visitordesign

i'm way too light for my height and while that causes problems when riding on windy days, it doesn't affect the difficulty of skidding or skipping. i use clipless pedals. i couldn't really skid well or back pedal with significant stopping force until my legs strengthened and got used to the feel of a fixed drivetrain, but skipping was never a problem. i'd just go along at a medium pace and pop forward and up out of the saddle while pulling both calves and knees up a bit. that would get the back wheel to lift. then i figured out how to get comfortable locking my legs on the way back down and lifting my calves and knees again to pop the wheel up again, etc.

why don't you just clip into yr pedals with the bike in a corner of yr house with the front tire against the wall it's perpendicular to and keep the other wall within leaning distance to brace an elbow to. lean against the elbow-bracing wall, stand up and practice popping up the rear wheel (just barely off the ground is fine). when you feel comfortabe with that and commit the action to muscle memory, try it outside while riding. you should get it instantly.

humancongereel

how are clipless for you? i prefer clipless, but i've always been told that i need clips and straps for riding fixed.

Aeroplane

For me, skidding isn't as much about stiffening the back leg as it is wedging my hip (the one connected to the back leg) against the bars. That way, it comes down to either breaking the bars, bending my leg, or breaking that rear tire loose (skidding). Thus far, it's always been the last one.

Aeroplane

Bull****. There are preferences, and I remember there being a fairly heated argument about how "dangerous" it was to ride clipless, but for the most part, a LOT of people manage to ride fixed clipless. I like it a lot.

visitordesign

i love clipless, but you have to be mindful about checking the cleats every few weeks if you have SPD compatible mountain shoes that are comfortable enough to walk around in. the crash last week that put me on my face had a lot to do with worn out cleats that released when i put a lot of sudden backward torque on them. i had actually noticed that my foot was releasing for about two weeks and just kept procrastinating because i was "too busy finishing projects."

in general, with using my riding shoes as my sneakers, crank bros cleats last me about 3 months. when i looked at the shape that my cleats were in after i crashed, i was pretty pissed at myself for not taking better care of my equipment. i'm pretty sure i would have avoided that trip to the ER entirely had i been able to skip or skid without my cleat releasing as it did.

so, clipless are great, but don't neglect those cleats...

popluhv

Agreed. There are good clipless pedals, and there are bad. The same is true with toe clips and straps. I use SPD presently, and they are great.

brunning

"balls on the stem" is all you need to know about skidding.

46x17

The heated argument (and some good information on clipless vs. clips and straps) can be found here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/161027-what-pedals-do-you-use.html

peripatetic

Thanks for the tips, visitordesign. A helpful description and helpful exercise you suggest. I'll try it. I'm beginning to think that the main reason I'm not getting it is a lack of leg muscle development. I've read many posts before, and I know the whole, throw your nards to the stem, lean forward, commit, plus the pics, but still felt like I wasn't tuned into the actual physical motion. This thread's helped me understand what I need to do. Considering my bum knee, I'm definitely going to hold off on trying to skid until I can rehabilitate it more. But the skipping I think I'll be able to figure out.

humancongereel

thanks...

so basically what i got from that thread is that there is no real answer to the clip and strap/clipless question except whatever works for you, which is most likely to be clips and straps. but isn't necessarily, but may be.

46x17

Yes everyone should ride what they want according to the thread.
I still think everyone riding a handbrakeless fixed wheel bicycle on the street should be using clips and good quality straps.

Just think about the release mechanics of each system and pick whatever feels safer.

humancongereel

exactly, but perhaps i'll resurrect that thread to carry on this discussion, rather than continue the thread jack. apologies to the OP.

efarrar

How do people in Texas learn to skid? There is no rain.

The rain thing is no joke. I was scared to death of skidding, until one day I was riding in the rain and it just happened. For the rest of the ride I just started skidding into every red light. Your muscles have their own memory, and once you feel a skid you will know how to do it again.

regarding clips/no clips/clipless: whatever you ride with now is what you should learn with. You use slightly different muscles with all three, and once you have your muscles toned and well trained you will be able to do the tricks. If you don't know how to install/maintain/clip out/clip in/adjust/have a powerful stroke with whatever you use, then it is a problem of ignorance and not some inherent problem with the technology.

RicFlair Fixie

give it some time and have some fun with it. commit when your gonna skid and you will be golden. weight has noithing to do with the wobblyness of your skid i weigh 135 and run some steap gearing. you'll get the hang of it. you got the flat land of nyc to help you. grass is also always slippery you dont have to wait for it to rain or anything. it is also alot more forgiving if you fall. good luck