Spaghetti Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I observed a few track days coaches and expert riders going very fast while keeping their body almost still, and using lot of lean angle. It gives me the idea of a pendulum swinging from one corner to the other with no other part moving. But they're very fast... I think over a certain speed it becomes harder to correctly shift on the seat, move the upper body to hang off, adjust tighs and knee etc. Is it something others have noticed? It's one of the things I find hard to work on, as I increase my speed (and mentally rave about my improved lap times) it's easy to leave all those "details" behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 Hanging off the bike is a tool that is used to reduce your lean angle - or to look cool in photos. If you are running out of lean angle, about to drag hard parts, then changing your body position can help - if you hang off more and change your combined center of gravity, you can go through the same corner at the same speed with less lean angle. Or, you can use that extra bit of available lean angle to go through the corner faster next time. Hanging off is good for reducing lean angle in slippery conditions, too. If you AREN'T running out of lean angle and have adequate traction, hanging off is not necessary, and riders can go around very fast without hanging off. It's a lot of work, and if you don't need it, it can be fatiguing with no real benefit. When I am coaching I typically don't hang off at all. Cobie also rarely hangs off when coaching. I'm guessing the really fast guys you are seeing that aren't moving around much, aren't because they don't really need to - either they are not going at their absolute max or they are just conserving their energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csmith12 Posted August 6, 2015 Report Share Posted August 6, 2015 I also don't hang off much while coaching with the exception of coaching body position or when specifically asked too. I race with a 88yr young gent by the Name of Bill Bloom. He rides very boldly upright and never moves from the center of the seat, just like a pendulum. He isn't the fastest, but far from the slowest. He scares the ###### outta me how fast he goes riding like that, he even rides like that in the WET! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaghetti Posted August 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 88 yrs old?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csmith12 Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Yes sir... 88yrs old. I am 41 and he has been racing longer than I have been alive. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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