Cornering in the wet?

MTB noob

Its a simple question but I have never got a suitable answer for it...

When you are cornering in a wet and muddy woodland, possibly a lot of leaves and sticks on the ground, what technique would you suggest to get the most grip on the flat corners? I had a large problem trying to stop my front wheel from suddenly slipping about a foot sideways when cornering.

I appreciate all the recommendations

Thanks

rjkflyer

This might seem like a bit of an obvious and/or unhelpful answer, but avoiding turns on slippery/loose material is the answer.

Small contact patch (bicycle tyre) + loose material (leaves, sticks) + lubricant (water) + sideways force (cornering) = fall off

I'm a roadie, and it's the same for us: you just HAVE to time your turns to be on the best possible surface. Friend of mine came off at 2mph on cycle path when his front wheel caught some wet leaves as he was turning.

Unfortunately the tendency also when the wheel slips is to 'pull' up and this simply worsens the grip.

In terms of getting 'most grip':
1. having the bike in the best possible balance with your weight between the wheels,
2. outside foot down - meaning more weight on it - gets your weight onto the wheel set - whereas inside foot down does the opposite - pushes wheels away from you in a corner
3. start the turn before the front wheel gets onto the mush.

Not sure I can make the problem go away...!

The Northern Monkey

Commit.

If you don't commit, you will fail... stay loose, keep COG low.
Do all you braking before the turn.

Decent tyres and correct tyre pressure helps too.

MTB noob

I have 2.4 Conti MTB king on my tyres and for some reason I like to keep them high at 50psi but I think its because I cant get low enough on my bike. I don't turn before the corner as I have a habit of oversteering and losing my balance simply because I get carried away with speed.

I'm trying to resolve this by cutting the seat post down around 8cm as the lowest setting is 10cm above the frame.

Would this help?

cooldad

Re cutting down the seatpost - no, if your saddle is in the right place, it's in the right place. If the leaves and stuff are on soft ground it makes no difference - you slide the same without them - if they are on hard ground or paved paths old soggy leaves are like grease.
So either more suitable tyres or you're going too fast.

_HENDO_

1. Look as far around the corner as possible.

2. Get low, lower centre of gravity means more grip! Be prepared to slide in the wet, it's natural, just adjust your body position when it happens.

3. Line, best line for the corner, avoid leaves etc.

4. Lean your bike over, but keep your body upright. This weights the tyres in a way that minimises sliding!

Normally I charge people to know that, but I'm in a good mood haha

MTB noob

Thanks for the tips! I'll try it out on the trails next weekend

mrmonkfinger

MTB noob wrote:

I have 2.4 Conti MTB king on my tyres and for some reason I like to keep them high at 50psi

WAY too high.

Try 30psi.

ddraver

Yeah, 50psi is way too much unless you're 120kg plus*....you ll see a huge difference just by letting some air out

th eother thing that no one has mentioned is practice, find one and ride it over and over again until you get it. Yes it's boring but it's the best way to improve...

*made up

.blitz

There are a few corners like this on my local loop - off camber rubbly rooty downhill corners

Best way I found to handle them is to oversteer so that front starts to drift/fold. Because you've provoked the drift, it's easier to catch. Repeat all the way around the corner. It becomes second nature after a while and you get used to 'crabbing' round the corner

Stay off the front brake
Lean the bike while you stay upright force it down into the ground
50psi is miles too high try 25-30 give the tyres a chance to deform and grip the ground

concorde

Stay loose for the win, used to find this hard as was all stiff thinking it's going to go, it's going to go. And sometimes it did, get loose and it sometimes did too, but less often.

YeehaaMcgee

Tilt the bike, but keep yourself centered above it, and low.

cooldad

But not too low.

YeehaaMcgee

^^Amateur mistake. ALWAYS bury them deeper.

cat_with_no_tail

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

^^Amateur mistake. ALWAYS bury them deeper.

Looke like a commuter, in which case a shallow grave is fine.

rockmonkeysc

MTB noob wrote:

Its a simple question but I have never got a suitable answer for it...

When you are cornering in a wet and muddy woodland, possibly a lot of leaves and sticks on the ground, what technique would you suggest to get the most grip on the flat corners? I had a large problem trying to stop my front wheel from suddenly slipping about a foot sideways when cornering.

I appreciate all the recommendations

Thanks

Thats the most fun type of cornering. Outside pedal down, push the bike down underyou, weight back and commit. None of this foot out rubbish, it doesn't work. Enjoy the drift.

BigJimmyB

But until you get that confidence, have the foot ready

I think the 'foot out' looks cool 8)

The Rookie

Mountain Kings are not the best option in winter anyway.....

rockmonkeysc

Foot out looks like you don't have the confidence to commit. Feet up looks much cooler

The Rookie

+1, besides if you ride clipped in foot out looks even worse than on flats.....

YeehaaMcgee

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Foot out looks like you don't have the confidence to commit. Feet up looks much cooler

Tell that to Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo etc

The Rookie

Who corner foot up.....it's motocrossers who dangle a foot, but they don't need to pedal for power!

cooldad

You'll never be cooler than this guy.

YeehaaMcgee

He's wearing sandals. They're not cool.

cooldad

Flip flop things. Ubercool. I know about these things, not being a midget Welsh dwarf.

YeehaaMcgee

Where did the midget thing come from?

rockmonkeysc

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Foot out looks like you don't have the confidence to commit. Feet up looks much cooler

Tell that to Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo etc

The have their feet up when actually cornering. They take a foot off while braking. They also hang off the inside to keep the bike more upright, try that in a wet corner on a mountain bike.

paulmgreen

+1 to 50 psi being way too high. Definitely no more than 35. Try 30 psi....... You may be very surprised!

YeehaaMcgee

RockmonkeySC wrote:

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Foot out looks like you don't have the confidence to commit. Feet up looks much cooler

Tell that to Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo etc

The have their feet up when actually cornering. They take a foot off while braking. They also hang off the inside to keep the bike more upright, try that in a wet corner on a mountain bike.

I know, it was just a daft comment.

bennett_346

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Foot out looks like you don't have the confidence to commit. Feet up looks much cooler

Tell that to Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo etc

The have their feet up when actually cornering. They take a foot off while braking. They also hang off the inside to keep the bike more upright, try that in a wet corner on a mountain bike.

I know, it was just a daft comment.

Tell that to stoner.

YeehaaMcgee

I did. He got upset and left.
I'm sorry for what I've done.