Counter Steering

[SaltLick]

Maybe this is a dead horse, but thought i would throw this out there.

This is my 3rd year of riding a bike, and although ive heard of countersteering, have not paid much attention if i do it or not.  How many of you consciously practice countersteering around corners?  Is this something people do everytime they go up in the canyons (countersteer around every corner?) I dont know ill have to pay attention next time if im doing it or not. Im probably not.  Sounds like its the best way to make tight turns? Or is countersteering just something you do if you have to make a quick evasive maneuver?

I have read the PACE post on countersteering, and have watched videos on youtube with someone showing you how its done, so i get how you do it, both were lacking the main information though, like WHEN do you use countersteering?  If this is something that should be done around every turn then i def need to practice it and figure out if im doing it or not.

[somegirl]

You are doing it, it is just subconscious.

[spinned]

next time you are in the corner try pushing on the inside handle grip a little more and you will see what counter steering is all about.  Definitely something to practice.

[corey]

you can't ride without it. it initiates your lean, and perpetuates through the turn as well. i read an article about a guy who ran a track, and when people would tell him that countersteering was bogus, and that turning was all about leaning, he would stick them on this bike he had rigged up with the front end welded in place. it takes only one turn without being able to countersteer (consciously or not) to realize that it is indeed real.

that being said, i am relatively new rider, and  can definately say that when i remember to consciously countersteer, i find myself being much more successful in my curves, and much more confident in general.

[roy-nexus-6]

I never, ever think about counter-steering - when I do, it seems too much like black magic, and I loose my groove.  [moto]

[Juan]

at 20 m/h or more.... it is there believe us...!!  [moto]

[Ddan]

next time you are in the corner try pushing on the inside handle grip a little more and you will see what counter steering is all about.  Definitely something to practice.

Next time you're NOT in a corner, just push on one end of the bar with a finger.  You'll turn that way.

[Slide Panda]

AS Dan said, you can play with the physics of it a bit when you're on a straight.  If you push on the right bar, the wheel will point to the left, you the bike will start to move to the left - this is counter steering in action.  The more you push, the quicker the bike will change it's course, as it will create more lean.  Riders can add to, or remove from this effect by altering the center of gravity on the bike aka leaning your body.

Counter steering lets you have more precise and quicker control over the steering of the bike than simply tossing your body into it. 

Maybe reading 'Total Control' by Lee Parks might help you under stand the actions that are going on. 

Though I don't consciously work coutnersteering 100% of the time - I do consciously work on it.  Improving things like body position as you enter a turn, counter steering, throttle control and line choice are things you should always keep in mind

[CDawg]

You are doing it, it is just subconscious.

+1, but it's worthwhile to read up on "rate-of-turning" by both Code and Parks.

[ScottRNelson]

One of the things that Lee Parks recommended in his book, Total Control, was to make a run through a twisty road using only the hand on the inside of the turn for steering inputs.  Use that hand both to initiate the turn and to bring the bike back upright at the end.  The main goal of the exercise was to determine if you are unconsciously fighting the turning effort with the other hand.  He claimed that some people find that they turn in a lot quicker that way.

When I tried it, I didn't get any new revelation, because I don't tend to fight the steering at all.  However, since I started out on dirtbikes, I used to have the tendency to pull the outside bar rather than push the inside bar.  Both work, but pushing is better.  It also helps to lean your shoulder into the turn, which automatically helps you make the countersteering move.

Ultimately, I recommend trying the exercise of making all steering inputs with the inside hand, to help you better understand countersteering.  If you can get on a road with lots of bends, it helps clarify what is happening.

[somegirl]

I found it easier to understand counter-steering on a bicycle (assuming you have one):

1) Find a nice straight road or path free of traffic.
2) Get going at least 10 mph.
3) Keep your grip of the handlebars really light, just the minimum you need for balance.
4) Push slightly forward on the handlebars on one side (for example, on the left).  You will see the bike start to track to the right very briefly, then it will lean to the left and you will start to turn left.
5) Once you have played with that, now try doing the same thing but consciously trying to keep your body upright (no lean either way).  You will see the bike do the same thing, but it will be slower to lean.
6) Now do it and consciously lean to the left side as well.  You will probably not even notice the tracking to the right, and the bike will lean very quickly to the left this way.  This is the way most people turn bikes without thinking about it.
7) Now consciously try to keep the handlebars straight to the front (this is hard) while leaning to one side.  You will see it is very difficult to make the bike turn without some movement of the handlebars.

It's the same principle as on a motorcycle.  If you feel that you are just leaning without counter-steering, what is probably going on is that your arms are transmitting the motion of your lean forward enough to cause the counter-steering action.

[DY]

i read an article about a guy who ran a track, and when people would tell him that countersteering was bogus, and that turning was all about leaning, he would stick them on this bike he had rigged up with the front end welded in place. it takes only one turn without being able to countersteer (consciously or not) to realize that it is indeed real.

Hmm... keith code's NO B.S. bike.

[Juan]

Interesting video..   

[SaltLick]

gee i guess i am countersteering........

all of us must be or we wouldnt make it around the first turn.....

[Slide Panda]

As talked about, and shown in that video - you have to do it.  The basics of it are pretty intuitive and natural feeling, so it's pretty easy to discount or *think* you're not doing it since it's not really a conscious action.  But if you take some time to run some test/drills/whatever you wanna call it you'll realize how much more control you can exert on the bike with a little more or less pressure on the bars.