Too Tall
08-22-2005, 02:02 PM
Yesterday I worked with a good friend who is a top gun biathlete. An upcoming race in Canada involves 4 180 degree turn arounds! Ouch. After he told me about that fact I promised him I would find 20-30 + seconds over the competition if I helped him fine tune his turn around skills.
Using soccer cones I created a fair representation of a two lane turn around and ran him through the drill with him following me and than me observing.
By the time we had finished we had transformed his him into a lean mean butter smooth 180 degree turnaround machine!!! Cool.
My coach taught me how the pros do it and Doreen and I have used the technique to nail some tough turnarounds on the tandem. Here are the basics:
1. Control your speed coming into the alley. Don't charge the cones and pedal the whole time.
2. Brakes on and in the drops before the cone zone and keep pedaling.
3. Nail the apex Outside ===> Inside.
4. As you come out of the apex stand as you let the brakes go, accelerate, sit and goooo.
The idea is a butter smooth smooth arc. No big transitions for legs to absorb and using your natural momentum to sling out of the turn. Light brakes before and up to the apex are key to control the bike.
Done right it looks like ballet.
What skills do you practice?
Using soccer cones I created a fair representation of a two lane turn around and ran him through the drill with him following me and than me observing.
By the time we had finished we had transformed his him into a lean mean butter smooth 180 degree turnaround machine!!! Cool.
My coach taught me how the pros do it and Doreen and I have used the technique to nail some tough turnarounds on the tandem. Here are the basics:
1. Control your speed coming into the alley. Don't charge the cones and pedal the whole time.
2. Brakes on and in the drops before the cone zone and keep pedaling.
3. Nail the apex Outside ===> Inside.
4. As you come out of the apex stand as you let the brakes go, accelerate, sit and goooo.
The idea is a butter smooth smooth arc. No big transitions for legs to absorb and using your natural momentum to sling out of the turn. Light brakes before and up to the apex are key to control the bike.
Done right it looks like ballet.
What skills do you practice?