JeStOnE

I've been riding on a fixed now going on 2 years, but I still can't really skid my knees feel a little weak when I try. I can do it in snow and sometimes rain, but it still doesnt feel right even then. Im not a weak rider, just dont really know what to do. It would be nice to figure it out considering I ride brakeless. I use a 48/18 48/17 and 48/16 Anyone got any ideas?

Judah

Get waaaaaay over the bars. Pretend you're that chick from titanic...

noisebeam

By luck, skidding came to me the second day on the bike (after I switched from clips which I didn't cinch tight to clipless)

Get your speed up to a decent level.
Use the lowest gear you have (biggest of those cogs)
Lean forward.
Push back with one leg and key for me was pulling up with the other, hence clipless helping
When I first skidded it was jerky, like unintentional skipping. Leaning forward made it much smoother.
Maybe try smooth pavement (concrete) or even wet or sandy. Maybe even grass to get the feel and not worry about crashing ? (I never tried skidding on grass, maybe it has other problems)
Once you figure it out, don't keep doing it for the next two hours otherwise you wont be able to walk the next day.

Al

mcatano

Check out these videos.

m.

jamey

umm...the real question is how are you still alive? 2 years or brakeless and you can't skid?! that takes some guts.

JeStOnE

Yeah, beyond that I ride with headphones through traffic at like 23mph usually. I seem to have better than average peripheral vision. And bigole testicles.

Judah

Should have quoted...

BostonFixed

Lean Forwards, and put your thighs on the bars, and your junk over the stem.

Rainy/Wet streets also work great for skids.

Bikeophile

yeah just what they said....lean so far forward that you aren't comfortable. I was playing around on my 52/16 this afternoon skidding away at even really slow speeds...you don't need to be going quick to practice it.

When you're that far forward you can really lock up the back leg which starts the skid!

Now get out there and report back to us!!
SKIDDDD!

ostro

South Fulcrum

Maybe you just suck.

peripatetic

Am I the only one terrified of totally eating it when I lean that far forward? I mean, don't you just kind of fall over to one side or the other? I understand the concept, but the actual practice looks suicidal.


But then, I'm kind of a wimp...

operator

Why is there pie on her head...

Bikeophile

I was petrified the first time I tried it, but honestly, go slow at first. You can just "putt" along and then try leaning without locking up your legs at first. Once you realize that you are not to flip the bike over and you get your confidence up then try locking up at a slow speed...then just keep practicing, and increasing your speed!

Good Luck!

powers2b

I think it is a pancake.
It seems to be the popular headgear around here.

Enjoy

jfmckenna

There really is no point to skidding don't do it. Stop now.

chimblysweep

honestly, i think it's cuz i run those slippery armadillo tires, but for me, skidding doesn't really slow me down much. I just sort of slide. So I would say there is some merit to this statement...

jim-bob

Yeah, but it looks cool. That's much better than actually being able to stop.

yonderboy

You can really skid off some rubber with a coaster brake.

r-dub

I couldn't skid for months...thought there was something wrong with my style. Then I built up a new bike running old (pulled out of the bike shop dumpster) 25mm tires. I had been running conti TT 32's. Suddenly I was skidding all over the place...just had too much grip on those top tourers.

flythebike

As Scrouge has pointed out, the point of skidding is to stop, so I have never really understood the point of skidding for distance competitions.

But it is one of those its a free country and to each his own things. If you build it they will come. You say Po-tae-tow I say Pa-Tat-to.

You should make people ride down a steep hill or ramp without using brakes and see how fast they can stop.

'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.

onelesscar

flythebike

What is that tag line somebody has about choosing the afterlife that includes pie?

JeStOnE

It's all good I did some skids the other night at critical mass, I'll have it down perfect by the weekend.

ch0mb0

I think in the past I waited 'til too late in the pedal rotation to start resisting ( 3 - 9 o' clock position ). Now I start resisting a couple of hours earlier. It feels correct, like there's more leverage, don't really know if this is the case, but sometimes it helps.