Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - The Skidding Newb.

wel, i figure if i don't ask the question i'll never really know the answer. i want to know what this "skidding" on Fixies is all about and how one starts to learn to do it. I know i'm setting myself up for some really good shots here but i am completely ignorant to the whole topic. So, now that you're all done laughing at me...Ready...Aim...FIRE

it's super easy.
step 1) unweight your rear wheel (get up out of your saddle and lean far forward over your bars so that your hips are actually pressing against them)
step 2) as your left foot comes up from the bottom of the crank rotation quickly push against it and lock it up (if you have clips/clipsless also pull up with the other foot)
step 3) skid and look awesome

(note on step 2, it doesn't matter which foot you lock up)

easy does it and without any sass.
enjoy.

hey, check out the "search the forums section". you'll definitely find what you're looking for there.

fixedfiend is right (lots of info already out there), but note on step one, you don't have to move your body _way_ forward, you just have to put a significant amount of your weight on your bars. bullhorns help, cause you can get your weight farther forward. then try to simultaneously switch directions of your pedals. i do it with my right forward usually, so when skidding, i pull up on my right strap, and push down/back on my left pedal. it's just resisting the movement of the pedals, while freeing your rear wheel of enough downward force that it can remain still. it becomes a brake against the pavement. move your body, and you can move the slide, just like a coaster brake slide. i end up sliding left a bit if i want to. have fun

btw. learning on grass or wet smooth pavement, or downhill, is easiest

also, as I demonstrated last week, when you put your weight forward, make sure you have good body control and that your weight is centered. If you nudge the steering and jackknife the front wheel, in can end up being your body skidding down the street rather than the back wheel. I ended up feeling quite foolish skidding on my leg with the bike riding me. what was weird was a ped witnessed the whole thing and said "you're going to have to put some brakes on that bike." I ride with brakes though (or rather a front brake and a lever for the back brake that isnt connected to anything). He must have witnessed people in similar falls without brakes because it is pretty obvious that I have brakes if you look at the bike

another good step to skidding is to commit to it. you cant skid without using some force to stop your wheel yet continue moving forward. dont let your brain tell you it cant be done... just do eeeet.

another good step to skidding is to commit to it. you cant skid without using some force to stop your wheel yet continue moving forward. dont let your brain tell you it cant be done... just do eeeet.

i would say that this recommendation is one of the most important. most of the time that i've had problems or have come close to eating sh*t have been when i've hesitated or otherwise not followed through. you'd have you throw your weight pretty far forward pretty bloody fast to go over the bars. given that you're exerting pressure back on the rear wheel, the possibility is even less.

you'd have you throw your weight pretty far forward pretty bloody fast to go over the bars. given that you're exerting pressure back on the rear wheel, the possibility is even less.

not that I'm accusing you of thinking so, but I didn't go over the bars, when the wheel jackknifed, i pulled back and went down backwards

not that I'm accusing you of thinking so, but I didn't go over the bars, when the wheel jackknifed, i pulled back and went down backwards

yeah, i wasn't thinking of your case in particular. i've nearly jackknifed when skidding with my narrow track drops (as opposed to my totally ridiculous nitto 42cm trial bullhorns) due to weird gripping and general poor handling.

make sure that your cog and lockring are on tight, and make sure that the stack bolts (that connect your crankspider to your chainring) are tight too.

it's REAL uncomfortable to skid and have stackbolts make your cranks slide 15 degrees... it's also REAL uncomfortable to have your cog slip to the lockring. basically, any time something is loose and is subject to the pressure of a skid, your pedals will move a bit, independant of the wheel. that sucks.

woo, took about two days but i can do right-foot-back trackstands for about 10 seconds, left-foot-forward for only 2 or 3 though

oh, and i can only seem to skip/skid with my right foot forward, if i try the other way it hurts my left knee