You don't have to push it that far to corner well though. All you really need for triathlon are the skills and judgment to make turns with confidence.

Each turn has a different angle of attack and appropriate speed, but all require the same principles to be in control. Gradual radiuses may allow you to pedal all the way through the turn and hold a high speed. Sharp turns require lots bike lean and if the cranks continue to go round your inside pedal may hit the pavement—not good. In the worst case scenario you might really misjudge it, and as your pedal hits, a tire lifts off the pavement—worse.

So each turn requires a decision: pedal through, or coast. Unfortunately you can only make the decision by experience. If in doubt, lean and coast. Keep in mind the most important part of the lean and coast technique is that your crank arm on the outside of the turn is in the down position, with the inside crank up!

The first skill you need to master to corner well is weight shift. As you approach a turn where you must stop pedaling some of your weight should shift to the outside foot, which is on the pedal, which is attached to the crank, which is in the down position. Some of the weight that would normally be on your saddle should shift to the foot in the down position, lowering your center of gravity.

For most lean and coast turns if you simply keep your shoulders centered over the handlebars it will work well, but sometimes a weight shift of your upper body can give you more grip. Contrary to one's natural instinct to keep the bike as upright as possible, if you push the bike slightly to the inside while keeping most of your weight on that outside pedal you'll be pushing the bike 'into the ground' and increasing grip. This is an advanced technique to try only after you've mastered the basic weight shift.

In addition to developing bike handling skills you need to consider road conditions. How fast you can take a turn is determined by how much friction your tires need before they slip, and the stiction factor of the road surface. Smooth pavement with an abrasive surface offers the most grip. Bumpy surfaces may leave your tires airborne for a split-second, increasing the possibility of a slide. Anything loose on the road surface like sand or leaves should be avoided or ridden over at low speed with no lean.

Wet roads are the most unpredictable of all; you get about half the friction, so you need to reduce speed by about one-third. Painted lines and manhole covers are slicker than the pavement. It's wise to reduce tire pressure when it's wet as this will increase the amount of rubber in contact with the road.