Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - 200lb seated skidders weigh in, please

OK, I can skid fine when I want to have fun, but I have to assume that extreme balls-to-stem position that feels, frankly, a little ********, if not a little unstable. I'd like to be able to rip off a more casual ass-hovering-above-seat skid (not skip) every once in a while, or at least something inbetween the two. Not talking about skid contest fare, just utilitarian skids. I suspect, as I'm a taller gent, that there's a weight factor to overcome. Anyone over 6', 200lbs who regularly does this? Any hints on technique, gearing, set-up?

dude, im not a 200+lb man, but just lift your ass a little and do a short and sweet street skid. It helps if you kind of push the back wheel out to the side as you unweight. Remember, it's going to be short and sweet

Also, the geometry on my bike so super LAX and i'm totally upright, so if i can do this on my grampster bike, you can do it on yours. About the gearing, if you're running anything about 75 gear inches, it takes more umph. low 70s are pretty easy.

You're in Hawaii so this doesn't help, but I've found that during Fall, having wet leaves on the ground are good for learning how to do nice little skids to the left or right.

Be careful, go to far and you'll get up close and personal with said leaves.

OK, I can skid fine when I want to have fun, but I have to assume that extreme balls-to-stem position that feels, frankly, a little ********, if not a little unstable. I'd like to be able to rip off a more casual ass-hovering-above-seat skid (not skip) every once in a while, or at least something inbetween the two. Not talking about skid contest fare, just utilitarian skids. I suspect, as I'm a taller gent, that there's a weight factor to overcome. Anyone over 6', 200lbs who regularly does this? Any hints on technique, gearing, set-up?

I'm about 190 (still loosing weight too), so maybe I can say something. I find the trick for skidding is the simultaneous unweighting and resistance to the pedal rotation. Try and make one fluid motion, as you unweighted you apply more resistance to the pedals. Since you're not doing this for flare and to actually stop I recommend not unweighting as much and just stomping the crap out of the pedals. Pull up with you back foot too in the clips.

You're in Hawaii so this doesn't help, but I've found that during Fall, having wet leaves on the ground are good for learning how to do nice little skids to the left or right.

Be careful, go to far and you'll get up close and personal with said leaves.

yeah, last week i had my longest skid ever. on a geared bike. all curtousy of a half-inch thick mat of wet leaves on the local mup. of course it was totally unintentional and scary as hell.

I'm 210 and if I'm in the drops I don't have to lift my ass.
Maybe you could benefit from some adjustments.

gearing makes a big difference.

i'm two bills even and over six seven. i can skid semi-seated with my ass just above the seat and my weight pushed forward a little bit. the only way to learn different skidding techniques to just go out and tool around.

and yeah, push the wheel out to the side, usually you'll find a side that works best with each foot forward and if you get really baller and can skid with one foot forward and the wheel moving to one side, pedal half a rotation and skid your rear wheel out to the other side.

would a road frame be better for a larger and heavier person to skid easier?
I'm thinking it would since it would give more room to find the sweet spot and not be hanging like an ape over the bars while trying to get weight off the rear wheel.

uh, i could be wrong but i think the steeper angles of track bikes make it easier to unweight the wheel.

with that said i've never skidded as far on my track bike as my farthest skid on my conversion.

if you can manage to get all your weight on your rear pedal and also pull up hard with your front foot then your going to skid. getting weight a little forward will just make it easier to do. play around with it and you'll get an idea of how much you need to lean forward. sometimes i skid where i'm actually moving all my weight as far back as i can. it's tuff to do but it scrubs off speed well.

Unless you want to wear out your tires in a day, you should always assume the balls-on-stem position. The more weight you leave on the wheel, the greater the force of friction on the tire.

The more weight you leave on the wheel, the greater the force of friction on the tire.

and the faster you stop. depends on what you're skidding for.

One thing that helped me skid better(for stoping not for show) is to almost hop a little when starting the skid it makes the initial lockup easier and then it is relatively easy to hold the skid for a little bit

it is really hard I have only been able to do it with a really low gear and it was an emergency btw backpedaling will stop you faster and more effectively back pedal or do some little skips that will stop you alot faster than a skid and then you still have control over the bike

6'2" 190 I ride 47x19 for fall/winter and can do it no problem. Was running 49x17 in spring/summer, couldn't do it as good. I would think gearing has more to do with than height/weight.