| In my experience most cyclists take handling skills | | | | degree turns. |
| and their bicycles' in general for granted. Most | | | | -Looking: When on the road a key element of |
| mechanical break downs can be prevented by | | | | safety is being able to see what is going on |
| properly adjusting, maintaining, and inspecting your | | | | around you and behind you. Beginners have a |
| bicycle. And a lot of crashes can be avoided by | | | | tough time looking over their shoulder while |
| being aware of your surroundings and having the | | | | keeping their bike strait. Have your partner ride |
| skills necessary to react instinctively to | | | | several bike lengths behind you. At regular |
| emergency situations. | | | | intervals look over your shoulder and call out how |
| By practicing these skills in a controlled | | | | many fingers they are holding up. Have your |
| environment you will become a faster and safer | | | | partner give you feedback on if your bike veered |
| cyclist. The first thing you need to do is find an | | | | or stayed strait. |
| open area where there is no traffic such as a | | | | -Bumping: This needs to be performed on a |
| parking lot. You will need some orange cones | | | | grassy field using a mountain bike. Have your |
| (water bottles can be substituted), and a partner. | | | | partner "bump" you slightly and touch shoulders |
| -Braking: Begin circling your course. Have your | | | | simulating situations that occur in pack racing. You |
| partner randomly call out "stop." You should | | | | should get used to contact with other riders and |
| immediately bring you bike to a quick, safe | | | | not panicking in these situations. |
| controlled stop. Have your partner stop quickly as | | | | -Riding Position: Practice transitioning smoothly |
| well and look at the distance between your | | | | from various riding positions such as sprinting, |
| bicycles. If you have good reflexes and reaction | | | | climbing in and out of the saddle, and descending. |
| time the distance between your bicycles will be | | | | -Drafting: Have your partner vary their speed |
| close. Practice braking in a variety of situations | | | | over the course and try to maintain a constant |
| such as cornering and braking with your partner in | | | | distance from their rear wheel. |
| front of you (be careful). If you are a beginner | | | | Performing these drills a few times per season will |
| cyclist apply both brakes with even pressure. As | | | | not help you much. You must take what you |
| you get more experienced apply slightly more | | | | learn and apply it constantly while you are on the |
| pressure to your front brake. | | | | road. Good habits must be practiced thousands of |
| -Cornering: Choose your line through each corner. | | | | times before they become good form. |
| If you corner correctly you should clip the apex | | | | Awareness is your greatest asset when riding in |
| of the turn. Make sure your inside crank arm is in | | | | traffic situations. Try to anticipate what drivers |
| the vertical position so that your pedal does not | | | | are going to do. Eye contact is very important, as |
| touch the ground. Practice cornering inside and | | | | is visibility. Constantly check what is going on |
| outside in both directions and try to pick up your | | | | around you and stay focused on what you are |
| speed each time. Start to sprint out of corners. | | | | doing. |
| Set up a slalom course and also practice 180 | | | | |