Turn, Turn, Turn

A time for rotation, and a purpose for every corner under Heaven. 🎵

Cue intro music…

Oh, hello.

After a post-Thanksgiving pause to recharge (damn you, tryptophan), we’re back this weekend to dive into rotation, which we covered back in episode 7. This is one of those concepts that sounds simple but took me a solid amount of time—and a lot of trial-and-error reps—to really wrap my head (and hips) around. It’s about more than just turning the bike; it’s about unlocking stability and precision in a way that changes how you move through corners.

Let’s jump in and break it down!¹

Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

What Is Rotation?

At its core, rotation is about initiating movement from your feet to guide your bike’s movement through a turn. Rather than relying on the handlebars to steer, rotation (read, turning) starts at the base—your feet—and moves upward through your legs, hips, and core. This technique keeps your center of mass balanced between your wheels, helping you navigate even the loosest or most technical corners with ease.

Jamie explains:
“Rotation starts in your feet. When you twist your feet slightly, your knees shift, your hips follow, and the bike naturally leans into the turn. This alignment is what allows you to maintain traction, speed, and control without forcing the movement.”

It’s fascinating how such a small movement at the feet can have such a profound impact on the entire turn. That initial shift sends a ripple up through your legs, into your hips, and ultimately guides the bike itself. It’s subtle but deliberate, and when done right, it creates a chain reaction that feels natural and controlled.

Think of it like geometry: a slight change at the point of origin—the angle of your feet—may seem insignificant at first, but as that angle travels up through your body, it widens, creating more noticeable movement in your knees, hips, and ultimately the bike. This amplification is what makes such a small adjustment feel so powerful, shaping the way your bike carves through the turn.

Starting at the feet also helps us avoid the tendency to throw our hips or knees around mindlessly in an attempt to force the turn. These big, uncontrolled movements create noise in the system—disrupting your balance, reducing traction, and even increasing the risk of injury. Instead, intentional rotation ensures that every part of your body is working harmoniously to guide the bike through the corner with precision and control.

This concept of starting small and building upward is a game-changer. It’s not about making big, dramatic moves—it’s about precise, intentional shifts at the point of origin that grow into stability, predictability, and, eventually, the confidence to tackle corners with ease.

Techniques for Rotation

1. Active Feet:
Start every turn with a small shift/twist in your feet.

2. Light Hands:
Your handlebars are for balance, not for steering. Keep a soft grip (think “potato chip hands”) to let the bike move naturally beneath you.

3. Look Through the Turn:
Point your eyes toward the exit of the turn. Your body—and bike—will follow.

4. Body Position:
Maintain bike-body separation. Your bike leans into the turn while your body stays upright, centered over the wheels.

Cue It!

Here are some cues to keep in mind while practicing rotation:

• “Lead with your feet.” Remember, rotation starts at the base.

• “Smear the berm.” Use your hips to guide the bike’s lean, and smear the berm with your hips.

• “Look through.” Keep your eyes on the exit, not the obstacle.

Got it? Yes? Cool. No? Comment below.

Cheers,

Danielle

Clarification:

A commenter raised an excellent point about how bikes actually turn, emphasizing that the front wheel pulling the bike out of its straight-line path is what initiates the turn, in line with Newton’s laws of motion. They noted that applying a rotational force at the bottom bracket could cause skidding rather than aiding the turn.

To clarify, the rotation I described isn’t about twisting the bike from the bottom bracket or forcing the frame to pivot. Instead, it’s about how subtle, intentional movements—starting at the feet—align the rider’s body with the bike, helping to guide it smoothly through the turn. This isn’t a literal force but rather a technique that complements the bike’s natural mechanics and keeps the rider balanced and connected.

Thanks for the thoughtful input—it’s always great to dig into the physics and technique of riding!

1. This post has been created with the help of AI and drew on the original content from episode 7.