trackstand technique
 

Dear Friends,

I've been riding fixed for about six months now and am still trying to get the ever useful track stand down. Does anyone have suggestions for technique: body position, pedal position, what have you? I've been getting better, but i'd like to be able to eat a picnic lunch while clipped into my bike, and i'm just not at that point yet. thanks.

This explains it better than I can: http://www.63xc.com/gregg/101_12.htm

That might be a lot of detail, I usually roll to a stop with my left foot forward and right foot back then cant the wheel 45 degrees to the left at the same moment I come to a stop. People say they are easier to do out of the saddle, but I have been learning them in the saddle because I'm stubborn and I think it's much more slick to do it that way.

Trackstanding through a whole light is a lot of fun, but I usually have to put a foot down about halfway through, 'cause I ain't so good yet.

Practice, practice, practice. In addition to 63xc, I would say be open to the idea that you may have a goofy foot trackstand. After always being told hook left, left foot forward, I finally tried turning right and leading with the right. It's much easier for me that way. Putting all my weight over the center of steering works best though I've been working on seated recently. Focus on understanding the point of balance. Rock back and forth and feel how your weight and center of gravity change. When you go to stand at a light realize that a good track stand isn't that active, it's about finding the balance point and chilling out right there.

Once I mastered with my left foot forward, I did the same with my right foot forward. Now my pedal position does not dictate where I must stop.

George

It helps when learning... to keep chain tension, with your front wheel agents a slight resistance like the edge of the painted line.

I practice it in my kitchen and living room so that I don't have much room to manuever. It helps me hold one position without a lot of roll back and forth.
Leaning really far forward, bracing my left knee on the bars and the top tube on my right leg also helps me hold one position - since the front wheel moves in the horizontal plane rather than the bike moving forward and back.
For no-handed track stands I practice in a doorway in my living room, so that I can put my hand on either side and push back to the middle to stay up.
I think the most important thing to practice initially is being able to make small movements backwards without the frame falling off to the rear foot side.

I agree that it helps to practice making little backward movements, and it also helps to remember that you can do that if you have to. With me it also helps to keep my knees in, sometimes bracing one leg against the frame. I also tend to end up turning a lot.

I used to practice on a slight up-slope, moved to flat, seated, one hand, etc.

i usually skip my back wheel to the right pedal position
skidding while trackstanding is also fun

Modest, very modest.


What should he do next?... skidding, handless into a trackstand?

just practice more on light gears-it not hard. its just a matter of weight shifting.

now if someone could teach me a MTB bunnyhop please...

and ive seen 1 footed backwards circles and no handed 8's...i got a long way to go. if the things people do on trackbikes makes you jealous, get off yer computer and go fuken ride. brakies.

If you;re using clips, it's a hell of a lot easier than using flats. Get enough speed to bunnyhop the object. Compress your front end and then as you approach the object, start to uncompress at the same time lean back and pull the front up. Pull your knees up which in turn brings up your feet/pedals. Try to level out by pulling your rear up and then try to land evenly on both wheels. This link will help with bunnyhops using flats.

Wha? For serious? That's the easy way, I have way more trouble bunnyhopping fixed (ie, I can't). Of course if you have a 45 lb downhiller you'd better be eating your Wheaties.

Oops! Thought he was referring to an MTB bunnyhop. Haven't really tried bunnyhopping with my fixed yet, but I do see where it can come in handy! Gotta practice those.

You are my hero. You are the wind beneath my bunnyhops.

feeling sassy?

skit, yes.

and no, i want to bunnyhop a freewheel (i cant get the back up at all) i can bunny hop my trackie, albeit really really ****tly, uselessly, crappily.

i did my first figure 8 the other night. i was so happy i fell.
does that make me a fixie nerd?

YES!

Unless it was backwards!

it helps if you are really flaccid when trying this. otherwise it will never fit in there.

what do you mean backwards? what do you mean by YES? youre seriously deranged, you know that?

S O L E T M e S P E L L I T O U T F O R Y O U

Yes, you are a nerd if you are doing forward figure 8s and tell us that you do so.

However, if you are doing backwards figure 8s then I have lots of respect for you, since i can't complete them.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

huzzah for backwards 8's!

*practices and bails some more*

:(