Originally Posted by
kersnert
No matter what speed you are going, all you have to do is break the traction of the rear tire and then you are in a skid. It's not going to hurt your knees any more than holding a coaster brake. I would imagine it's the transition from spin to lock and back that is where skill and finesse come into the picture.
Not necessarily true about the not harming the knees. Skidding is a function of torque vs the friction of the tire on the ground.
High torque (low gear) + low friction (wet pavement) = Easy to skid
High torque (low gear) + high friction (grippy rubber and dry cement) = Moderate skids
Low torque (high gear) + low friction (wet pavement) = Moderate skids
Low torque (high gear) + high friction (grippy rubber and dry cement) = Hard to skid
It requires very little force to active a coaster brake. The back pedaling simply engages a mechanical system. You could activate a coaster brake with your big toe.
The riders likely had a moderate gear ratio and yeah, their knees probably took a beating.