CX bikes can be ridden much like MTBs except:
There is no low hinge with the high seat. Only the high hinge. Your hip mobility has to be extra dialed.
The long stem reduces the range of motion of your arms.
You mobility has to be extra dialed. Did I say that already?
To row and anti-row in corners is pretty advanced, but it’s easy to teach in person. Hard to teach in audio!
Brilliaaaaaaaaaaant!
Thanks Lee 
Thanks for the AWESOME podcast @LeeMcCormack, @Nate_Pearson, @Jonathan and @Pete!!! This is one I’ll certainly be coming back to.
I’d really like to here more about what @LeeMcCormack has to say about high posting. I can’t bring myself to add the weight, ugly extra cables and complexity to my bike that a dropper brings. I race XC and want to get faster on descents and technical stuff, but still can’t do a dropper.
Fantastic episode with Lee. I have thoroughly enjoyed the 3rd edition of "mastering mountain bike skills, not only crazy informative, but gets you super pumped to go ride! I too have some corning questions when it comes to CX(but certainly applies to mtb), specifically off camber muddy/greasy/slimy corners.
If the camber is steep, the tire is already on edge and leaning the bike takes you past the knobs edge. It also “seems” if you try to load into the turn with lots of pressure, this will cause a potential quick, unrecoverable washout. I can’t say I have tried the row/anti-row/scallop/pressure through feet yet in this situation but, in the past a “tip toe” approach(bike more upright, modest pressure into the tires) was all I could muster(and I hate riding this way!). This situation is mentioned in the book using the example of corning onto a wet bridge, but not addressed in much detail.
One technique I have played around with in this kind of corner is to keep the bike more upright but lean the body into the the turn and slightly rearward of saddle. I thought I read about this technique from a pro DH racer years ago but I can’t find the article and all the rest of cornering advice is the opposite. However I have had success with this, it seems to keep more knobs biting into the camber and is easier to save with pedaling(high side pedal less likely to hit) if the bike starts to slide out. I can’t figure the physics of why it works(or if it even faster).
So, does this “body lean/bike upright” technique even exist, and/or what is the best way to corner slick off cambers? Thanks!
Thanks for answering my question about weighting the tires/contact patches. I’d love to hear some tips about how you flirt with the limit of traction and if that varies from MTB to CX, maybe some body-english considerations as well.
I struggle with center of mass and roll center, obviously different for each surface type. On the road bike I generally keep my center of mass affixed to roll center, on the MTB usually atop or cantilever, and its all over the place on the CX bike (sometimes moto-x-ing off camber sweepers.
Any help or discussion is appreciated, lol. This question could probably go on for weeks. I raced Miatas for a decade or so (auto-x and endurance racing), get the idea of conserving momentum and maximizing corner speed, trying to translate that into bikes.
Thank you for the kind words.
Short answer:
There are lots of ways to make a bicycle change direction. If one works for you, do it with impunity.
Medium answer:
The best way to make an off camber turn is to not turn where it’s off camber. Look for any shape you can turn against.
Take late apex lines (using the positive camber at the entrance).
Loading a tire increases traction. When conditions are sketchy, tiptoeing does not help you. You can tell it’s not gratifying.
Long answer:
Consider two angles:
Cornering angle. The angle of your bike relative to the ground. In simple terms, more lean means a tighter turn.
Balance angle. The angle of your center of mass relative to the contact patches. More speed and a tighter turn means more lean.
Most of the time, the cornering angle is greater than the balance angle, so you lean the bike more than you lean you. Occasionally, the cornering angle might be less than the balance angle, so you’ll lean your body more than the bike.
Way longer answers at www.llbmtb.com.
Hi,
People can rip with high posts, but it’s difficult. You need to have exquisite mobility and great skills. Few people have either. Even fewer have both.
A low seat (via a dropper post) gives you vertical range of motion. This allows you to pump terrain (which is the key to shredding), and it lets you get lower on the bike, which increases your range of motion for bike handling (braking, cornering, riding steeps, etc.). This is especially important if you’re running a long stem, which eats up arm range.
I’ve worked with thousands of riders, convincing many to adopt dropper posts. I’m not aware of anyone, once they’ve learned the kung fu skills, who’s removed their dropper.
Give it a try! You can get a light one and, heck, SRAM just released a wireless one!
Hi Lee
I bought your book Dialed after watching the TR episode. It appears my RAD measurement using your tables is 4cm too long. But when I did the on-bike measurement it is spot on. I can stand up straight and the handlebars are firmly in my arms and against my torso without any bend at the elbows.
Now…we might conclude that the on-bike test wins but could the table be correct and could too long RAD be the reason I seem to have no hope of doing a manual on the bike? Are there any tests of bike geometry I can do to check if I should be able to manual without too much difficulty?
Tx
LtS
I’m “this close” to buying the Dialed book. I’m afraid what I really want is for it to tell me my bike setup is wrong and that is why I’m not as good at mountain biking as I’d like. Like you I can’t get close to doing a manual (among many other things like cornering…)
I’ve been relistening to both of the TR podcasts with Lee and just picked up Mastering Mountain Biking. After a few relistens, some reading, watch a little YouTube, and then some very mindful practice the whole Grand Unified Theory of Shredding is like a glint of a beacon in the distance. I think I can see it and it is beautiful. I’ve felt better on the bike and I’ve even had a chance to apply some of the principles while roller skiing (nordic skiing on pavement for hard core nordic dorks).
@bmullin, I am not really hoping to be told the bike setup is wrong. I want to avoid investing lots of time and energy into learning to manual (and pumping corners etc) IF the bike setup is wrong.
I have a 29’ bike with XL frame which my LBS told me is slighly large for me but perfect for my objective at the time which was to focus on climbing. Now that my objective is learning to manual it is important for me to know that my frame decision is manageable with some cockpit adjustment…if any. The bike feels right as it is - but Lee says the cockpit probably should feel a little tight to be right. I don’t know…
I’ve probably seen all the YT videos on how to manual and I know that the next step can only be lots of practice.
As for the book Dialed…the RAD is the most important measurement according to Lee and there are two ways of measuring it that are explained in the book: simple table or an on-bike measurement. There is also a detailed calculator but access to the calculator requires annual commitment to Lee’s online service and buying Dialed gets you one month off plus half off the monthly cost. I bought Dialed to understand my optimal bike setup and the two measurements using the book’s method are giving me substantially different results. Being drawn into additional cost to access the calculator to act as the final arbiter feels unfair in principle given the impression I had that buying Dialed would give me access to all of Lee’s tools for getting the bike dialed.
I might just take the bike to another LBS for a fitting…
I was able to access the calculator using the code in the book. Reach out to Lee directly via his site to see if something wasn’t setup correctly with your account. I actually had an issue where my free month expired prior to a month being up. He fixed it and I was able to access the calculator again. I also had the monthly access last year, which gave me access to the calculator. I cancelled once I felt my bike was setup correctly.
Hey guys, What a great podcast! I’ve listened to it several times because it’s so good and each time I get more and fired up about riding! Hearing the @Pete, @Jonathan, and @Nate_Pearson’s excitement about improving their riding is infectious. I get that a lot from TR podcasts, the enthusiasm carries! I’ve done several camps with @leelikesbikes and @Lee_McCormack is amazing!
It’s also fantastic to hear the @Nate_Pearson has progressed to being fast. That humbleness and willing to to work to improve pays off, we can all learn from that!
I thought about this and perhaps it should have been more obvious to me at first: if the on bike test tells me my bike is set up correctly then that supersedes tables and calculators. But I will buy a 30mm stem just to practice manuals…
I teach wherever I’m wanted! You can email me at lee@leelikesbikes.com
