by Eric SNider

Late spring I battled a few saddle sores.  I treated them as best I could, but did not stop riding.  Instead, I would ride standing for 3-5' out of each 10' (e.g. ride seated for 5', standing for 5') through an entire 1-3 hour ride.  Keeping the pressure and friction off the sores seemed to speed recovery (but what I want to say is not about saddle sore treatment), and standing in a big gear seemed to give me added leg strength while working at an easy heart rate (but what I want to say is not about strength training).  Instead, it is what I learned about cornering while riding so many miles standing. 

What I learned is that as I was pedaling through corners standing, when my outside foot was in its downstroke, I could lean the bike much more sharply into the corner.  We have all heard that to corner effectively at speed, your outside foot needs to be in the down position with weight on the outside foot (I've heard it attributed to Davis Phinney's technique of "counter-steering").  But how do you get the feel for that?  It is one thing to keep the inside pedal up in a fast corner, it is another thing to have weight on the outside foot.  I discovered a way to give a rider the feel for that.  Set up a rectangular (or triangular, I don't care) course in a parking lot or smooth field (or just try this as you are out for an easy ride around city or suburban streets).  Ride standing at a speed moderate enough that you can pedal through the corners.  As you are rounding the corners and your pedal stroke is putting downforce on the outside pedal, see what it feels like to have the weight on the outside pedal, and notice how much you can lean the bike.  Now transfer that skill and feeling to rounding corners at speeds more typical of a crit or road race. 

I am not saying that body position on the bike is the most important component of fast cornering.  But neither would I say that picking the best line through a corner is the most important component of fast cornering.  However, when you combine the best line with proper body position, you will go faster through the corners. 

Eric Snider

[Dave Teall also has some comments on cornering.]