track technique question

[jonko]

Hi all,

I just got back from a trackday, and boy are my legs tired... My quads and hamstring are the worst. It seems like the hanging off riding style forces you to support yourself with the inside leg and not much else, since your arms are supposed to be pretty loose on the bars.

Is this normal? Any tips or advice? I'm reasonable fit and active, so I don't think that's the problem.

Thanks!

 

[Bowling4Bikes]

yes, normal.

hit the gym.

 

[JeZzY]

that's pretty normal...take some time to stretch before getting on the bike..

 

[clutchslip]

yes, normal.

hit the gym.

Screw that.... just ride more. :ride :teeth

 

[hitman5532]

yes, but also helps if you use the outside leg to pressure against the tank. Not only will this alleviate the pressure pressing down on the inside leg, but also you wont have to hang off as much to create the force needed to push the bike over

 

[Wannaduck]

Part of it is also probably tension. But you'll get use to it.

 

[scalvert]

Why do you think pros spend so much time riding "pushies"? Going fast takes a lot of leg strength. If your legs are weak you'll have a harder time moving around smoothly and will find yourself using the bars to help sling your body around. I find when I'm hanging off that much of my weight is over the inside peg so that leg gets a workout. It's normal; ride more and work out more.

You certainly can reduce the load on the inside leg by making sure the outside leg is hooked well into the tank but you'll only carry so much of your body weight that way. I've never bought into any advantage of "weighting the outside peg" for getting through a turn, the physics just don't work.

What I DO buy into is that carrying your weight on your bent inside leg and foot allows you to do a couple useful things mid corner: 1) easily make minor adjustments in your body position (ie if the front is pushing due to overloading you can slide back a fraction, or coming out of the corner you can slide forward as you get into the power to keep the front down), 2) absorb energy from bumps that might otherwise upset the chassis or break a tire loose. For instance the bottom of T6 at Sears Point, aka the Carousel, has some ripple bumps right where the track flattens out so there's a bit of extra load on the tires and the bumps can cause real problems. By having my weight on my bent leg and not on my seat I can control the motion of the chassis and help absorb the bump energy.

 

[hitman5532]

I've never bought into any advantage of "weighting the outside peg" for getting through a turn, the physics just don't work.

Pushing down on the outside peg when exiting a turn can be benifical, because it helps begin to stand the bike back up as you are getting on the throttle.

 

[Stuman]

Pushing down on the outside peg when exiting a turn can be benifical, because it helps begin to stand the bike back up as you are getting on the throttle.

We had a very interesting discussion about that a while back...

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132350

 

[Go2Trackdays]

Do you have stock footpegs? Compared to the more recent 600's, the F3's are a lot lower (more forgiving), if yes, you really would be sore now.

Like others said, hold that outer leg to the tank.

Bicycling helps - Ben Spies, J. Hacking, the Bostroms and others all ride.

It's also possible that your corner velocity and hanging off did not match very well. For example, you can hang way off the side of the bike going in a straight line, and all your weight will be on the inside peg.

If you're generating very high cornering forces, I think you'll be able to distribute the weight more evenly to the 3 points of your feet and backside.

ya that's a good link ^ ^ ^

 

[jonko]

It's also possible that your corner velocity and hanging off did not match very well. For example, you can hang way off the side of the bike going in a straight line, and all your weight will be on the inside peg.

In other words, I should quit bitching and just rider faster! :rofl

 

[1RUN]

[QUOTE
Bicycling helps - Ben Spies, J. Hacking, the Bostroms and others all ride.

[/QUOTE]

+1bagillion on bicycling - makes a huge difference. :thumbup The pros are in really really good physical condition

 

[MrCrash]

I'm currently training for a few different triathlons, mountain bike races, and road biking events, so I like to think I'm in decent shape too.

Despite all the training, I was still walking reeeeeally slowly after my trackday at Infineon on Monday. Cycling helps, but I'm not using the exact same muscles on the GSX-R that I'm using on the bicycles. When I was racing and doing trackdays every other week (compared to my current one trackday every month or two), I didn't feel as sore as I did earlier this week.

 

[stangmx13]

Do you have stock footpegs? Compared to the more recent 600's, the F3's are a lot lower (more forgiving), if yes, you really would be sore now.

...

exactly. rearsets in the correct, comfortable position make it much less work to hang off all day long. while the low F3 pegs work good for the street, they can really suck for the track depending on your bodytype. atleast they did for me.

 

[Sane_Man]

I once read that Feanor, hangs off his bike while it sits in stands in his garage, to get prepared for future trackdays. :thumbup



:laughing

 

[Mechanikrazy]

% Start Noobster Comments:

Inside leg as the one closer to the apex of the corner?

Try locking in with the outside leg. See if you can get on the peg with the ball of your outside foot, and lock into the tank with your knee by "extending" said foot. Basically like doing a calf raise. Should help alleviate part of the issue.

The rest is gym and more riding with locking into the tank to work the muscles.

 

[jonko]

Hey all,

Just wanted to bring this thread back from the dead. So I ended up purchasing woodcraft rearsets for my f3. It moved my peg back 1" and up 1". I finally got to try them out at the track. It made a huge difference for me. My quads are much less fatigued than before. I noticed the soreness I had was higher than before, near where my thigh connects to my body instead of closer to the knee. I'm guessing that being shorter didn't allow my knee to get up over the seat before when bent over. Much more comfy hanging off now! yay!

 

[EastBayDave]

Hey all,

Just wanted to bring this thread back from the dead. So I ended up purchasing woodcraft rearsets for my f3. It moved my peg back 1" and up 1". I finally got to try them out at the track. It made a huge difference for me. My quads are much less fatigued than before. I noticed the soreness I had was higher than before, near where my thigh connects to my body instead of closer to the knee. I'm guessing that being shorter didn't allow my knee to get up over the seat before when bent over. Much more comfy hanging off now! yay!

great on the rearsets; that surely will help getting rid of the low stock pegs.

I didn't see this thread earlier, & my track memories are really faded (30+ years since I raced; last trackday was in 02'), but maybe this can help.

A lot of the guys in this thread mentioned "locking in with the outside leg" which I totally agree with. Lock in behind the knee (the crook of your leg) with the back of the knee on the tank/seat meeting area. That relieves BOTH legs to do what they should be doing= braking & shifting, & repositioning them for various corners demands. Also relieves arms/hands to do other things.

In my case it was a lack of ground clearance back in the day when everyone dragged hard parts constantly. I would end up way hung off, & still both legs were relaxed; I could move the outside foot to the "ball" of my foot instead of the area just ahead of the gap between "heel & ball of my foot." I also could leave the inside foot loose so I could bring it higher up when the footpeg started folding up from lack of ground clearance.

Hanging on with the "crook" of my leg (behind the knee at tank/seat junction) kept weight also off my arms so I didn't have to hang on w/my hands/arms. I could then be more accurate w/my countersteering/braking/clutching because there was no weight on the arms. If that makes sense to you??

I also like many racers have to move my foot off the pegs entering left hand corners, so I CAN NOT have any pressure on my inside leg; or that "style" could not be attempted (if I could not remove inside foot/leg from the footpeg.) All that from just using the "crook" of your leg in the right place, doing all the "holding on" to the motorcycle.

You gotta have good leg strength or this would be impossible. Back then I ran 5 miles a day & worked out w/weights each & every day. Your working out may be different, but them legs gotta be in tip top shape if you want to run up front with the leaders of the pack looking for a win/podium finish.

FWIW IMHO

ebd

 

[pahhhoul]

do one legged squats and stretch those inner adductor muscles!

and if you wanna strengthen your inner thighs... Suzanna Summers thigh master! :rofl