The Ultimate MTB Cornering Drill
New Insights on the Ultimate Cornering Drill:
Last year, I wrote, “I have found that focusing only on the front brake keeps me centered (not creeping back over the rear wheel while braking) and frees up bandwidth by eliminating two things that you formerly had to pay attention to, namely your rear brake and rear wheel traction.”
I didn’t explain how important the “freeing up bandwidth” piece is. It’s EVERYTHING!
What is bandwidth:
Think of bandwidth as the total amount of focus you have.
You need 100% of your focus on where you are going to be in 5-7 seconds and how you are going to get there.
The INEFFECTIVE way to use your bandwidth:
When I’m using both front AND rear brakes as I’m slowing down before a corner, I’m “feeling” my rear tire for traction and listening to my rear tire to help me modulate the rear brake. This takes a lot of focus.
If I don’t have enough bandwidth (focus) left over for my vision, the most important piece of cornering is going to suffer!
If 50% of your focus is on what is going on behind you, you only have 50% for what is most important to you: figuring out and doing what you need to do over the next 5-7 seconds.
What’s behind you is done; what’s in front of you is the only thing that matters.
The EFFECTIVE way to use your bandwidth:
By focusing on using your front brake aggressively and not worrying about the rear brake, your entire focus is on what is in front of you.
This makes you feel like you are going slower, feel less rushed and makes you feel more in control. It’s mind-blowing! That corner that always feels a little too tight? It seems gigantic now. Instead of “Oh, crap,” your brain is laughing at how easy this is. It is that easy!
Read the rest of this article and go out and do this drill. You will be amazed 😃
The Ultimate MTB Cornering Drill
Now read on….
Do you want to master the art of cornering? If so, I’d like to share the ultimate on-trail cornering drill to make you corner faster. This drill makes me so much faster that I often get PRs while doing this drill!
This is the follow-up to my previous article titled You Are Entering Corners Too Fast
You need to be able to do the 4 most important pieces of cornering to do this drill and this drill helps make all four easier.
The most important pieces of cornering are, in order of importance:
1. Vision, looking at the corner and picking your line on the way to the corner.
As you start your turn, look through the corner past the exit. (Unless your vision is blocked, in which case look as far into the corner as possible, and as soon as you can see further do so).
2. Understanding and being proficient at Counter pressure/steering.
Initiate a turn by pushing your inside grip forward away from your body (gently steering in the opposite direction).For more on this, watch the second video in this post
3. Understanding and being proficient at finishing your braking to cut speed in a straight line (knowing how to get the most out of your front brake).
Never try to change direction and cut speed at the same time. This overloads your tires’ ability to maintain traction and it decreases your lean-angle by making the bike stand up.
Here is Greg Minnaar’s Take
4. Maintaining correct body position!
Can you stay hinged at the hips, elbows up and out, body centered, and above your bike?
More on Body Position Here
Do you understand and are fairly proficient at those skills? Then you are going to love this drill! If not, please practice those skills and become good at them before doing the following drill.
This drill is best done on a trail where you can descend easily but when you up your speed, it gets much harder.
In Moab, my favorite trails for this drill are Eagle Eye, Falcon Flow, and Hazard. These are curvy blue trails and a fast, but not a steep, black trail.
Finally – The Drill
Pretend you don’t have a rear brake.
Focus on only using your front brake (which does 70-100% of cutting your speed) all the way down the trail.
Like me, you may have gotten used to using your rear brake to try and save you when you have entered corners too fast.
Knowing that you are not going to use the rear brake can be scary! That fear will help you slow down so you enter the corner at a speed that makes the corner feel easy at your current skills level.
By forcing yourself to slow down to the correct entrance speed for the corner, you will corner with more control, less fear, and achieve greater exit speed.
I have found that focusing only on the front brake keeps me centered (not creeping back over the rear wheel while braking) and frees up bandwidth by eliminating two things that you formerly had to pay attention to, namely your rear brake and rear wheel traction.
This makes it much easier to look through the corner.
I’m already centered and usually feel like I slowed down more than I needed to as I start the corner. This makes looking through the corner easier as I am confident and calm.
Though it feels slow (because I’m looking further ahead and I’m more relaxed) I’m able to exit the corner with greater speed which has led to quite a few PRs!
Conclusion:
This drill reminds me of the time I ran into my former student Cody Kelley (US National Enduro Champion) seven years ago at Bootleg Canyon.
He ran up to me saying, “Gene, Gene, I’m so excited!” I asked him what he was excited about, and he said, “I’m wearing out two sets of front brake pads before wearing out one set of rear pads!”
I was so impressed! He then asked, “Why are you you impressed, you taught me this?” I replied that I might have taught him that, but I’m still a little too in love with my rear brake. This was one of those “do as I say, not as I do” moments 😊
The student had become the master! Have you watched Cody ride/race? He reminds me of Minnaar, he is so smooth and calm in the corners he’s almost boring to watch, thankfully he has style for miles on the rest of the trail!
Go out and practice this drill/technique and start riding safer, faster, and more efficiently today!
Please share this article with anyone you think may benefit and feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.
Cheers,
Gene
I relaxed, saw the line I wanted to take, found my balance and went through the section very controlled – it was great!
I’ll add this drill to my pre-ride figure 8 drill that you taught me many years ago. I repeat in my head “Butt to the berm; steer to the turn” mantra which helps me stay centered but it doesn’t address correct corner speed. I can’t wait to practice on his front brake drill. Thanks
Hi Fred, excellent, I think you are going to love this drill! Keep up the great practice, Gene
Great idea Gene and I thank you for it.
Hi Neil,
You are welcome. I hope your cornering is getting better and better!
Cheers,
Gene