DerekClouser Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 I'm glad that I had the opportunity to follow Derek and/or Tony all day. I learned a lot just by following their lines and corner entry speeds. They both were within my comfort zone so I as able to do it with confidence. My general rule of thumb is if I am having to brake into each corner to keep up, I am riding too fast. I try to ride at the Pace as much as I can. If anyone has any other input on my riding this weekend, please let me know as I am always aiming to be better and more important safer rider! I think you were doing just fine. You were riding within your limits, when I made some questionable passes, you waited until it was a bit safer, but you weren't afraid to stick it in on a pass either. Definitely the key to being successful on the street is trying to take corners as wide as you comfortably can. This gives you the greatest line of sight and thus giving you the most time for adjustments for unforeseen circumstances that can arise. haha I wonder how many cars we ended up passing going back up 83 A lot! Usually riding up 83N is a ton of fun because you are in a groove, but we just ran into too much traffic that we couldn't get free from it, even as many cars as we hop scotched our way through. I would have liked to been able to have a bit more fun up 83, but what can you do. I know in the past, for anyone who really wanted to work on improving their riding, Tony has gotten a group together to ride the metroparks in Brecksville and through the Peninsula valley and took quite a few stops to discuss and improve techniques. Maybe we should consider another one of them for anyone wanting to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 That car that was flipped over near the junction of 78/83 looked pretty nasty. Hard to tell exactly what happened, but I figured they were coming up the hill and took to that 25 mph turn way too hot. For those not on this ride, responders were already there. We had to detour due to 83 not being passable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Would be interested in a ride to help learn better riding techniques. I also struggle with the blind corners and hills. To bad ride was on a Sat, I only have Sundays off or else I would've joined in the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 Definitely the key to being successful on the street is trying to take corners as wide as you comfortably can. This gives you the greatest line of sight and thus giving you the most time for adjustments for unforeseen circumstances that can arise. Really good advice for spirited street riding. It's not the same as a race line you would take on track. Do this and look as far through the corner as possible and you will start to feel smoother and more confident (looking at the asphalt right in front of your tire is a bad habit). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted July 13, 2015 Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think the thing I struggle most with is corner entry speed in corners I cant see through. I don't know if its a decreasing radius, a quick bend, a sweeper, etc. The fact that I had Derek and Tpoppa towing me around helped greatly on Saturday as I do not know those roads as well... yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekClouser Posted July 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think the thing I struggle most with is corner entry speed in corners I cant see through. I don't know if its a decreasing radius, a quick bend, a sweeper, etc. The fact that I had Derek and Tpoppa towing me around helped greatly on Saturday as I do not know those roads as well... yet. The reality is it's always best to take roads you don't know with caution, especially with blind turns/hills. My technique is always paying attention to road side warnings and learning how certain roads handle them. Certain roads like 555 they lack adequate corner speed warning signs, therefore, I take it much slower. 83 is usually always clean and has very good road sign warnings. This gives me a lot more confidence when riding 83 and allows me to be much more spirited. Of course, it's never something you totally rely on. Also, I've rode 83 so many times that it also gives me much more confidence than someone who has only rode is a handful of times over the years. For example, on 800 heading S, as you get close to 7, there's a specific turn that is a posted 35mph right hander, but as soon as you come out of it, it's a decreasing radius left hander back down the hill. If you had no experience with the road, it could catch you off guard, but because I've rode it enough times to know this, I was able to warn you that it was coming up and to slow your pace. The best piece of information from this is that you need to learn the roads before you can truly ride at a spirited pace with as much safety as you can. If you don't know the roads and you ride that spirited, you are only setting yourself up for a possible disaster. That's why group rides with guys who are responsible are best for learning. They can tow you around and hopefully keep you learning as well as keeping you safe. The rest is up to you to ride your own ride and sometimes that means slowing down a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 I also pay attention to those corner speed signs. I found those to be helpful. But always took that information with a grain of salt. I definitely appreciate the tow Derek! I'd follow you anytime!Sent from my iPhone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojocho Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 Great commentary. I understand the concept of proper lines and corner speed warnings. But I guess I can't trust that there won't be a deer, parked truck, or gravel; which we saw all of on the ride. Also coming up to a hill, you never know which way it will drop. I had a few oh shit moments when it went one way other than what I thought. I read the roads when you see one side rising and can guess that it'll go the opposite way, but it's not always consistent. There were a few spots with better visibility through the turns that i could keep you guys in my sights, but once it turned blind I'd throttle back. Then once you guys were out of sight I'd slow even more since i didn't have you guys as a reference. Guess I just have to ride the roads more. I wouldn't mind picking your brains more next time out.Regardless it was a great day of riding. I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaler Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 It's always better to check up and realize you "totally had that corner", than to not and eat shit. It's a street ride. There is no trophy to bring home.^^???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman1 Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 I agree with everyone, I have slowed the pace in these areas even though I have the road memorized. My accident has helped with this also. I have had too many close calls with animals, cars, gravel, etc. Recently I had a guy in a truck backing a trailer into a driveway in one of those blind turns on 83. He basically had both lanes covered. I wasn't riding that hot into the turn, so when I exited I was able to slow enough to miss the guy. Had the same thing happen on 78 when a tractor with a plow that took up the whole lane pulled out in front of me exactly when I exited a blind turn and had to all but lock it up to get stopped. That was a coal making moment for me!! The bottom line is to know the roads and set the pace accordingly. Like IP stated, its not a race, the track is the place to see how big your balls are! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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