The Art of MTB Cornering

The art of cornering has got to be the next priority, the next step in upping one’s mountain biking skills and ability. The inability to corner efficiently and at speed will leave you frustrated and miserable at the fact that your riding buddies are faster than you and no amount of time spent racing Chris Froome online or adding crossfit to your training routine, will help you in the slightest.

Here are a few basic yet valuable tips.

1. Invest in a dropper post. It’s the one single best upgrade you can do to your mountain bike!
2. Eyes on the exit is the simplest way to ensure that you and your bike go precisely where you want to. That is where your eyes are pointed. Look all the way through the exit of the corner rather than just past your front wheel as so many of us are prone to do. If you stare at or fixate on a particular obstacle, be it a rock or a tree stump, you will hit it. Similarly look past the corner, at the exit and that is where you will go.
3. Don’t tilt your head when going into a corner. Keep it level. Tilting your head will only warp the way you see the corner, causing you to hit an obstacle or, at very least, overshoot the corner.
4. Adapt your body position to the terrain in preparation to successfully negotiate the corner. Raise your outside elbow while straightening your inside arm, dipping it below your inside knee. Outside elbow out, inside knee up adds much stability and control hence confidence.(plus of course that dropper post).
5. Don’t hang your butt off over the rear wheel. This will cause your front wheel to lose traction and down you go. Instead remain standing and centered, keeping your weight slightly more over the front wheel rather than the rear. This technique will enable your front tire to remain firmly planted, guiding you through the corner.
6. If the corner is not too rough or too tight, keep your pedals at the same level. Best to place your inside foot at the rear. This technique will add stability and control.
7. Lean your bike not your body. By leaning your bike yet keeping your bodyweight centred means your centre of gravity remains precisely where it should be. Your weight pushing down directly into and through the tyres will keep you safe and planted rather than leaning your body into the corner, wheels unweighted and down you go. Get out of the saddle, hovering over it.
8. Be dynamic not static. This takes a bit of practice but once you have the hang of it your cornering will be revolutionized.
9. Suspension set up and tire pressures are often overlooked however these are vital off road. Wheels constantly on the ground means stability and traction. Tires too hard (a common mistake) and your wheels will lose traction over the rough stuff. The same goes for your suspension. Too soft and your bike will handle like a wet noodle. Too hard and you’ll be bucked around as if on a pogo stick (rebound settings too must be dialled in to suite the terrain).

I hope these tips add value and fun to your riding experience. Oh and did I mention that all important dropper post…?