# Pedal hitting the ground on corners



## mattybeeee (16 Aug 2011)

Urgh. I just fell off my new hybrid bike going round a corner - the pedal hit the ground and the bike threw me off. It's a new bike and a little on the small side for me, but I don't see how this would make a difference.

How can I stop this from happening again? I have to go round corners!!


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## lulubel (16 Aug 2011)

Freewheel round corners with the pedal on the inside of the bend in the 12 o'clock (highest) position.


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## Angelfishsolo (16 Aug 2011)

mattybeeee said:


> Urgh. I just fell off my new hybrid bike going round a corner - the pedal hit the ground and the bike threw me off. It's a new bike and a little on the small side for me, but I don't see how this would make a difference.
> 
> How can I stop this from happening again? I have to go round corners!!



I take it you were leaning into the corner. Right hand bends right foot up, Left hand bends, left foot up and coast around them. If you need to pedal, don't lean


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## gaz (16 Aug 2011)

As above really. Tip 101 for taking a corner on a bicycle. Inside pedal UP!


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## mattybeeee (16 Aug 2011)

Thanks for the tips - I never had this problem with my previous bike so I was just wondering if it had something to do with the build. Guess I just have to be more careful!


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## Angelfishsolo (16 Aug 2011)

This is true be it road or MTB terrain as well  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


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## Angelfishsolo (16 Aug 2011)

mattybeeee said:


> Thanks for the tips - I never had this problem with my previous bike so I was just wondering if it had something to do with the build. Guess I just have to be more careful!



Maybe your crank arm is longer? Or you are going faster and leaning more? Most important thing is you are OK and second most important is you asked. Sure the state of the bike is important as well


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## martint235 (16 Aug 2011)

mattybeeee said:


> Thanks for the tips - I never had this problem with my previous bike so I was just wondering if it had something to do with the build. Guess I just have to be more careful!



You'll get used to it. I swapped from a compact crank to a full size with 175mm arms and suddenly found cornering (particularly right hand corners as I tend to keep my right foot down) became "interesting".


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## MontyVeda (16 Aug 2011)

mattybeeee said:


> Thanks for the tips - I never had this problem with my previous bike so I was just wondering if it had something to do with the build. Guess I just have to be more careful!




did the previous bike have stabilisers on?


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## Dan B (16 Aug 2011)

Previous bike may have had shorter cranks or a higher BB or narrower pedals. There are many explanations


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## Arsen Gere (16 Aug 2011)

I'd suggest on tight corners letting the saddle rest against the inner part of the outer thigh, move your body in to the corner and keep the bike more up right. Moving your weight around keeps the physics the same but allows you to pedal.

MTB's and some hybrids have a greater distance between the pedals, usually about 1cm on each side compared to the straight cranks of a road bike. If you look down the crank it may be curved rather than straight.

I got thrown off a bike when I hit the crank on the ground on bend with a camber, it bent the back wheel rim in two places and it was useless.


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## gaz (16 Aug 2011)

Arsen Gere said:


> I'd suggest on tight corners letting the saddle rest against the inner part of the outer thigh, move your body in to the corner and keep the bike more up right. Moving your weight around keeps the physics the same but allows you to pedal.


You will only get around a tight corner doing that if you are going slowly. in which case, you might as well turn


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## gaz (16 Aug 2011)

[QUOTE 1509693"]
No. Often take my local RAB into work doing 20mph+, remember you are leaning with your body.
[/quote]

A tight corner at +20mph without leaning the bike out? not too sure about that
The problem with not leaning the bike with you is you loose a little bit of control and to relate back to the original post i quoted, why would you want to pedal around a tight corner?


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## Angelfishsolo (16 Aug 2011)

gaz said:


> A tight corner at +20mph without leaning the bike out? not too sure about that


Does sound rather suspect.


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## snailracer (16 Aug 2011)

^^
It's possible, motorbikers do it to an extreme degree when racing, however it is impossible to lean off the side AND pedal hard at the same time.


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## gaz (16 Aug 2011)

snailracer said:


> ^^
> It's possible, motorbikers do it to an extreme degree when racing, however it is impossible to lean off the side AND pedal hard at the same time.



I didn't say it wasn't possible in general, just that it wouldn't get you around a tight corner.
Motorcyclist do it if there is a series of opposite corners, it's easier to shift their weight rather than the motorbike.


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## gaz (16 Aug 2011)

[QUOTE 1509698"]
No you don't. How do you lose control, you are using your body to lean.

And in answer to your second question - to go faster.
[/quote]


Not lose control as in fall over in a heap. But that you don't have the same control over the bike as you do when you lean with it which keeps the steering axis, tire contact patches and center of gravity all in the same plane. This preserves the proper handling characteristics of the bicycle, and makes a skid less likely.

To quote jobst brandt


> Some riders believe that sticking out their knee or leaning their body away from the bike, improves cornering. Sticking out a knee is the same thing that riders without cleats do when they stick out a foot in dirt track motorcycle fashion. It is a useless but reassuring gesture that, on uneven roads, actually works against you. Any body weight that is not centered over the bicycle (leaning the bike or sticking out a knee) puts a side load on the bicycle, and side loads cause steering motions if the road is not smooth. Getting weight off the saddle is also made more difficult by such maneuvers.


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## smokeysmoo (16 Aug 2011)

For the record, don't try and freewheel round any corners if you're riding fixed


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