There’s an old motocross saying that says, “Jumps for show, corners for dough.” Sure, jumps are cool — and in today’s mountain biking world, they’re super popular — but when it comes to winning races or riding with flow and control, it’s your cornering skills that truly make the difference
How do I set up for corners?
As you approach a corner, follow this simple process:
Vision
Look ahead to the point where you’ll make the most of your direction change. This is usually where the turn feels more built-up or looks less loose.
Line
Find the smoothest line if possible — it will help you brake more efficiently. Try to open up the corner by going wide, which reduces the amount of direction change you need to make.
Braking
Slow the bike down before you commit to the turn, so you can confidently steer through it. While braking late can feel fast, it’s not helpful if you’re still grabbing the brakes mid-turn.
Staying in a Central Position
This one is simple in theory but tricky in practice. On a mountain bike, your torso is your mass — and where you place your mass affects balance and grip.
If your weight is too far back, you risk losing front-wheel grip. Too far forward, and you might lose rear-wheel traction.
As you enter the corner, aim to keep your weight centered between the wheel axles. From there, you can make small adjustments as needed to hold your line and maintain grip.
Lean the Bike, Not Your Body
A bike corners by leaning, so you need to build confidence in leaning it over.
The golden rule: lean the bike more than you lean your body.
How much you lean the bike depends on the type of corner, but you definitely don’t want your body leaning more than the bike. By leaning the bike more, you help press the side knobs of your tires into the dirt, boosting grip.
To make this happen, use your arms! Keep your elbows bent and active, and use them to push the bike over into the turn.
Loading Up the Bike
In most corners, you’ll need to “load up” the bike to get extra grip — think of it as giving the bike a pump.
Earlier, in your setup, you identified where you’ll make the most of your direction change. That’s where you should pump, driving energy through your legs to load the bike and increase grip.
If you’re a more experienced rider, you might be able to commit to a stronger pump; if you’re newer, start by gently pumping your legs and paying attention to how it affects your traction. With the right timing, you’ll even feel a satisfying little acceleration out of the corner. Experiment with this — it feels awesome when it clicks.
Exiting the Corner
If you’ve set things up well, you’ll exit the corner smoothly. One key point here: where you look matters!
Just before making your direction change, shift your gaze to your exit point. That could be the next turn or even a landmark off the trail, like a tree — as long as it’s in the direction you want to go. This gives you something to focus on and helps guide your movement.
Finally, as you exit, try to return to a neutral body position. This sets you up perfectly for whatever’s coming next on the trail.
Hope those tips set you off to having more fun in the turns
👉 Check out our Cornering Courses here and join us for a session! Your next ride will thank you.
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