Quick Turn

There are many reasons why a cyclist may have to make a quick turn. A quick turn is an emergency maneuver that allows the cyclist to make a sharp turn whilst still moving at speed. This maneuver should be practiced in a controlled environment and not on the roadway where vehicle traffic is present.

The quick turn is quite different from a planned or intended turn. For a planned turn, the rider does much of the turning by leaning the bike in the direction of the turn. The bike then steers around the turn whilst the rider adjusts the handlebars to keep the bike directly under the rider. However, in a quick turn there is no time to turn by leaning the bike.

To perform a quick turn the rider does a quick flick of the handlebars in the opposite direction than you need to turn. This will cause the bike to lean in the direction that you actually intend to turn. So, for instance, if the rider flicks the handlebars to the left the bike will lean to the right (the direction in which you actually intend to turn). As soon as the bike begins to lean to the right, the rider quickly turns the handlebars to the right. This motion rapidly aligns the bike into a natural leaned turn. It is very important that the rider keeps the pedal on the inside of the turn in the top position to avoid it striking the ground with the consequent loss of control.

The maneuver sounds more complicated than it is and should be executed in one continuous, smooth motion.

	Riding Safety and Skills
Slow Cornering		Riding No Hands