep count of the laps when doing your salute 🙂 -> http://youtu.be/Sci6Y4COzCI, lest you look like a dill.

Joy of Hand Signals

Cycling hand signals – a few basics

The Lead Out

Using hand signal isn’t just good manners its also the law.  As a cyclist , it’s a necessary survival skill on Melbourne’s busy roads.  Giving a hand signal does not guarantee a cyclist’s safety. Its critical that you assess the actions of the other cyclists and road users around you to make sure it is safe, particularly  before turning or changing lanes.

The Breakaway

Using hand signal isn’t just good manners, it’s a necessary survival skill on Melbourne’s busy roads.  Once you start riding in groups they become essential.

The Peloton

Hand signals help to tell other cyclists and road users where you intend to go and what you intend to do.  Cyclists are required by law to give a hand signal when turning right or merging to the right lane.  Typically a cyclist should Indicate about 30 metres before turning or changing lane position.

The obvious ones are left, right and brake needed for navigating roads and traffic.  These are good for English speaking countries but be warned there are some interesting variations in other places.

Left Extend your left arm out parallel to the road with your palm sideways to the ground.  If you are by yourself exaggerate the gesture so nearby or following cars can see it.  If you are in a peloton, a smaller but still noticeable gesture is still good manners.
Right As above but with your right.  Ditto on the advice for traffic and pelotons.
Brake Having seen my wife get run up the back by an extremely inobservant and grumpy MAMIL near St.Kilda Sea Baths, I can vouch for the necessity of signalling that you are breaking.There are two variations; the arm is placed in a 90 degree angle to the shoulder with palm either extended skywards or towards the road.

There are a few others that conscientious road cyclist should know.

Move out To alert riders behind that there’s an obstruction ahead such as a parked car, pedestrian or skip/pot hole, indicate the way they should move by pointing in that direction with your hand behind your back.
Hazard here Point down at any hazard on the road, such as a pothole or road kill to warn riders behind.
Surface beware keep your palm down to indicate that there is a surface hazard to be avoided on that side such as broken glass, loose gravel , mud or water.
Your turn If the rider in front whose wheel you’ve been riding for a while, lifts their right elbow out to the side, they are asking you to come through and do a turn on the front.  Time to go to work  !!