I did a draft legal triathlon this weekend with half of it being on a VERY technical loop with 4 180 degree turns. The turns wouldnt have been that bad except for the fact that they were on one lane roads, with only about 7 feet to complete the turn. There were a few times that I really had to work to catch back up to my pack because I was too slow coming through the turn. Does anyone have any advice on how to work on this and how to get better at turning into these sharp turns?
Also, I noticed if I would come into the turn too hot, my wheels would skid along the pavement and I felt like I had no traction. I am using Conti Sprinter tubulars and I realy felt uneasy at times that my bike was going to come out from under me. Is this because of the tires I’m using?
I would guess that most of the pack coming through the turns quicker had more bike racing experience. Try some criteriums. I think off-season mountain biking is also good for building handling skills especially if you get on some ice and snow. What kind of pressure are you running in your tires?
i think that the guys I was racing certainly had more experience riding in races like this. Several of them had been to pan american games for triathlon and other bigger type draft legal races. I had my tires inflated to 120 psi- is that too high?
(You’re probably already doing these things, but…)
My 2 cents:
Gear down, make sure you don’t bog coming out; remember to spin your way out of the turn. I will drop down to the front chain ring, and spin, spin, out of the turn
2.Coming into the turn, don’t scrub too much speed. Trust your tires.
Inside knee up…the sharper the turn, the more “out rigger” your knee should be, auctually pivot your knee almost perpendicular to your bike line on a 180. I kind of stand/push on my outside foot, and use body lean to carry me around.
Don’t be afraid to get out of the saddle to power out. I’m really suprised how reluctant Triathletes are to post out of the saddle.
Like any technical maneuver, like flying bike mount/dismount, you basically need to practice. Find a cul-de-sac or some quiet stretch of road, set up a cone or pop can, and just keep hitting the turn. Crits are great for gaining experience for taking high speed turns in a pack.
Most triathletes run pressures that are way too high. 120 is too high unless you weigh like 2 bills. Over-inflation will contribute to losing traction and skidding.
Regarding the skidding: It seems as though you were carrying your momentum til the last second then late braking hard. That is very good and something I was going to make sure you were doing. However, you were over using your rear brake. Were you hesitant to really lean on the front?
All that braking must be done before you begin your turn-in, so there’s no fear of hitting the front brake really hard.
Then, a 180 with 7’??? crap! I can’t do that clipped in. I would unclip my inside foot and go to town with a really tight lean…probably touch my foot down once or twice (standing off the seat) then straighten it up and jump back on the pedals.
The biggest tactic you need to account for here even on 90 degree turns, but doubly so on 180s…is the accordian effect. The person in the front has the biggest advantage because everyone else behind him has to brake more and this accumulates…so the 8th guy through brakes more than anyone else.
So the smart thing to do is to time your pull at the front (assuming you are helping) to coincide with entering that turn.
Along with other stuff people have mentioned…Trust your bike!! It’ll turn alot faster then you can!!
I’ve done lots of practice with 180’s. I go to an empty parking lot and practice practice practice!! With more and more speed each time. You must trust your bike being able to go through that turn faster then “you” can.
Really depends on riders weight and tire size, but I think 100-110 is around my range with 23c tires. I think I’m pretty average sized at 165. There are some charts by the manufacturers with recommended pressures. Michelin, maybe?
I remember helping a fast woman setting up next to me air up her tires. She ran 140 psi and probably weighed around 100 lbs. I kept my mouth shut because I don’t want to mess with anyone’s race plan. Harsh ride, I would think.
I agree with others. Depending on your weight, your tire pressure is too high. I weigh 145lbs and run 100psi in the rear and 90psi in front, which is about prefect for me. The Michelin website has info on this. Regarding cornering, 7’ is really tight, but keep in mind that the more weight you have over the rubber, the more traction you will have. So, keeping your torso a little more upright rather than leaning way into the turn actually gives the tires better traction. It takes practice, but that’s the way I’ve been taught.
Were you skidding while in a straight line or as you were turning? Ideally, all of your braking is done while still in a straight line. Then, when you are at the correct speed, you turn. If you are really good, there will be no coasting between the time you let off the brakes and the time you start turning. If you are doing a stand alone TT this is what you focus on. If you are in a pack, there are other things to consider like blocking others and not getting blocked yourself.