{"id":5606,"date":"2022-06-08T16:06:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T20:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/?p=5606"},"modified":"2024-02-05T22:37:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T03:37:01","slug":"how-to-corner-on-a-fixed-gear-bike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/tricks-and-performance\/how-to-corner-on-a-fixed-gear-bike\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Corner on A Fixed Gear Bike (8 Tips for The Track)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cornering is a skill that every cyclist must know how to do effectively. Learning to corner correctly on a bike is vital. It’s not just about going faster when it comes to corners; it’s also about having more control over your bike, making your journeys safer and more pleasurable. But what is cornering, and how do you corner on a fixed gear bike?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cornering on a fixed gear bike is similar to cornering on a road bike. The main difference is, of course, that on a fixed gear or a track bike, you do not stop pedaling. Keep the pedals engaged. If you have other things to keep in mind, use your drop bars, use the brakes before getting to the corner, and keep your eyes forward.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there’s a lot more to it than that. So, in this article, you will learn what cornering is, why it’s an important skill, and how to do it effectively to fly past the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editor’s note: This article was updated on June 9, 2022<\/strong>, to include additional information regarding cycling performance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is cornering?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cornering is the act of making aggressive angled turns while doing all you can to maintain speed and control.<\/strong> Track cyclists must be able to corner well to win a velodrome race. When you turn a corner, you must lean into the curve. Imagine your bodyweight steering you in the direction you want to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is highly recommended to use drop bars<\/a> when cornering on any bike. Using drop bars lowers your center of gravity and improves your aerodynamics. However, if you don’t have drop bars, check out some fixie drop bars below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[azonpress template=”grid” asin=”B0734YH15L,B08VYGTQ1M,B08X22TRZR”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to corner on a fixed gear bike<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Knowing how to corner is a skill that every cyclist must learn, or at least know the basics of. It will significantly enhance your writing experience. Here’s how to corner on a fixed gear or track bike.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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    Keep the train in mind when cornering<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Keep an eye out for sand, rocks, dirt, gravel, or fissures that could cause you to slip. When you add rain to the equation, your strategy changes even more. In wet weather, painted lines, maintenance hole covers, and oily pavement become slick. Everything you do is magnified on wet roads. When the bike is leaning, braking makes it easier to skid, and turning too quickly might cause your wheels to slip\u2014slow down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Use your drop bars<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Lowering your center of gravity by placing pressure on the front wheel while riding in the drops provides you with more traction and control on the bike\u2014not to mention that you’ll be faster and more aerodynamic! If you don’t have drop bars, these drop bars are really popular on Amazon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Brake sooner than later<\/h3>\n

    You’ve probably heard that you should brake before entering a corner. And we agree that, in an ideal world, you’d do exactly that. However, you may need to keep braking on downhill curves (especially hairpins) if you don’t want to pick up too much speed.<\/p>\n

    Any braking during cornering should be smooth and light. If you need to do it, do it gently and sparingly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Use your bodyweight<\/h3>\n

    While you may have a firm grip on your handlebars<\/a>, leaning is what causes a bike to turn quickly. It’s all about moving your center of gravity to balance the bike.<\/p>\n

    The faster you corner, the more you need to learn to keep your balance. The tires can no longer provide enough traction to keep you upright, so excessive leaning is not helpful, and sometimes the line between success and failure is thin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Fly through the apex<\/h3>\n

    Apexing is the fastest way to take a bend, so it’s worth mentioning. Simply put, apexing a bend involves flattening the curve as much as possible by taking a broad line into and out of the turn.<\/p>\n

    The flatter the curve, the faster you can safely go around it, or to put it another way, the quicker you can go through it, the safer you will be, as you won’t be struggling for grip or reaching for the brakes in a panic. Remember that you can still apex a corner and stay on the right side of the road.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Keep your eyes forward<\/h3>\n

    Take a look at the direction you want to go in. Keep your gaze fixed on the spot where you want to exit the corner, and your body will adapt your leaning, steering, and line accordingly. If you’re worried about not making it around the bend and ending up in the ditch, try not to focus on that ditch because if you do, that’s where you’ll end up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Check your speed when cornering<\/h3>\n

    Slow down before the corner, braking while still upright and traveling straight.<\/p>\n

    In reality, you can’t see far enough around the bend or predict every outcome, so you must adjust your pace. But there are ways to make it safer. However, don’t brake too hard if you want to slow down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Don’t tense up<\/h3>\n

    Your body’s first reaction will likely be to get tense in a corner. However, tensing up will only worsen things, so stay relaxed, especially in your upper body.<\/p>\n

    If you are tense, you might grab the brakes. And if you grab the front brake, you risk a washout (sliding out from under you) as the back wheels might lock up. Locking the rear wheel causes a broadside speedway skid that may be difficult to recover from.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Don’ stop pedaling<\/h3>\n

    Road cyclists don’t have this problem. However, if we’re talking about fixed gear bikes, you cannot coast. Much like sharks have to keep swimming, fixies have to keep pedaling. So don’t get complacent, and don’t stop pedaling when you’re nearing the corner. Keep those pedals engaged.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Fly out of the turn with speed<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    You should have just gracefully rounded the corner if you followed the preceding steps. You need to return the bicycle to its upright posture and resume pedaling as fast as possible!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

    If you want to see an example of this in action, take a look at this video called “Fixed Crit Training | Cornering Explained”<\/em> from the Juliet Elliott YouTube Channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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