wedoboop

I've got my fixie for couple weeks lately. and like when i try to skid i cant seem to lock up my legs so it can skid my gear ratio is 48x16 any help

mattxxx

you're ratio's kinda high for a beginner i suppose but not so much that you shouldnt be able to lock it up unless your tiny. are you putting all your weight over the front wheel, balls to stem?

wedoboop

whats a good ratio for a beginner? and yes my balls are to the stem but when i push it back my legs still pedal like it slows down but doesnt skid.

mattxxx

play around with this: https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
and try to find something as close to 70 gear inches as you can get IMO
if you're riding brakeless, than its best if you have a gear ratio that cant be simplified (i.e. 46/17) so you have enough skid patches to not wear your tire out too quick.
as long as you get the weight up front and lock up your rear leg, which should be your strong leg, than you should get it. it takes a little bit of practice. and a little speed makes it easier as well

wedoboop

how do i work this i dont really get most of what it wants for me to ask. but can you recommend a good ratio for a noob for fixies

mattxxx

46 up front, 17 in back. you get 17 skid patches and 71 gear inches. great place to start.

wedoboop

alright look my crank is 48t whats a good cog t for it? to make it beginner friendly

mattxxx

if you're sticking with your 48t chain ring, put an 18t cog in back and have fun eating up your tire. thats 70 gear inches by the way. or put a 19t cog on for more skid patches and even lower gear inches (66) but if you keep riding fixed you'll grow out of a gearing that low pretty fast.

wedoboop

not to sound stupid is it bad to get more skid patches? since i already have a 16 cog and 48 t crank its either cause i want a easy ratio to skid in

mattxxx

more skid patches is good. less is bad. if you have less it basically means that every time you skid you're going to be skidding on the same part of your tire and you're going to wear through it faster.

SexWithBicycles

I don't get it, can't you just remove the tire and turn it a bit and remount it every so often depending on how much you ride?

wedoboop

in your opininon waht would be better? 48/18 or 46/17

WoundedKnee

That isn't the only reason.. it makes skidding much more difficult when there are less patches.

W: just do 46/17

mattxxx

yeah but thats a pain in the ass when you could just buy a new cog for 10 bucks.

mattxxx

46/17. thats why it was my first suggestion.

Dosu

What's the most common gearing fixies use? also track riders?

mattxxx

who knows. i just know what i like from experimenting with different combinations. it depends on where you ride, how you ride, etc.

EDIT: but i have no idea if theres a common gearing among track racers. i dont ride track.

spcialzdspksman

I've been told track riders have 50+ teeth for chainring and about 13,14-tooth cog?
Either way, its insane gearing!

Razi

This is the gearing I'm using currently, and it's a good all around gear, and skidding with it is not that difficult.
wedoboop, if you're willing to, you should try out that gearing.
Also remember to lean over the handlebars a bit.

mattxxx

haha, id like to see someone pushing that in sf. although i suppose it would be quite a fun downhill gearing.

WoundedKnee

Over handlebar skids are pretty useless once you learn the professional way.. ha professional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDThbgvMQZI

Like this.

Tomo_Ishi

Yeah ... seated skids. I am still working on that, I still have to lift my bottoms alittle.

filtersweep

You are crazy. Just "move" (rotate) the entire wheel. Much easier than REMOVING THE TIRE.

Odds are you would have done this anyway when you removed the tire.... unless you reset the hub in the exact same rotation you found it.

wedoboop

yeah i find it hard for me to push back and skid with my ratio of 48/16

whats a good cheap chainring with 47 t ? but good chainring

WoundedKnee

I can do seated skids but it's dangerous on the roads in my neighborhood, my tires stick to the pavement like glue.