Ask a group of Masters riders where they lose time and most will say "climbs." Watch them ride, and you'll often see the bigger losses in the corners: braking too late, tensing up, and losing the wheel in front on every bend.
Cornering is a skill, not a talent. It responds quickly to practice, and it's one of the fastest ways to ride faster without getting any fitter.
The basics
Before the drills, here's what good cornering looks like:
- Brake before the corner, not in it. Do your braking while the bike is upright, then release and turn.
- Look where you want to go. Your bike follows your eyes. Look through the corner to the exit, not at the gravel or the curb.
- Outside pedal down, weight on it. Press your weight through the outside foot. It lowers your centre of gravity and helps the tires grip.
- Stay relaxed. Soft elbows and a loose grip let the bike move under you.
- Lean the bike gently. A light push on the inside handlebar starts the lean. You don't need to force it.
On open roads, always stay in your lane. Save the wide racing line for closed courses.
Drill 1: Look-through figure eight
Find an empty, dry parking lot and set two water bottles about ten metres apart. Ride slow figure eights around them. The rule: your eyes must be on the next bottle before you reach the one you're turning around. Speed up gradually as it starts to feel natural.
What it teaches: looking ahead, which is the single biggest change most riders can make.
Drill 2: Outside-foot pressure
Ride a loop or large circle with the outside pedal down. Without pedalling, press your weight into that foot, as if you're trying to push it into the ground. Feel how the bike settles and grips. Switch directions so you practise both sides.
What it teaches: where your weight belongs, and trust in your tires.
Drill 3: Brake, then turn
Set a bottle as your braking marker a few metres before a turn. Do all your braking before the marker, with the bike upright. Release the brakes, then turn. Start slowly and increase your speed over several runs.
What it teaches: separating braking from turning, which makes every corner calmer and safer.
Practise safely
Use a dry, empty lot with good visibility. Wear your helmet, start slowly, and build speed only when the drill feels easy. Ten to fifteen minutes before a regular ride is plenty.
Why it matters
After a small-group cornering session, one rider told me: "We all noticed a massive improvement in our cornering confidence." That's the real goal. Confident riders brake less, stay relaxed, keep their place in a group, and finish rides with more energy. And for Masters riders, staying upright matters more every year.
If you'd like to work on cornering in person, I run one-on-one and small-group skills rides through Ride with Ben. Or start with a free 15-minute welcome call.