Cornering technique for slippery roads

Turbulent Bill

Hi folks,
What's the best technique (weight balance, steering, braking etc.) to use when cornering on slippery roads (or in general)? I'm always very tentative going around roundabouts, junctions etc., especially when there are road markings, as I don't really know how to approach them. Thanks!

seamus

Well avoid wet road markings as much as you can, they can be lethal.

Be aware of the road conditions. A light showering creates a far more dangerous road than torrential rain. Avoid pedalling while cornering as this will lower traction. Also avoid braking - brake before the corner, before you lean, and only brake again when you've straightened up. If you must brake or change your balance, go for the rear wheel. It's far easier to recover from a rear wheel skid than a front wheel one.

By far the most prudent thing to do though is to drop your speed and reduce your lean. Take the corner wide if conditions and traffic allow.

paddyb

if your turning left, your right leg should be almost straight. This gives more grip.

Chips Lovell

I just take everything slower. Lower speed and less of a lean. And yes, road markings are to be avoided.

petethedrummer

you could slow down or you could use it as a chance to practice your power slide.

CianRyan

petethedrummer wrote: »

a chance to practice your power slide.

I want videos, if this is the case.

GreeBo

Sometimes I lean the opposite way and keep the bike vertical and turn using the steering alone. Only really works when going slowly but seems to offer less chance of a slide (especially on ice, tar, manhole, paint etc)

Civilian_Target

Take it handy, don't pedal on the corner itself, stay in lane, use the back to brake if you mean to continue and the front to brake if you need to stop.

Gavin

Err.. don't use a front brake going around a slippy bend if you don't want to eat the floor.

Turbulent Bill

Thanks folks, some good suggestions there.

seamus

Verb wrote: »

Err.. don't use a front brake going around a slippy bend if you don't want to eat the floor.

I assume he means, "Straighten up and then use the front brake". Never mind eating floor, I'd love to see someone stop dead in a full lean

GreeBo

you can use the front brake if you use my "keep the bike vertical" cornering technique, it rocks!

Though manholes can still jump up and bit you in the ass

studiorat

paddyb wrote: »

if your turning left, your right leg should be almost straight. This gives more grip.

Apparently leaning more than the bike itself improves road holding. It seems to, blame Richard Ballentine if this is not so!

ba

using all of the above techniques, i normally move my weight backwards, towards the rear wheel when cornering. increases grip across rear tyre. have yet to fall. in turn i keep weight off the front end. any help?

GreeBo

studiorat wrote: »

Apparently leaning more than the bike itself improves road holding. It seems to, blame Richard Ballentine if this is not so!

Thats pretty much what I was saying, I try to keep the bike more upright than I am so there is less chance of a slide.

niceonetom

anytime i've come off on a slippery bend it's always been because i was nervous and tentative. am i braking to much? am i going to fast? should my weight be on the pedals or on the saddle? argh.... bump. ow. :mad::(:o:rolleyes:

there's a lot of good advice above, but my 2c is that flowing with the bike and keeping things soft and fluid allows the bike to find more grip. being rigid and stiff and gripping the handlebars for dear life doesn't allow you to respond to what the bike is telling you about grip, and doesn't allow you to react fast enough to avoid embarrassment and injury.

blorg

niceonetom wrote: »

anytime i've come off on a slippery bend it's always been because i was nervous and tentative. am i braking to much? am i going to fast? should my weight be on the pedals or on the saddle? argh.... bump. ow. :mad::(:o:rolleyes:

I remember a particularly spectacular hairpin in the Alps, thankfully not on the cliff side