Skid stopping on a fixie

Anonymous · June 2007

Still trying to master this art. Any tips/help appreciated.
My fixie is a 48 x 18 (72"), but I am finding it difficult to unweight the rear wheel. I try shifting all my weight on the handlebars, but the rear end just aint lifting.
Maybe its the bikes heavy steel frame, or is it because of my high gearing. Can you do a skid stop without unweighting the rear wheel?

hazeii · June 2007

You need to unweight the rear - try using the front brake to assist at first.

Or go outside and find some wet grass to practice on - shouldn't be hard, given the current weather!

Anonymous · June 2007

Wet grass and mud, with a fixie and clipless pedals is going to be mucky :-)

richteacp · June 2007

I can do it accidentally in moments of panic but not on purpose for some reason. Sorry that's not much help at all is it.

--
esta elefante del beb‚ me molesta

Anonymous · June 2007

I would be pleased if I could skid stop without trying. I have chrome steel 27" rims. Is the rolling momentum of these heavier rimss possibly an issue. Or am I just blaming the bike, when the problem is with me? I just cant seem to lock the legs, and the bikes rolling momentum always wins.

jakob_s · June 2007

Practice at very slow speeds first and as technique/confidence/leg strength improves you can do it at higher speeds.
I've done it on 84", so you should be able to do it on 72" chrome rims.

FGG #2384

BentMikey · June 2007

I read a tip somewhere that was very helpful. Let's say you're going to skid stop so the right leg is behind and the left leg in front. Time it so as your right leg gets to the 6 o'clock position, you lock it straight, and let it push your body weight up as it rises towards the 9 o'clock position. Just a little before it gets there, pull up hard on the left leg, and you should initiate a skid stop.

I don't completely lock the right leg, going instead with a straight-bent leg so that it's strong, but I can still make it bend in an instant if I need to for balance or any other reason. Also don't forgot to practice both sides!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by xroads

Wet grass and mud, with a fixie and clipless pedals is going to be mucky :-)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Assuming you have something like SPDs, those are the conditions they are designed for, LOL!

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

hazeii · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by xroads

Wet grass and mud, with a fixie and clipless pedals is going to be mucky :-)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

But at least it won't hurt if you get it wrong

Unknown · June 2007

Whatever you do, make sure you don't pull your front foot out of the pedal - it can have painful consequences...

peejay78 · June 2007

you don't need to lift the wheel, just unweight it slightly and lock up.

i think (breathes deeply) it's easier at speed too. you can't do it lightly, you have to commit to the skid stop otherwise it won't work, and that's the tricky/nerve shredding part. can you do skip stops?

try it in the rain first - that's how i learnt, by accident, much easier.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

domtyler · June 2007

I've had my bike for just under a year and have never felt the need or desire to do one yet. Do they not just ruin your tyres? At ?30 a pop I won't be doing them very often. I can stop very very quickly with just my front brake so don't really see the need.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
MUTUAL INSURANCE FORUM

graham_g · June 2007

I'm with dom - although I should also add that as i approach 30, I'm too scared to do anything, regardless of how cool it might look [:D]

jakob_s · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by domtyler

I've had my bike for just under a year and have never felt the need or desire to do one yet. Do they not just ruin your tyres? At œ30 a pop I won't be doing them very often. I can stop very very quickly with just my front brake so don't really see the need.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I use them so that my feet are in better position to accelerate off again or to balance the bike before doing dealing with tight stationary traffic.
I also consider learning things like skid-stops a sign that overall bike control is improving. I'm currently trying small skid turns (again when dealing with tight traffic).
I should put more effort into trackstanding,though:)

FGG #2384

BentMikey · June 2007

/me too. Well put Jakob. I'm also trying to learn to ride backwards, but haven't managed more than 3/4s of a pedal turn yet.

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

Anonymous · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by peejay78

you don't need to lift the wheel, just unweight it slightly and lock up.

i think (breathes deeply) it's easier at speed too. you can't do it lightly, you have to commit to the skid stop otherwise it won't work, and that's the tricky/nerve shredding part. can you do skip stops?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

PJ, I think I am trying to lift rather than simply unweight. I think you also hit the nail on the head with the "commit" part, as I tend to "rollback" and give in. I will practice some more with these tips.

Jeeez, you guys bailing out at thirty, I thought I was bad nearing my forties! Im doing it to increase my overall cycling skills (trackstand, hands free, reverse circles [8D] )

Whats a skip stop PJ?

peejay78 · June 2007

a skip stop is what you do when you come up to the lights in order to keep the pedals in the right place so you can trackstand. in this case you literally skip the back wheel a few times and apply pressure or rotate the crank backwards to keep it where you want it. if you get it right you then transfer effortlessly into a seated, one-handed trackstand, and everyone looks impressed, except domtyler, who isn't impressed by such things, and has already jumped through the light and disappeared into the distance.

if you skid stop regularly you are going to wear out your tyres, but not ridiculously quickly if you're using armadillos or gators, and depending on your ratio, it will happen in four or more different places.

skid stops, track stands, one handed track stands, skip stops, riding fixed, it's all fun, that's why i do it. skid stops in the rain are great fun, especially when controlled and not necessarily stopping. and they look cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGqWf6ljBQA

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

Anonymous · June 2007

Thanks all, after following all your tips, I performed my first set of skid stops [:)]
Done my first two on wet grass, and the third with wet tyres on the tarmac.
Looking back on what I was doing wrong, I was only applying the majority of force on pushing the straight locked leg, with a feeble pull on the bent leg. I gave it a good yank up with the bent leg and pulled off the skid stop. Will persevere with more practice (in the wet for tyres sake).
Thanks guys
Making good progress with the 1 handed trackstands.
now those skip stops sound cool......

peejay78 · June 2007

it's like bunnyhopping on a bmx, once you do it once, that's that.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

terongi · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jakob_s

I'm currently trying small skid turns (again when dealing with tight traffic).

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Skid turns. They sound cool.

What are they and how do you do them?

plusgourmande · June 2007

here ya go terongi

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yFO5nGa-ANk

graham_g · June 2007

xroads - I did the same as you last night; torrential rain on the way home so the wet roads had me pulling a few. Great fun - please disregard the age comment as I haven't had this much fun skidding since 7 years old on my old raleigh burner!

peejay78 · June 2007

i told you!!

wait till it's wet and then there really easy - but remember in the dry you will need more force, and if you forget you'll get a bit of a lift.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

graham_g · June 2007

must put a lockring on before doing them in the dry....

Portnoy · June 2007

I can't do it. I lock my right leg and then I barely skid. I can do it on grass but when it comes to the real deal I fail. It is actually beginning to annoy me!

Anonymous · June 2007

I did one unintentionally, whilst stopping on tarmac in the wet. I should now get rid of my rear brake, but I fear my left hand might slip of the left hood if theres no cable protruding from it. Plus I like the 80's old school look!

peejay78 · June 2007

i have a goldfinger, so no issue with regard to riding on the hoods, there aren't any.

winter: http://tinyurl.com/2vx78q
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

Skid stopping on a fixie

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