I lost my virginity today!
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2004
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From: The Poconos, PA
Bikes: Converted 1997 Trek Singletrack 930 singlespeed and a Kona Lavadome singlespeed, fixed Dahon folding bike, fixed 27" Miyata road bike, early 70's Raleigh Chopper
I lost my virginity today!
Skidding virginity that is! Figured it was a good time as I never put the front brake lever back on after switching bars and stems this weekend. From what I could remember reading on learning how to skid I shifted my weight forward and kinda rested my thighs against the tops of my bars and then pushed back on my right leg just as the pedal was coming up from the 6 o'clock position. Wow! That seemed fairly easy. I did it a few more times and then tried it with a bit more speed. Almost got bucked from my bike twice. I guess I have to apply more pressure to lesson the bucking factor at speed. I'm also a bit leary of having all that weight up fron and being clipped in as I feel like I'm going to flip over and brake my collarbone. Any suggestions on skidding? How about inexpensive but good tires? Thanks!
#2
Beausage is Beautiful

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,504
Likes: 13
From: Saitama, Japan
Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy
Mmmmm....skidding cherry...
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Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
#5
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2004
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From: The Poconos, PA
Bikes: Converted 1997 Trek Singletrack 930 singlespeed and a Kona Lavadome singlespeed, fixed Dahon folding bike, fixed 27" Miyata road bike, early 70's Raleigh Chopper
Originally Posted by s2sxiii
if you go back to riding gears, are you a born again skidding virgin?
#6
Beausage is Beautiful

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,504
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From: Saitama, Japan
Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy
So when I was riding tonight I tried really putting my weight forward. Hips on the handlebars sort of forward. Voila - skid. I've just been skipping for the last few weeks. Now I get it. It's going to take a while to get comfortable throwing so much weight forward, though.
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Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
#7
sVe

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,063
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From: Hellsinki, Funland
Bikes: Nishiki Continental fixed winter beater, Fixed Surly CrossCheck
Originally Posted by progre-ss
Skidding virginity that is! Figured it was a good time as I never put the front brake lever back on after switching bars and stems this weekend. From what I could remember reading on learning how to skid I shifted my weight forward and kinda rested my thighs against the tops of my bars and then pushed back on my right leg just as the pedal was coming up from the 6 o'clock position. Wow! That seemed fairly easy. I did it a few more times and then tried it with a bit more speed. Almost got bucked from my bike twice. I guess I have to apply more pressure to lesson the bucking factor at speed. I'm also a bit leary of having all that weight up fron and being clipped in as I feel like I'm going to flip over and brake my collarbone. Any suggestions on skidding? How about inexpensive but good tires? Thanks!
#8
Lowlife Drunk

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 140
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From: Chicago
Bikes: Early 1980's Rossin 49x17, Aero Head Wheels (White) & Formula Hubs, Cinelli Stem & Drops, Ofmega Cranks (Mistral) & Headset
What a good feeling. I just recently learned how to skid too since i've only been riding fixed for about a month. The first time i did it couldn't believe that it was so easy. I'm getting more and more comfortable really putting my thighs closer to my drops. I've found that really helps, but I still haven't tried really hauling ass and skidding.
#9
I should have posted it when it happened. I recently (a month or so ago) took off my front brake. I had never really tried the skid thing. One evening on my way home, I was coming to an intersection and there were more cars there than usual. I figured that was about as good a time as any to learn how to skid. It worked great and now I'm thinking I need to rotate my tires. Furthermore, I got some great new bars the other day. Bullhorns with a 40 degree drop. They make it much easier to push my weight forward than the regular drop bars. I think I have about the same stopping distance that I had with a brake.
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Well at least I'm housebroken.
Well at least I'm housebroken.
#10
secret track gearing

Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Boston
i havent figured out how to skip/skid yet, but it might have something to do with not having clips yet, or that im riding a road frame, not sure... it could even be my gear ratio maybe, its 16 in the back, and maybe 50 in the front, never got around to counting the teeth on the front ring
#11
Beausage is Beautiful

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,504
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From: Saitama, Japan
Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy
I'm running a road frame and 52x18. I spent an hour this afternoon on the wet streets having a blast getting more comfortable skidding. Those two factors shouldn't be, well, factors. Get yourself some clips!
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Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
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#12
Originally Posted by Jose Cuervo
...I still haven't tried really hauling ass and skidding.
#13
secret track gearing

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 261
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From: Boston
is skipping any different than skidding? supposedly most people learn that first, is there a different way to skip, than to skid? i've gotten used to the whole fixed gear thing, but still can't seem to get over the stopping without the front brake part.
#14
Beausage is Beautiful

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,504
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From: Saitama, Japan
Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy
At least in my case, skipping was what I did before I learned to throw my weight forward.
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Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
#15
Filthy Cycling Rodent

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 159
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From: Santa Cruise
Bikes: too many
throwing your weight forward is NOT a useful skid. it's a skidcomp skid, or a learners skid. it unweights the back wheel too much. the balls over the stem thing should be happening only for fun or in the learning stages, in my opinion.
in high rpm, skipping is very very importnat, and is very useful to power down too. it involves kicking up the back wheel (for lack of better term) freezing it and setting it back down. can cut your speed in half used properly.
learn to skip, for you, for your knees, for your tires.
now, who wants to have a skidcomp? :-D
in high rpm, skipping is very very importnat, and is very useful to power down too. it involves kicking up the back wheel (for lack of better term) freezing it and setting it back down. can cut your speed in half used properly.
learn to skip, for you, for your knees, for your tires.
now, who wants to have a skidcomp? :-D





