Push to Turn

I always thought I knew how to turn a bike. I mean, you learn so young it's practically instinctive. Yet, it wasn't until I finally took a 1 day lesson down in the Santa Cruz mountains with a mountain bike coach, Lee McCormack, that I really started to learn about turning. It seems it was one of those plateaus. I didn't realize I was there, and had been for years. You figure you just need more practice at something to get better. Then I took a lesson. It's amazing what you can learn from someone that knows more than you and is willing to share.

Here's what I learned, beyond the leaning and the movement from your hips. The turning of the head to anticipate where you will go. Turning happens in the handlebars. Well duh you may think. But it turns out it's the exact opposite of what you think you should do. You have to push down with the inside handle bar and push it forward as well. Your mind knows the limits, yet we never push hard enough because it seems it's the wrong way. So those turns never come around like we want. We get stuck leaning the bike, while the whole time, all it wanted was a push.

Push the handlebar. See how far it will go.