TimArchy

As to the gearing question, I've found that a medium-high gearing (48x16 or so) better than a low one. having more resistance on the cranks gives you more room for error and makes for a smoother stand. if I track stand on my road bike I can't do it in the lower gears but in the middle I'm fine.

As for me, it took a few weeks practicing an hour or so a day. I wouldn't leave my neighborhood until I was confortable being able to do it for at least a minute or so. I learned with my left foot forward and it took 6 months or so to be able to do it right forward. Backward circles took a week of a few hours a day over christmas break. My key was to get it going and just let things flow. just try to keep your center of gravity over the bike.

tim

jerrryhazard

I pulled off 3 revolutions going backwards the other night, in a semi straight line. Also pulled off a couple backwards circles without falling. But I hail from a bmx/freestyle background, and fakie - going backwards is sort of engrained.

The adjustments you make have to be very subtle, (at least when you're learning),
Keep your weight centered over seat/backwheel - not your bars. (don't lean over the front wheel)
Try to keep your arms as straight as you can
If you feel yourself starting to lean to the right, turn your bars the left.. quickly - but ever so slightly

Anyhow, that's what's working for me right now. Don't give up, it's possible.

jordache

Yeah, really. I can only do it sitting. It's getting pretty easy for me now, although the first few times I tried it there was a lot of twitching going on. Also, I haven't done a standing trackstand since I learned to do it sitting. I just need to learn how to make it through the last handful of degrees of a backwards 360 and I'm set.

hammye

Someday you should throw a tall stem on your bike and learn boomerangs on that thing.

jerrryhazard

Don't tempt me. I might consider it if I can find a quick release stem. Then I could invert my bars ghetto style in order to gain the needed height...

ch0mb0

I head down to Union Square once in a while and practice.
I just wanna be able to stand thru the duration of a stoplight's time (if I do indeed stop at all )

It's become quite a bit easier to do since switching out the horns for a more traditional styled handlebar.

ultra-g

I spent about 30 minutes last night practicing. Still can't get it.

I don't know what to focus on more, my feet or my hands (or both at the same time, which I really can't get).

I tried going backwards too, but can't do that either.

SSenorPedro

Well, I have to say that it took me a while - though I really didn't try for a good amount of time.

I have ridden fixed for about 3-4 years now, mainly used a convert with front brake as my everyday commuter. Once I built up a play bike with no brakes, I was able to pull them off no problem. Brakeless was the key for myself.

I would recommend going to a tennis court or your garage or somewhere smooth that you can practice on for an extended period of time without dismounting. Then just spend an hour there until you make some headway.

I was able to pull these off about a week after going brakeless.....your mileage may vary.

-Pete

jordache

Neither. Once you have them both set up (hands holding wheel at appropriate angle and feet equally parallel to the ground), focus on keeping the bike underneath you. Back and forth, back and forth. Hold it for as long as you can, and when you start to lose it, don't swing your wheel, just ride it out and prepare again once your pedals come through another rotation.

ultra-g

Cool, I'll try that tonight.

ch0mb0

this helps for me: as others above mentioned, don't just look down at feet etc..."loosen up" and look somewhere ahead

jordache

It's all about finding the right position to put your body over the bike's center of gravity, and then rolling lightly back and forth with the pedals. Once you're used to how that feels, you can graduate to a sitting position, and then take your hands off the bars. My mistake when learning was to wildly wrench the front wheel around. Find an angle and keep it there.

fixinskitchin

I got my first backwards rotation the other night, I wasn't using my hands either, I just started going backwards cuz i was on a sslope and it just clicked, I did it a couple more times, now i do it all the time and people are getting sick of me, the hipsters in front of the coffee shop will never be impressed....damn them. As for the backwardsthign i found that if yo9u start with your wheel turned one way then half way through, when your feet are on top of each other, turn your bars the other direction. I saw a post on here a while ago of some chick doing no hands and one foot, whoever that was is nails for sure

ultra-g

Trackstand/go backwards while wearing your iPod and they'll have orgasms.

jamey

haha. the ipod suggestion cracks me up because it is completely true!

Sweetwater

Okay, after reading all this traffic about trackstand practicing and techniques, I went out and practiced. I was so stoked! I never would never have believed I would intentionally try to ride backwards on a bike much less not fall on my arse. Way cool. I've got a lot of practicing to do yet, but I'm excited about it.

redfooj

woo hoo, since i made this thread (2 weeks)... im now 80% proficient at track stands...

everytime i was bored i hopped on my bike and practiced

left leg forward, wheel canted left, pedals balanced... i looked at my feet, though. for me the breakthrough tip was to first lean forward (use arms for support)... and also to use arms and legs in unison to rock the bike back and forward... pedaling it alone was too difficult to do.

now to get this no-handed thing down.......

baxtefer

I finally figured it out!

it took one afternoon's worth of practising, but now I can hold a trackstand for a full stoplight about 90% of the time. woohoo!
I think I'll practise with my right foot forward for a while.

jerrryhazard

If you're still having problems getting a balance point from a standing position, try to just ride very slow , to the point where you are almost stationary, with just a hint of forward movement. After a while, you'll be able to roll amost to a stop. Now, just before you lose complete forward momentum, pedal backwards with just enough pressure to stop you from moving forward. When that stops you, pedal forward, just a bit, and then pedal backwards again... repeat...

Kind of hard to explain, but this way you're starting out already on balance, as opposed to trying to step up into... probably makes no sense, I haven't had all my caffine today so my apologies...

hangthedj85

I just kind of learned them. I started riding a fix two summers ago and since then I've learned trackstands, one handed trackstands, no handed trackstands, legs crossed through the frame trackstands, and another one where I put my left foot in the spokes and keep my balance that way. I'm hoping that through the last method I can find a way to take my hands off and do one footed no handed track stands.

Jesse M

try putting your free foot on your tire, when doing one footed no handers.

loaf

I always try to practice for a minute or two everytime I come home from a ride. Since I ride to school, I get a good amout of practice, none of that no handed stuff yet though.

shrimpx

offtopic, but seeing all the posers around here try to trackstand at lights and failing miserably and consistently -- flailing body parts for 5 seconds before finally putting a foot down in an effort to not fall in their faces -- is the funniest **** ever.

i say practice in a parking lot or something, without clipping in. if you could learn how to ride a bike you can learn how to trackstand.

TimArchy

its funny, when practicing alone I could only ever do one reverse 360. Then, once, to get the kids attention, I attempted to do one in one of the math classes I teach. I ended up doing three consecutive circles before I hit a desk. something about pressure or something I guess.

so my trick to doing reverse 360's is to do them in an indoor confined space with a bunch of 16yr old kids watching.

tim

habitus

actually, to me, seeing the "posers" around here just riding around is the funniest ***** ever.