bonsai171

Hi,

I just got my chain upgraded to a 1/8", so now I can flip flop between singlespeed and fixed gear. Tonight I tried the fixed gear for the first time, holy crap! That was pretty fun. It took a few seconds to get on the bike and figure out how to start, but after that, it was second nature (after being jolted up by the pedals a few times while trying to coast! The thing i can't figure out is how to skid stop. The bike has front and rear brakes, but I wanted to try that just for fun. When I put back pressure on the pedal, it just pushed my foot up. What am I supposed to do? Thanks,

Dave

seau grateau

It's a whole body thing, not just pushing back on the pedal. Push with your back leg, lift with your front leg, and use your core and upper body to resist the cranks movement as well. It helps to shift your weight forward to unweight the rear a bit as well. You can even hop the rear wheel up to do quick little skips, which is more effective if you want to actually stop the bike (though your brakes will do the job still better).

daryldeal

Good job man you are now one with your bike and its an incredible feeling

You in the city or country? tough part is when youre in a traffic congested city though with all the start and stops.

bonsai171

I'm in the city.. Currently in North Jersey and moving to Atlanta in a few weeks! Can't wait to start riding down there.. It is very congested though, but the drivers seem less aggressive. We'll see what happens

TenSpeedV2

Foot retention. It's pretty much a must if you are riding fixed. Straps, clipless, whatever, but get retention.

daryldeal

Man I'm not really sure if he wants that already since hes a beginner? especially with all the start and stops. Sometimes its easier to put your foot down.

seau grateau

Foot retention doesn't prevent you from putting a foot down.

daryldeal

Not really saying it prevents you, but the amount of time you can put your foot down with no retention is almost always quicker though vs with any retention.

seau grateau

Yeah, but ...ehh. Running clipless pedals, just twist your foot and it's out. If you do it right, you get all the benefits and minimal drawbacks.

daryldeal

he's a beginner as well, maybe start out first on the safe side and progress to the clips afterwards

TejanoTrackie 

The benefits of foot retention far outweigh any shortcomings. If you get foot retention right away, it will take you very little time to get used to it and you will not develop bad habits. Riding fixed w/o foot retention is inefficient and potentially dangerous if your feet slip off the pedals at speed.

daryldeal

True.

Just not in my case where you can't really "speed" up since its so congested that stop and go traffic is the norm and the premium of 'instantly' having to put your foot down the road is a must.

Wendell F

It may not be the "most congested in the world" but plenty of folks with foot retention "speed" up here in NYC.
And I'm with TT. No need for baby steps. Get good with foot retention straight away before the bad habits kick in.

TejanoTrackie 

With a fixed gear it very easy to keep your feet on the pedals and balance the bike at slow speeds or even at a stop (track stand). You have plenty of time to unclip and put a foot down if necessary. I rarely have to unclip when riding in traffic and with traffic lights, and can easily hold a track stand for 30 seconds. Get a set of double sided SPD type pedals, and clipping back in is nearly instantaneous.

daryldeal

Man, I wish I ride in your cities

The only place where I 'enjoy' foot retention around here is in the countryside where there's basically little to no traffic lol, only straps btw. But its really a no no for me in the city cause I need 'instant, quick and repeating' foot on the ground stuff lol

Bandera

Yep, and keep the brakes fitted.
Riding FG on the road isn't a circus act.

-Bandera

daryldeal

Oh can u guys elaborate on the bad habits as it may also benefit the OP

wphamilton

Get weight over it and jam hard. But personally I never do it because brakes work better and they don't wear the tires out like skidding does.

An experienced cyclist can ride without foot retention, although for a beginner it's probably a good idea.

TenSpeedV2

I have never once ridden fixed without clipless. I have never once crashed or not been able to put my foot down due to that. Riding fixed without foot retention just seems like a bad idea. I also ride in traffic, city traffic, and have ridden several times in Chicago in heavy traffic, all clipped in. Like mentioned above, it is not a circus act. Master the track stand and the super slow roll where you are barely moving and keep your balance. You will find it to be easier than putting a foot down.

And if I were to ride in London, Tokyo, NYC, Atlanta, Dallas, LA or any other big city, I would be clipped in. Guaranteed.

rEVOLVED

I learned to skid right away with my fixed gear, just for fun. I decided I would burn through the junky tires that came on the bike, buy new ones, and probably never skid again. It can be addicting, but so is riding fast, and so are track stands, both which don't damage your tires the way a skid does. This isn't to discourage OP at all. Just sharing my limited experience. Do what YOU want with your bike, and don't let anybody break your spirit.

Skidding without foot retention is NOT a beginner's game. I learned to skid with my cages, took my feet out, tried a skid, and almost ate it. You don't realize how much you pull up with the front foot until you don't have retention to pull against. Definitely get out of the saddle, weight forward, and for heaven's sake, do it at a low speed on a smooth surface. If you try to skid going full bore on asphalt, you're gonna have a bad time.

Welcome to fixed gear riding. Be safe out there!

bonsai171

Hi,

At this point, i'm going to stick with fixed gear without retention, but have double sided pedals, so eventually I will switch (spd on one side, platform on the other). I will buy spd shoes eventually, but get the clips good and broken in while the bike is on the singlespeed side, then maybe mess with the shoes on the fixed gear side. There is a long flat road off our apartment complex that rarely has traffic, so that should be a good place to play

Dave

steve-in-kville 

I started with a cheaper pair of Giro's I got on close-out. Might have paid about $50 for a $110 shoe. Deals are out there if you have the patience.

daryldeal

although it's interesting that Ive read somewhere that going retentionless on a fixed gear they say is an "advanced" skill? maybe its a case to case basis?

TenSpeedV2

Advanced? Since when do they spell stupid like that?

daryldeal

ive read it somewhere in this website, under pedals.
Not sure how reliable this website is though.

Quote below.

"Sometimes, novice fixed-gear riders will try to use plain pedals with no form of retention system. I strongly advise against this. Riding fixed with plain pedals is an advanced fixed-gear skill, only recommended for experienced fixed-gear riders."

Link below.

Fixed Gear Bicycles for the Road