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Riding Skills Series Leftmost Lane

Lane Position In Street Riding

Riding Skills Series Canyon Turn
In a right-hand canyon turn,... 
   
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Riding Skills Series Canyon Turn
In a right-hand canyon turn, use a late-apex approach to allow you to see as far around the corner as possible for as long as possible. This also lets oncoming traffic see you earlier.
When it comes to twisty roads, it's important to note some characteristics that most share. Roads that have a lot of turns are generally built that way to dodge hilly terrain, leaving a hillside to one side of the road, and a dropoff on the other. Driving or riding on the mountain side of the lane leaves shorter sightlines than in the opposite direction, and you can make a ride much more enjoyable by using this fact to your advantage. A perfect example is the Pacific Coast Highway. This road snakes up the coast, clinging to the side of the mountain that juts out of the ocean. Traveling northbound has you hugging a steep cliff in many areas, with short sight lines. Southbound, the view is much better, from both a tourist and safety standpoint. When planning a ride, use this fact to your advantage when choosing which direction to ride on particular roads.

In any event, your lane position on a curvy road is determined more by the direction of the turn—right or left—rather than the topography. In right-handers, keep to the left of the lane on the entrance, leaving the maximum sightline around the corner. Apex to the inside as you would any corner, but stay to the inside of the turn on the exit. This leaves you clear of any oncoming traffic that is potentially on the wrong side of the road, and also gives you some room for error if you misjudge the corner. Running a bit wide will still leave you in your lane, as opposed to crossing the double yellow and into oncoming traffic.

Riding Skills Series Apex
Just because your wheels are... 
   
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Riding Skills Series Apex
Just because your wheels are in the correct lane position doesn?t mean the rest of you is as well. Leave plenty of room at the apex in left-hand turns so you aren?t exposed to oncoming traffic.
In left-hand turns, stay right on the entry for a clear view into the turn. When you head for the apex, shy away from the centerline to keep well clear of oncoming traffic. Don't forget that your wheels can be in your lane and yet your body can be over the centerline, exposing you to a car in the other lane. Leave plenty of room for cars (and yes, bikes) coming the other way. There's a lot less room on the exit of a left-hand turn than a right-hander, so plan accordingly with restraint on the exit until you can clearly see the course of the road. On most twisty roads, lane position and line choice is more a matter of optimizing sight lines than using a classic swooping style from the edge of the road to the apex and back again.

In any situation, choosing the right lane position is a matter of considering line of sight for both you and the drivers around you, and in the twisties balancing that with the optimum line choice. Get that right, and you'll be safe as well as make good time, whether it's getting to work or jetting down your favorite mountain pass.

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