Do you have a preferred turning direction?

buckles

I find it much easier and feel more comfortable going around left hand bends. It could partly be down to the fact that we ride on the left meaning road race circuits almost exclusively involve turning left, but people do tend to have a natural preference for turning in one direction. If you watch BMX riders doing 'airs' on a quarterpipe or doing 180, 360 etc spins most of them will always coast with the the same foot forwards, and when turning in the air they will usually only turn away from that foot. I always rode with my right foot forwards and always turned left (away from my forward foot) in the air.

Strangely I've only ever crashed going around left hand bends despite the fastest corners I've done being right hand bends. :?

Do you corner better around left or right hand corners, or are you equally comfortable on both?

rjh299

Left, think it maybe to do with being right handed/footed. Feel more comfortable and in control with my right leg extended.

bernithebiker

Likewise, prefer lefts, but my crashes have all been on the left, I have a collection of brown scar circles on my hip where I've slid down the road......

JackPozzi

rjh299 wrote:

Left, think it maybe to do with being right handed/footed. Feel more comfortable and in control with my right leg extended.

I'd agree with that, I'm left handed and prefer turning right!

imposter2.0

sorry, just to be clear - is this a serious thread?

BrandonA

I find my most successful turns are when I steer into the corner. I tend to crash into ditches when I steer against the turn

chrisaonabike

I find my routes are very short if I only turn right. Or left, in fact.

JackPozzi

No one said you only have to do one lap

Mikey23

I hadn't thought about it but most of my routes seem to be predominantly left handed ones.i suppose it's a sub conscious safety thing

buckles

Imposter wrote:

sorry, just to be clear - is this a serious thread?

:roll:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footedness#BMX

In BMX, there is a de facto relationship between footedness and preferences of grinding position and of mid-air turning direction. The terms "regular" and "goofy" do not indicate a foot preference as in boardsports, but rather they point out if the rider's footedness has the usual relationship with their grinding and mid-air turning preferences. For example, consider the following classes of riders:

right-footed riders who prefer turning counter-clockwise in the air, and grinding on their right.
left-footed riders who prefer turning clockwise in the air, and grinding on their left.

Both classes are of equal size and would be considered "regular". "Goofy" would describe riders whose trick preferences do not match their footedness: a rider who prefers to grind on the opposite side as do most is considered a "goofy grinder"; one who prefers to turn the opposite direction in mid-air as do most is considered a "goofy spinner". Few riders have either goofy trait, but some riders may have both.

imposter2.0

That's fine - I didn't realise you had a BMX. Carry on...

buckles

Thanks, I appreciate you giving me permission

term1te

Left, but I as I live in a country where they drive on the right, there is a wider turning circle when going left. Right bends have a smaller turning circle, so are generally a bit trickier.

I still always look over my right shoulder, even 10 years after moving here. Also it is my right side that generally hits the ground first in any crash. Although my worst involved my left knee, but that was in the UK, so riding on the left.

ozzzyosborn206

I have my right foot forward and prefer left hand bends, i am left handed but when i drink to get things from my pockets i use my right hand, probably because i feel safer having my dominate hand on the bars..

dw300

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

I have my right foot forward and prefer left hand bends, i am left handed but when i drink to get things from my pockets i use my right hand, probably because i feel safer having my dominate hand on the bars..

Oddly I feel better with my left hand on the bars and eating with my dominant hand. That would suggest it's down to habit. When I was young and like skidding in the street on my MTB lots I almost always put my left foot down. Lots of practice, and none on the other side. Im now horrible at right hand bends.

There's a point to think about though. Which hand gives you more control going round a corner? The one you're reaching with or the one closer to you?

Also, remember that when you go round a bend you counter-steer. ie. you lean left into a left bend, your bike hinges at the steerer and your wheel points in the opposite direction to the bend. ie. The angle between the wheel and the frame becomes larger on the side of the bend. Then you stabalise the lean and the opposite happens. So cornering quality has to do with turn-in, and then balance once stabalised.

I'd say in general that since you shouldn't really be giving steering input when cornering (its just a matter of holding the bars steady) that foot dominance should probably determine which you are best at rather than hand dominance. I say that as if there are lots of people for who those are different, but refer to my first point again.

BrandonA

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

I have my right foot forward and prefer left hand bends, i am left handed but when i drink to get things from my pockets i use my right hand, probably because i feel safer having my dominate hand on the bars..

When going around a sharp corner I always ensure that my inside pedal is upwards.

I am a leftie too and I like to eat and drink with my left hand whilst keeping the right on the handlebars. I find keeping the bike in a straight line is easier than reaching for food and water.

When I come to a stop, I always unclip my left foot. I think I do this because this is my strongest leg. I do though find using this foot allows me to put my foot on a curb when stopped.

ozzzyosborn206

BrandonA wrote:

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

I have my right foot forward and prefer left hand bends, i am left handed but when i drink to get things from my pockets i use my right hand, probably because i feel safer having my dominate hand on the bars..

When going around a sharp corner I always ensure that my inside pedal is upwards.

I am a leftie too and I like to eat and drink with my left hand whilst keeping the right on the handlebars. I find keeping the bike in a straight line is easier than reaching for food and water.

When I come to a stop, I always unclip my left foot. I think I do this because this is my strongest leg. I do though find using this foot allows me to put my foot on a curb when stopped.

Of course i corner with my inside foot up, but when bunnyhopping or one a mtb doing technical sections i have my right foot forwards, alos when i accelerate i push down with my right foot first, right footed in football, do people find that makes a difference?