Originally Posted by shot
Everybody is always riding around town going all fast and being smooth and graceful,
BUT WHAT ABOUT..........
STAIRS on a FIXED GEAR BICYCLE:
Originally Posted by shot
-Who has ridden down a set of stairs?
Me!
Originally Posted by shot
-What about riding up a few stairs?
Sure,
Originally Posted by shot
-How many stairs?
3 isn't a prob, 5 or more is a bit of a workout (I'm lazy), much rather carry my ride
Originally Posted by shot
-On what bike?
Urbanist 48-16 w/chopped cruiser bars / Time pedals
Originally Posted by shot
-Is it possible to wheelie down a set of stairs? (Meaning, ride down with only the back wheel touching the stairs…)
Probably, but the geometry isn't there, you'll bend something, rim, frame, clavicle? I suppose you could have some 28+ tires and only 50 psi or something, and kinda drop down em one at a time, but why?
Originally Posted by shot
-Is it possible to skid OR skip down a set of stairs?
Only if you don't paticularly like your wheel, for some reason need a flat tire or wanted some free facial reconstruction from the local emergency room.
Originally Posted by shot
(Seems like it would be possible to skid all the way down, since the tire’s contact patch is only the narrow edge of each step…)
You'd hit each consecutive step harder as you slowed and you'd definately slow down. Unlikely your wheel/ride would come away unscathed. Also it'd give you a good spanking
DROPOFFS on a FIXED GEAR BICYCLE:
Originally Posted by shot
-Who has done a dropoff? (loading docks, two or three stairs at high speed, etc….)
I used to get bored standing by too!
Originally Posted by shot
-How high was it?
I've done 2 to 2 1/2 feet in motion, lil over a meter from a standstill.
Originally Posted by shot
-On what bike?
Same as above
Originally Posted by shot
-Did you keep pedaling in the air?
yes, it helps with not landing on your front wheel, and there's only time in the air for 1 rotation or so, if that. Trying to stop pedaling threw me off balance, trying to kep pedaling did the same, just flowing through it as though I were on level ground did the trick. Not think about pedaling but keeping wheels level for landing.
Originally Posted by shot
-What happens when you land?
hard to land perfectly level the way I'd like to spare abuse on the bike, generally if you land clean someone sez "Dude!" or something and you laugh. I always went slow enough that I'd be in a trackstand a meter after landing or so.
WHEELIES on a FIXED GEAR BICYCLE:
Originally Posted by shot
-Who can ride wheelies? How far?
me! not far!
Originally Posted by shot
(Seems like you could basically ride a wheelie forever if the gear ratio was right and you had the sensitive application of pedal pressure dialed-in.)
I've seen it done by much better riders (fixed) than me, same as riding backwards circles, practice practice practice.
The best trick I've seen at least for showmanship was at a race a few years back, fella named Butch rode some backward circles, then stopped in a no hand stand, whipped out some balls and started juggling while singing Johnny Cash songs, all while trackstanding.
All that in motion stuff you're asking about is a good way to really trash yer ride, unless you built a ride specifically for that which might be a lot of fun! For standing around fun on fixies the thing to try is all the freestyle tricks, so hard to do that it'll eat a lot of your time to master even one. They don't look terribly impressive to the uninitiated, but people who ride fixed will know how hard it is to do them.
