Hardpack turns can be attacked either standing or seated. On a technical trail it’s more than likely you’ll enter the turn in the standing position.
Braking hard in advance, reduce your speed and sweep into the turn, releasing the brakes as you turn. With a firmer surface your braking can continue into the turn before transferring to throttle at the midpoint of the turn to drive out.
In the standing position the bike is leaned over while maintaining a more vertical body position which keeps your body weight transferred to the outside footpeg to help maintain stability. As you push into the outside footpeg, pulling up on the inside handlebar helps push the weight to the outside.
In the seated position, your body should be forward on the seat and sitting on the high edge of the seat, with your body in the vertical position. Here my head is forward, maintaining the central body position; eyeline is up scanning forward to corner exit and beyond.
Inside leg is forward, toe is pointed with the knee slightly bent in preparation for a possible touch. Keeping your inside leg out straight with toe pointed up vertical in the air will only result in your foot catching the ground and flicking back, resulting in loss of control. Remember not to reach for the ground, as it will drag your body weight off to the inside, a recipe for injury!
