How to Steer Clear of a Bicycle Crash

How do you negotiate a turn on a bicycle? Or more specifically, how do you initiate one?

A. Lean in the direction you want to go.

B. Turn the handlebars in the direction you want to go.

C. A and B

D. None of the above

Ask 100 cyclists and many will choose 'A.' This might come as a shock, but the correct answer is D—none of the above.

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If that's a surprise, this one will be bigger: In order to turn a bicycle to the right, you must first turn the handlebars to the left. And vice versa. This simple act initiates the turn. Without it, you'll continue in a straight line.


So why is 'A' such a popular answer? Because leaning in one direction will indeed move the bike in that direction. But when you lean you're actually putting forward pressure on the handlebar on one side. In essence, you're turning it away from the lean.

For example, when you lean to the right, you unknowingly put pressure on the right handlebar, which will cause your bike to briefly hint at a motion to the left before laying over into a right-hand lean.

So why is this a big deal? Who cares how a turn happens as long as it happens? And how can this help you to avoid crashes?

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The Method

Moving the bars the opposite way is the direct method of turning the bike, and leaning is indirect way to turn your bike.

The direct method gives you greater control. You aren't reliant on your weight distribution and you aren't affected by the lag time to get your weight into position. You therefore experience no hesitation when changing course.

It's a simple thing: Push on the right to go right. Push on the left to go left.

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Why Proper Steering Is a Safer Option

With greater control of the bike, you'll increase your reaction time to obstacles in front of you. Your evasive action will be more precise. Your evasive action will also be a less dramatic reaction, which will prevent you from overcorrecting and potentially causing a pile up during a race. 
If you watch a crash occur in a Category 1 or 2 race, you'll likely see one or two riders collide and fall to the ground. In a category-4 race, the same scenario will yield a larger number of riders that end up on the ground.

This is because the Category 1 or 2 riders see the crash before it happens, make a slight adjustment and continue on their way. Less experienced cyclists, such as those in a Category 4 race, often fail to see a crash as it materializes. This causes the riders to make abrupt and dramatic adjustments to their steering and more often than not they fall like dominoes.

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Counter Steer in the Proper Position

Changing direction by leaning the bike relies on the weight of the rider's body being in the proper position. Shifting your weight on a moving bicycle chews up valuable time when you're hurtling down the road at 36 feet per second. Indirect and imprecise input is not what you want to use when riding elbow to elbow with other cyclists.

This counter-steering technique described should eliminate the mystery of cornering. With experimentation and practice, you'll be able to handle any corner that race promoters throw at you. You'll also find it possible, even in mid-turn, to change the arc of your turn by simply making a micro-adjustment to the pressure on your handlebars. More pressure on the inside bar makes your turn tighter. A little more pressure on the outside bar makes your turn wider. Steady pressure on the inside bar allows you to carve a nice, smooth, predictable and continuous arc through the turns.

Before your next race, go out to an empty parking lot and practice this new technique until it becomes second nature. Whether you're a road cyclist or triathlete, this technique will make you a better and safer cyclist.

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