The Interface

THE INTERFACE

RIDE CRAFT

2013

CONTROL THE CONTACT PATCH

OF THE TWO tires above, which has more grip? Correct, #2. More rubber touching the road is more grip. And the best riders in the world are constantly working to be riding on #2. You can, too.

Imagine coming into a corner on the brakes: Your front contact patch is expanded and you're on the #2 tire, lots of rubber on the road. But before you turn into the corner, you jump off the brakes, the fork springs rebound and suddenly you're on the #1 tire. And then you ask that tire to take a cornering load! Leaving a bit of brake pressure on at the turn-in point will give you more rubber on the road. It's called trail-braking and you need to do it to win championships or rideyourchosen pace all your life. You're trailing off brake pressure as you add lean angle, trading "braking points" for "lean-angle points." And riding on the #2 tire is faster and safer.

The same applies for corner exits. Apply throttle smoothly midcorner to transfer weight rearward and you will always be accelerating on the #2 tire with more grip.

AT LEAN The more leaned you are, the more the contact patch looks like this. Same smooth loading principles apply.