Fixed Gear Freestyle - I can't skid

I changed my rear wheel to the fixed gear cog and tried to skid stop but it won't work. All i do is slow down. Is it just me not being strong enough to completely stop the wheel? Or is it my chain tension. Please help

How are you executing the skid stop? Also whats your gear configuration?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=DkNbrtuxZdo

Technique ; weight off the rear wheel ie. lean forward on handlebars, head and shoulders will be over the front wheel, crotch on the stem, lock up your legs, jam your thighs against the handlebars...

If you don't get your butt off the saddle, too much weight will be on the rear wheel and this will wear out the tire at a faster rate.

I went on a friends fixie for the first time a few weeks ago and had never rid one before. Took about 3 attempts until I could skid. It's all technique based. Everyone has their own methods but I found that when my drive foot was almost as far down as the crank arm can go to the floor I would just push against it with force and this would skid. That's a pretty standard method as you can see in the video above. Just keep trying, although it does get tiring after a while.

You want to make sure you're feet are parallel to the ground (3 o' clock and 9 o' clock position) when you perform the stop. Using your strong foot to push in the opposite direction and your other foot to lift forward.

You want to make sure you're feet are parallel to the ground (3 o' clock and 9 o'clock position) when you perform the stop. Using your strong foot to push in the opposite direction and your other foot to lift forward.


I don't agree with that completely. I personally find it much easier to skid when my extended leg locks the crank at about a 5 o'clock position. It also helps a lot if you have pedal straps of some kind in order to pull up on the non-extended leg.

Put some Brakes on It ! :bang:

Put some Brakes on It ! :bang:

Although I agree wholeheartedly with you, the OP obviously doesn't mind flat-spotted tires, thinks skidding is "cool", and hasn't reached puberty yet, so your post (and mine) fall on deaf ears..... :lol:

Ride Safe.

Rather than doing it the hard way (using the pedals to stop the wheel) why not just jam your foot against the tire behind the seatstay? That's what we did when we were kids and had crappy old bikes without brakes.

They putting your weight forward (post up to the handle bars) and lock your back foot so the back and front pedal are almost horizontal. At the same time pull your front foot up into your strap. (Assuming you have straps)

it helpts to have a good gear ratio, i hear its easier with some ratios as suppose to others,
i cant skid , and i feel its because of my gear ratio ....but i have brakes i use on both front and back.

I don't see the point of making a thread, practice is the only thing that helps. Get off the computer go outside and keep trying it will happen.

you can always rub your tires with 50 grit sandpaper to mimic the effect