HA! :lol:

Unlike, you, Anton, I *do* plan to try this fixed gear thing. I bet I never master trackstanding though.

I appreciate what others are saying about getting going faster. I don't strap in; I just use toe clips without straps on platform pedals. When the light turns green, I try to slip into the toe clip but sometimes I spin the pedal around the wrong way (bottom up) and have to ride through the intersection that way, then when there is a little bit of a break (I've established my position in the traffic flow) I flip the pedal around.

There is one spot where I usually get stopped at the light, then have to go straight through the intersection but then turn left about a half block after the light, all of this happening on an incline. So I *have* to take the lane; there's no practical way around it short of dismounting and walking the whole thing as a pedestrian. There's lots of times I go through with an upside down pedal and I can't remedy it until after I make the turn. For that intersection, if I could track stand, I would do it.

On the other hand: If I'm at a 4-way stop and I don't have the right-of-way, there is no way around putting my foot down. When cars see you have both feet on your pedals, even if you're not moving, they seem to think you are and they want you to go through. This is fine if there's only one car, but if there are multiple cars, one guy may decided to let me go while another one doesn't. The only way to make it clear that I'm going with the normal right-of-way is to deliberately put one foot on the ground and wait. So even if I could trackstand, it wouldn't be appropriate for all stops.

just keep at it, you'll learn. the more you ride, the more your balance will continue to develop, and the more comfortable you'll become trackstanding. it's kind of like learning how to talk; it just sort of comes naturally with time if you ride a good amount.

a bit of cheater advice, the dan bones method (applicable only to people riding with clips and straps): stabilize by resting the heel of your leading foot on your bottom bracket shell.

also, some people try to put all their weight on their bars and stay light on the pedals, but that's not the way to go.

like stephen-who-hates-you said, just practice.

A lot of MTB guys do it too, especially in technical areas where you need a couple seconds to decide your next move. They just don't call it trackstanding, well maybe some do

its called trackstanding and its done by people who want to look cool and people who try to look cool but then fail because they can't do them well

One of my best friends can track stand on a tandem bicycle probably longer than most peopel can trackstand on their ostentatious track bikes.

Yeah, no doubt it's practical. Sometimes it's not as practical as it seems because some people spend hours practicing how to do no-handed trackstands and things of the sort but when the hell are you going to be at a stop light and really need to put those skills to use? Ok, maybe it's not totally out of the picture.

Either way, just ride the bicycle, enjoy it...if you happen to pick track standing up quickly, it's fun. Just don't get too hung up on that because everything in fixed gear riding minus the actual riding has really ruined it.

Greg Herbold was prone to starting MTB races from a trackstand. A buncha others were, as well, especially short sprint races with small fields.

what about on my nonostentatious track bike?

It's called a "track stand."

If you're using traditional slotted cleats and toe straps, it's often easier to wait in a track stand than it is to strap back in after stopping. Plus, you can accelerate more quickly when the light turns because you're already clipped in.

I hope I don't look awkward trackstanding, but I do it because it's convenient and keeps me prepared to ride as soon as the light changes. It's also fun. I do it on my road bike as well.

I was going to bring this up. Trackstanding is a very useful skill to have when riding off road. Personally, I find that trackstanding is easiest on a mountain bike due to the large/squishy tires and increased rolling resistance versus a road/FG bike.

i ate a bran muffin while trackstanding three days ago. then, i was so impressed with myself that i made out with myself a little.

Uh, so you don't have to get out of the clips/unclip your shoes when you're at a stoplight, duh.

This is all that really needed to be said.

[/thread]

seconded

i can't wait until track bikes fade back into obscurity and i can go back to not having to worry if people think i'm wanting to look cool when i'm waiting for a gap in traffic.

Like a lot of dudes, I learned it because I thought it was cool. It's the reason I got a track bike, really. After I learned it, I really came to appreciate it since I was riding clips/straps. I kept my straps cinched down TIGHT because there's nothing worse than a foot popping out in an OH $H!T moment. Now that I ride clipless, I still do it because I can get going faster that way. And I happen to think I look like I'm laid back and chillin' while I do them. And chicks dig it.