If I understand you correctly- Your inner leg, leaning in to the corner, should be raised, with no danger of pedal strike, outside leg and foot down. It will happen automatically after a while on bends. You shouldn't try to pedal through tight corners.
Specialized Turbo Vado/Como/Tero/Tero X User Club
- Thread starter Stefan Mikes
- Start date
It's pretty hard to get used to having the inner leg up, I feel like I don't have good balance. I was wondering if it was normal because it's happened to two other people I've lent the bike to, and I find it a bit dangerous.
Strange. Without video to see your pedalling action I'm not sure why this is happening. It's unlikely to be crank length as that's pretty standard. Or else maybe I'm not seeing the problem properly.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
You'll get used to it, and it's worth the effort, as pedal strikes are dangerous.
But good news: If it's more to your liking, putting either pedal dead ahead — i.e., pedals level — is also effective prevention. Falls aside, few will ever lean a bike far enough to get a pedal strike in that position.
It's quite simple: for example, my right leg is straight and the bike is leaning to the right because I'm turning right... and the pedal is rubbing the ground. I shouldn't have my right leg straight at that moment, but sometimes, when riding, in traffic, with obstacles, speed, well, it happens. But I can confirm that I'm not an experienced cyclist.
Ok, so, this problem has a name !
I'm going to train carefully, especially as I often have a child with me.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
The proper cornering technique is to raise the inner pedal up while taking a turn (and stopping the pedalling). Please make it a habit. All pro cyclist do that.
(I can see it was already answered by @Rás Cnoic).
Also, please brake before taking a turn, never during the cornering!
I do !
It's pretty difficult to do in some situations (hills, roundabouts...!) however.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
The action that improves the steering at a higher cornering speed is called "counter steering". Please practice it on a quiet mini roundabout (without your kid, of course), Enter the circus
at a higher speed than usual. Move the outer pedal downwards then set your foot firmly down on the pedal (the inner pedal will be up). Now, instead of turning the handlebars towards the turn direction, please delicately push the inner bar-end forward. This will make the bike lean towards the corner. The firmer you push the outer pedal down, the tighter the turn it will be. Although is sounds counter-intuitively, it is the technique used by both motor-bikers as well as advanced cyclists. It is because bikes turn by leaning towards the corner not by turning the handlebars at speed a little bit higher than just crawling Cornering at a higher speed will let you maintain the momentum without pedalling!
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Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Please remind Riese & Muller in Germany about that. R&M e-bikes are notorious of pedal strikes.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Mountain bike racers use the 3-9 (cranks parallel to level ground) a lot when cornering and avoiding obstacles.I do !
It's pretty difficult to do in some situations (hills, roundabouts...!) however.
Hi,The action that improves the steering at a higher cornering speed is called "counter steering". Please practice it on a quiet mini roundabout (without your kid, of course), Enter the circus
I've tried today. It's not that easy to get used to it ; then the rain made my training even more difficult...
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Perhaps you could try at such a speed you do not need to pedal during the cornering? As Jeremy and Stomp said, the crankarms on the horizontal is the other safe technique. I prefer the inner pedal up as it contributes to making a good turn.
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