No rider carries more speed through turns than 2002 World Fourcross and 2005 Sea Otter Mountaincross Champ Brian Lopes. He carves berms with an
effortless, fluid style that is unmatched in the pro ranks. Lopes utilizes bike handling skills acquired in his BMX days, and leaves the world's best competition in the dust. Often aboard the only hardtail in the starting gate, he takes advantage of the bike's sprinting capabilities and rails the best lines on the course. Do you have a chance against Lopes? No. However, his insights on turning are sure to make you faster.
"Always look well ahead of where you're going. By the time you enter a turn, you've already picked the best line in your head and need to go for it without braking."
"If you need to scrub some speed, do it before you enter the turn. Get off your brakes once you are in the turn so you can exit the turn at speed."
"It's important to position yourself in the center of the bike and maintain a low center of gravity, keeping your head up."
"Position your pedals level if you have sufficient traction in a berm. If it's a sketchy, off-chamber turn, it will be necessary to weight the outside pedal to stay hooked up. In this case, make sure the outside pedal is at the six o'clock position and you are putting a good amount of your weight on the pedal. This helps properly distribute the weight to maintain tire traction."
"Tire choice is key to fast cornering. Make sure you're running the right type of tread pattern and air pressure for the terrain. If there's a lot of loose dirt, use a tire with pronounced knobbies and lower air pressure. If the course is neatly groomed, use tires with a fast rolling tread pattern and higher air pressure."
"Set up your suspension to achieve maximum traction, bump absorption and to carry speed well."
"Proper suspension setup takes experience. If you set the suspension too soft, the bike will feel slow when you are railing a berm or dropping the hammer coming out of a corner. If you set the suspension too stiff, it is easier to lose traction and slide. You have to keep experimenting to find the setting that works best for your bike, your riding style and your weight."
"Practice makes perfect. Find a turn that has given you problems and ride it over and over. Experiment with your position on the bike, where and how hard you brake, and how far you lean into the turn without losing traction. Wearing extra padding during this exercise is a good idea."
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