Brakes! - Train your brain! - Teaching granny to suck eggs!

I locked up my rear going into a tightish left hander in France, it was after a large series of similar bends in succession except this one was slightly tighter, more downhill and had a large wall right next to it, bottom line is I target fixated on the wall ( i had already taken similar corners at the same speeds easily ) and grabbed the brakes a bit, once the rear was unloaded, the rear locked, luckily I have my brain programmed to come off the brakes immediately if they lock as it's happened loads of times in the past in cars and on bikes.

I've learnt a lot in France about cornering and more importantly getting set up beforehand, it's also easy on a twisty stretch to get out of shape 3-4 corners earlier which can still affect your lines.

I've learnt the most important thing about cornering too, and that's SLOW DOWN!

Don't do them as fast as you could do them, leave yourself a margin for error, some grip in reserve, and so never make it a panic situation in the first place.

Good advice. I found 'A twist of the Wrist volume 2' to be a great help. And no it's not a wank manual!

It talks through all the 'Survival Reactions' and how to deny them. However, I have found reading is one thing, actually being able to control them is another.

Well worth a read though...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twist-Wrist-.../dp/0965045021

[MisterTommyH]

Don't see why anyone could have a problem with this thread?

I'd had a lockup at the last corner, before I parted company with the group last week (part of the reason I decided to come home - the other being that I'd been riding terribly all day). Think I scared Davenumbers as I headed towards him(!)

Always good to have a reminder like this.

Originally Posted by Chris Bird

However, I have found reading is one thing, actually being able to control them is another.

I've read some of that Twistywrist book, it's really good. But as you say, no amount of reading can make up for experience on the road. It certainly helps get your head in the right mindset though

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

I've learnt the most important thing about cornering too, and that's SLOW DOWN!

Don't do them as fast as you could do them, leave yourself a margin for error, some grip in reserve, and so never make it a panic situation in the first place.

Tbh Col, although unpopular with most on here I'm sure, this is more important than the things you mentioned in your op.

Even if you go round the corner with ease and well within your skill level, we can't control what's stopped or in our path when we get round, this is where going a bit slower will help with reaction times and stopping distances IMO.

If you can see through the corner then fair enough you can go a bit faster.

Originally Posted by Tommy H

Don't see why anyone could have a problem with this thread?

I'd had a lockup at the last corner, before I parted company with the group last week (part of the reason I decided to come home - the other being that I'd been riding terribly all day). Think I scared Davenumbers as I headed towards him(!)

Always good to have a reminder like this.

Me and Danf were discussing similar the other day, we both lead in France, some days I felt really on it and rode quicker, other days I felt 'off' it and backed off a bit, the one day I was flying and dan just didn't feel right so didn't try to stay up my trumpet.
Other days it was in reverse, he was flying and I didn't feel as confident so rolled back a bit.
If we are feeling like it's not working for us one day, don't try and keep up with other riders, just reel it in a bit and it might come good after a while instead of ending badly.

[yorkie_chris]

Practice practice practice.

Physical preparations, the muscle memory of how to hold the bike properly is important, if you're tense it won't handle right and you'll panic. Develop the muscle memory of how to stop bloody hard, PRACTICE!

Mental preparations, the brain training, go through every scenario in your head. Have predefined responses to them. Go through them after every ride, what happened, what would you have done if x had happened at y point. Etc. Think about what you do at every stage. (not while riding...)


The brain is a bloody complicated thing and it's designed for having a good scrap with a sabre toothed tiger over bits of dead mammoth. This does not translate well to strapping yourself to a missile and firing yourself through the countryside. Adrenaline (and hence panic...) response is NOT your friend. Half of the brain training is realising that fear is a completely normal feeling, so you don't get that adrenal dump and freeze up.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Is talking about emergency braking in a straight line, and has nothing to do with cornering.

Both actually, if you need to brake for a corner you need to (your brain needs to let you...) be decisive. Brake THEN corner. Maybe trail brake in if you want but don't try to do serious braking and cornering at the same time or you'll come a cropper.

Train your brain to act in an effective and decisive way. It's FAR better to lowside from running out of ground clearance than to dither your way, upright, into a hedge while having a dilemma about what to do. If in doubt bang the f***er over and hope for the best!

Originally Posted by specialone

Even if you go round the corner with ease and well within your skill level, we can't control what's stopped or in our path when we get round, this is where going a bit slower will help with reaction times and stopping distances IMO.

If you can see through the corner then fair enough you can go a bit faster.

Well, yes, you DO control what's in your path when you go round the corner as if you do the job right you MAKE SURE your stopping distance is in sight at all times. It is rule #1.

If you have gone round a corner and found a cow sat there or something you are obviously way beyond your observational limits (while remaining within your technical skills 'cos you made it round there)






APOLOGY:
I find the mentality of riding and the physics of riding absolutely fascinating so I'm a bit of a geek. If you don't like it go read someone else's ramblings!

[DarrenSV650S]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Well, yes, you DO control what's in your path when you go round the corner as if you do the job right you MAKE SURE your stopping distance is in sight at all times. It is rule #1.

Sorry but that is bs

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S

Sorry but that is bs

Ok, it is BS. Consider these 2 options;

• Go round a corner remaining within observational limits. See cow in road. Execute emergency stop. Swear at cow.
• Go round a corner beyond observational limits. See cow in road. Hit cow.

Which one do you think is sensible?
"Always make sure you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear" is pretty much as cast-iron self-preservation common sense you will ever see.

How many crashes are there where a biker "comes round a corner to find a car in his path". Why was he going round too fast to stop or give the car chance to see him? Might as well ride at night with your feckin lights off!

If you corner beyond your observational limits you've committed to one path that you HOPE is correct. It's pure LUCK whether there is a cow or a fallen tree in that path or not because you've removed the safety margin and given up your control over the situation.