[Gene Kahn]

****Love riding my first fix, a Raleigh OneWay. Watch other guys do skids
getting the back wheel to hop and stop. My bike has a big frame, very
easy to ride and almost like a road bike. But no matter how hard I jam
back and learn way forward, I cannot get anything like that kind
of lift and slowdown of the back wheel. Is this me, inexperienced in
the mystical ways of the fixie, or a function of the longer frame
geometry?

I now see that being able to stop better, means being able to
GO FASTER. Duh. I never touch the brake either

Gener

 

[Tbirdbassist]

I learned to skid in the rain, since theres less grip. You kinda have to jsut do it. If you mess up theres a big chance you'll get launched by the pedals... which isn't fun. But you can save yourself.

It's simple, but it does take a bit of force.


You look like you have a easy enough gear ratio, you just gotta throw yourself forward, hold your body up with your arms and keep that dominant leg pushing back on the pedal coming forward/up.


it took me about a month to be comfortable with skidding. Don't use it to do al lyour stopping though... it doesn't stop you very fast at all and unless you're rocking a Soma Everwear tire... your gonna need a new one faster than you think.

Resisting, skip stopping... and using your brake will do much better. This is coming for a brakeless rider.

 

[threesportsinone]

Try it on grass, maybe even down a hill.

 

[Icculus]

Put your junk on the stem.

 

[Icculus]

:idea: Put your junk on the stem.

 

[nate]

As Tbirdbassist said, being able to stop better means using the brake. The mechanical advantage of the front brake can't be beat by locking the rear wheel, especially when most people un-weight the rear wheel even more than normal to enable a skid. Skidding may be cool, but it won't stop you as fast or as controlled as using the brake.

To properly skid, I think it just takes a willingness to commit (e.g. cajones, as required for many new athletic endeavors). I never have tried on purpose, but I've had plenty of panic braking on both my fixed gear and my geared bike where the rear wheel slides around without crashing. Doing it consciously instead of as an unconscious reaction is a different story.

 

[MisterC]

I wonder if tire choice has a lot to do with it.

I ride brakeless and can skid stop with the best of em. But I see guys that are skidding and then start pedaling backwards as they skid forward or skid stop and throw the bike 180 degrees which, despite my efforts, my tires just won't let me do. (I have found that pedaling backwards loosens the tires grip on the road a bit for such tricks which I am trying to master...but still) Maybe their tires are just so worn there isn't much grip or they know what tires are best for skid tricks as opposed to actually stopping.

I mean, go look up skid competitions and you will see guys that skid hundreds of feet before they stop. Not exactly practical. But cool.

 

[Alx]

what exactly is your gear ratio? I find that on my bike running 48x16 there is no way i can get the wheel to skid but my friends riding much smaller gearing it is way easier.

 

[Dave Hickey]

I think geometry has a lot to do with it too..

Your bike is a long wheelbase.. Looks at this DeRosa(not mine but I wish it was)... The very tight wheelbase would make tricks easier..

 

[Tbirdbassist]

what exactly is your gear ratio? I find that on my bike running 48x16 there is no way i can get the wheel to skid but my friends riding much smaller gearing it is way easier.

You can skid pretty much any gear under 90 or so gear inches. If you can successfully stop/slow down with your legs only you can skid it. I ride 49/16 and have no problem skidding. Having a lighter gear does make it easier, but its very doable on 48:16.

To skid you just have to REALLY wanna do it.

 

[endure26]

Tire choice also has something to do with it. A wider tire has more contact area with the pavement and will be harder to skid.

Getting started by practicing on wet pavement, grass, or dirt will make it easier to learn. Also make sure your clips are snugged up so you can push down with the back leg and pull up with the front leg to hold the pedals back.