Why can't i turn right?

peat

Morning,

So, i rack up a fair few miles on my MTB doing cross-country and commuting rides. I had a window yesterday and decided to check out the little trail centre in Swindon (Croft) to see what it was all about.

This was my first time to a trail centre of any kind and it was quite a bit tighter and technical than i was expecting/used to. After an abortive start (went to wrong way - whoops - thanks to the kindly foreigner who set me back in the right direction) and 2 laps of gopping through the mud at a snails pace i realised something - I can't turn right!

I can commit to left-handers no trouble, get some decent lean on and carry some pace, but when faced with a right, even with a berm, i tend to stiffen up and can't physically turn the bars or pedal. I end up almost coming to a complete standstill or even having to put a foot down.

I tried to push myself through it, mind over matter etc, but to no avail. I can't turn right!!!! Gaaahhh!

Has anyone else had this and if so, what did you do to overcome it?

cooldad

Most people feel more comfortable with one or the other, but what have you done up to now? Go round in circles?

MountainMonster

Is it the same when out on streets, or does it only happen once the going gets rough?

Majski

I'm better at right turns than left, and can only hip to the right - everyone seems to have a preferred turn. Just find some corners and session them, that seemed to help me.

Fallsalot

If it gets really bad just remember, 2 wrongs don't make a right but 3 lefts do.

VWsurfbum

Fallsalot wrote:

If it gets really bad just remember, 2 wrongs don't make a right but 3 lefts do.

I used to have the same problem skating on ramps, anywhoo, it could be a neck issue, if you cant see your exit properly, that may be hampering your turn?

Majski

Probably true, i'm blind in my left eye so turning left is a git because I have to turn my head right round to spot the exit, turning right is much easier

benpinnick

Its all about your feet and body positioning. As you will naturally ride with one foot forward, you'll probably find it easier to turn in one direction over the other. You need to learn to position yourself differently for the other way - a position which is a bit counterintuitive to start (hence the problems). once you've nailed it though it becomes second nature and you forget you ever did it wrong.

If you make it over Swinley way one day, let me know, I'll be happy to show you the technique....

Wily-Quixote

Happens to me too, I think it's a holdover from some road crashes I had in my Yoof. I can change the behaviour if I consciously relax the key I think is rehearsal and practice to change learnt behaviors.
It really limits my ability as a racer though

R8JimBob88

Same here, I reckon its because I ride my road bike to commute 5 days a week and only ever put my left foot down when stopping. It just feels odd putting my right foot out.

Anonymous

Something that helps a lot with turns is sorting out the vision. Turn your head as you go into the turn and fix your sight on the exit of the turn. You'll likely find you turn a hell of a lot easier and the bike turns naturally without you thinking about it. Takes a bit of practice to stop staring ahead, at the floor, your wheel, etc.

Practice on a flat section of fire road or similar just doing figure 8 turns.

There are plenty of other things to dial in with this though, especially footwork (drop the foot on the outer edge of the turn), and leaning the bike not yourself (get off the seat for this). Though I'd recommend a skills course or at least someone to give you pointers as it's one thing just saying these things but far better to be shown as it can just click into place once you've been shown. You'll get better value out of one than paying for an upgrade on the bike.

ilovedirt

Just practice. I'm more comfortable on left turns than right (same with hipping), but I can still hit right handers fine.

bluechair84

benpinnick wrote:

Its all about your feet.

I think this. Try swapping your leading foot and see what that does.

deadkenny wrote:

fix your sight on the exit of the turn.

And this.

peat

Thanks for all the replies guys! It's all good food for thought.

Chinley Churner

I had exactly the same "Zoolander" problem... I put it down to having spent a lot of time charging round a velodrome so I was dialled to turning left.. I remember a training session at Herne Hill when the coach had us ride round in the wrong direction.. hysterical, ultra-experienced riders suddenly wobbling along like toddlers... anyway practice, practice and more practice have sorted it for me now though.

paul.skibum

Everyone has a dominant foot.

Its the foot you can balance best on and is not neccessarily the one you naturally put forward when riding. That is more likely to be your "power" foot, i.e. the one you will usually use first when starting pedalling.

My natural balance is on my right leg and I can whip my bike round to the left as I find it natural to drop my right foot down and get my weight in the correct place. When I turn left my tendency is to stay in the attack position rather than dropping my left foot, as my balance tends to be on my right foot still my weight is often inside the turn and toward the back of the bike, which makes my steering light and the rear wheel inclined to break away on me.

I find I have to force myself to drop the left foot and weight it - if I do the rest of me is generally doing the right thing and I can rip turns. I have recently been riding the bike park a fair bit and practicing a lot and find it is comign together well and that is translating to my xc/trail riding - I was on a black rooty trail the other day and a sequence of 4 or 5 quick turns came up which I nailed, barely slowed, just shoved the bike through them, came out the other side wishing someone had seen as it felt beautiful - the best 30 yards I have ever ridden on a bike!

1mancity2

paul.skibum wrote:

Everyone has a dominant foot.

Its the foot you can balance best on and is not neccessarily the one you naturally put forward when riding. That is more likely to be your "power" foot, i.e. the one you will usually use first when starting pedalling.

Agree its all in the feet.

just shoved the bike through them, came out the other side wishing someone had seen as it felt beautiful - the best 30 yards I have ever ridden on a bike!

The best feeling! when you get the back end whooshing through the corners.

I can't do 180 rotations to the left only the right, same thing, feet...

snotty badger

When I read the title it made me think of Zoolander,

I'm not an ambi-turner. It's a problem I had since I was a baby. I can't turn left.

peat

Well, it was semi-deliberate as i am really really good looking.

bluechair84

Did you first notice this when looking into the back of a spoon?

peat

So, i went for a thrash around the hills last night and with the advice on this thread think i have narrowed it down. When i turn left, i have my right pedal down. When i turn right, i have left pedal 'forward' (1/4 to the hr). That must raise my CoG, plus i'm not loading the frame as much. So that at least explains WHY i have no confidence in the bike.

Now it is a case of putting some theory into practice and gradually overcoming this. I alter my positioning for a few turns and started to feel a difference - it was a general XC hack so not to many technical parts to try it out on.

snotty badger

Have a look at this vid,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF5K9V2w ... ata_player


I can see my faults now, I nearly always lead with my right rather than drop my outside foot. Just need my brain to take control now...

peat

Great vid. Thanks!

BONES87

Been having the same issue for years...... Throws all aspects of my riding out. Strangely had the same issue with snowboarding but managed to over come that with time and practice......... Gunna have to find a pump track and get practicing

keef66

It's definitely to do with the pedals and fear of grounding. I'm the same on my road bike, left handers just seem natural and my right pedal's instinctively down and weighted. For some reason I have to think about right handers and still sometimes have the wrong pedal down. I'm guessing if you took the cranks off and went down with your feet in the air you'd manage left and right with equal ease.

Mind you, I was the same in goal, always favoured diving to my left. Maybe it's to do with protecting the dominant (right) hand / foot?

02gf74

I have this and reckon it's due to a dominant foot. You will find there is one foot that you clip in first with the other foot still on the ground. Also when coming to a stop, one foot is unclipped first, most likely the one clipped in last.

When turning it feels safer going round a corner on same side as the first to unclip as this can be done to prevent a fall. The other side is more awkward.

steve_sordy

Oh bugger! Now you've given me a whole new problem not to have! :shock:

sniper68

Holy thread resurrection....6 years on!!!!!
Post #23...July 2012.
Post #24....July 2018 by someone with 1 post :roll:

02gf74

Peat wrote:

Great vid. Thanks!

Started to watch that but glaring difference is he is riding flat pedals so is not clipped in.

Thae short time to guaranteed unclipping is what I think is the problem, or one of them.

The Rookie

Sniper68 wrote:

Holy thread resurrection....6 years on!!!!!
Post #23...July 2012.
Post #24....July 2018 by someone with 1 post :roll:

He did say he’d been having the issue for years.....