How to skid a fixed wheel bike (and how not to skid a fixed wheel bike!!!!!!) - a beginners guide!!
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Having had my Fixed Wheel Bike for a couple of months, I wanted to learn to skid it. Well I did manage to achieve a nice 10-12 metre skid. Not satisfied with that, I upped the ante in an attempt to produce something spectacular....the results were DISTASTEROUS!!
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Seeing that fall sent chills down my spine. In june i went over my handlebar and broke my clavicle. I'm 52 yo and have recovered quite fast. Back running and on the bike 4 weeks post the break. You're lucky to have not sustained more injuries. Life has risks, but we need to mitigate them more when we're older. Love the slow mo video.
I totally agree Rick. Time comes when you have to remove as many risks as you can.
Yes. I think you should have been happy with the first attempt. 😊. I can’t remember if I commented before but my first experience of racing at the tender age of 12 was track racing with a fixed gear. So, I’d race with a fixed gear and train with a fixed gear. I didn’t really think too much about it really but when we’re young we’re quite adaptable and flexible. One thing we did though is have one FRONT brake while riding on the road. If fact I think it was a legal requirement, at least in Australia. The front brake is far more efficient and combined with back pedalling provided some pretty good stopping power. I think the more you ride the more comfortable you’ll feel.
I should learn when to stop!!
I've been riding fixed gear bikes every day for about 5 years now, and I can do a skid easily, but I fully understand that it's difficult for beginners.
Don't lean too far forward (I know this helps to take the weight off the rear wheel, making it easier to skid), but instead try doing mini skids, so as not to strain your knees and leg muscles in general. Prolonged skids require more muscle than usual, and you might feel sore in your legs in the coming days. That’s why it’s important to first develop the right muscles, and only then should you try longer skids.
When you lean too far forward, it's easy to lose control. The ideal is to do mini skids in the position where you feel most comfortable, and once you feel you're starting to master it, then you can start extending them.
Always use the front brake at least, not only the rear.
Doing a skid doesn’t just involve strength, but also technique. It’s hard to explain well, you can find plenty of explanations online, but with practice, there will come a day when something "clicks" in our brain, and that’s when we’ll finally understand the exact position to do a skid.
Riding fixed gear doesn't require knowing how to skid; you can enjoy the fixed gear bike by pedaling normally and using the brakes like any other bicycle. The important thing is to enjoy the ride.
I hope you’re feeling better.
Some fantastic tips here. I shall be taking your advice.
That was quite an impressive fall, so glad you survived it without too much damage. Glad you warned me what to expect. When I rode Grandmas back pedal brake bike in Germany I didn’t think about technique at all, I just back pedalled more or less as the situation demanded and it felt normal. I suppose all those years ago the bike was probably of simpler construction.
Ahh yes, no injuries only lessons learned XXX
Nice video Andrew! It reminded me of doing MTB around Guelph/Waterloo (all too easy to lose control at lower speeds). Glad you're ok! Cheers Mate! 🍻
Thank you!!! I appreciate that.
I'm with you, I am getting too old to fall down. Glad you came out relatively unscathed. `
Thank you Thomas. Yep, I am definitely getting too old for this!!
Glad you are ok, Andrew. Now, when are you getting a Pennyfarthing? 😉
As soon as someone will lend me one. I would love to give it a go.....it must be low risk!!
would it not be more simple is to put a good set of disk breaks on the bike and not have to skid?
It would. However, it is not always about making things simple.
My only bicycle is fixed gear and I’ve been riding it for years. And yet I still don’t always get my feet strapped in while pedaling on the first try. I also can’t do any long fancy skids. Sometimes I’ll do very short skids to slow down quickly, or a hop skid. Hop skids are easier. Normally I just resist the pedals to slow down and stop. Or use my front brake.
This is fantastic information. I shall have to practice hop skids.
enjoyed video- may spring for a fixed gear bike one day. I love simplicity
DO IT!!!
Single speed is much better, still as tough/simple to ride but safer in real world scenarios.
Fixed gear runs through tyres like you wouldn't believe, knee joint destruction and on roads busy roads is actively dangerous.
@@chuck3354 That's some great information. Thank you. I also ride a road bike, mountain bike, folding bike and an e-bike, so I have a lot of cycling experiences covered.
Riding fixed is challenging and fun when you get it right.I find that riding on wet mud is the easiest and best way to get the technique right for locking the rear wheel.Also foot retention is essential because you are doubling your efforts .My other bikes stay in the shed now.All weather's riding fixed ,love it.
Thank you Philip, it certainly has been fun for me so far.
Glad you’re ok. Nice to know you still bounce rather than break. Me too. But one day we may not bounce so as you said, we should modify our cycling habits
A friend of mine wiped out last week. I’ve heard he broke several ribs. He was overseas for a cycling trip. I hope he has time enough to recover enough mobility to at least do some of the easier aspects of that trip (which I think started this weekend-I wanted to go too but had other commitments).
Anyway, hope you’re feeling fine now and nothing vital was jarred or inflamed
Thank you Chris. I'm feeling great thanks. I hope your friend recovers speedily.
Yup had the cog loosen a few times while starting a skid as well, thankfully I didn’t fall but it did startle me a few times until I got a proper hook wrench
Glad you are okay.
If you're only going to have one brake on a fixie it should be the front brake.
Yes. This one (second hand for $100,) had only a rear brake. It is something I will change this winter.
Wow that was a hard fall, but not as bad as the last one a few years ago !!! So glad you are ok. As a kid I had a fixed Triumph and could skid that bike till the tire blew.
So, I’m 67 and have 3 fixed gear bikes. All have only a front break unlike yours for some reason. Don’t try to run before you can walk. Master entry into straps and then riding out of the saddle for periods preferably up a gradient. Learning to ride fixed is like trying to break in a Bronco, the thing will have you off at the drop of a hat. When proficient try track standing before skidding. Last year I rode Portugal end to end on a fixed 48/22. Would advise you to learn about gearing and select what’s suitable for yourself and the local terrain.
Fantastic. Thank you for the advice.
I slightly disagree about the track stand: Learn whichever whenever. Skidding is comparatively easy and I found that the additional 'backwards power' you gain from it really helps with track stands. So, I'd say balancing a fixed gear is a bit easier to learn, once you have the legs to skid.
(Totally agree on the undisputable basics, though, like getting on and off the bike safely, mastering straps (I'd just go clipless, but there's pros and cons to everything), riding out of the saddle ...)
@@keinschwein8467 Again great advise. Also proving that everyone has different opinions and took a different route to becoming skilled. I shall take all this on board as I enjoy riding this bike.
risk with skidding is loss of control over it :D
Right
Your video was recommended to me on RUclips and I thought I'd give it a watch. To my surprise we have the exact same bike!! I bought mine from a craigslist add about 5 or 6 years ago for 150 dollars. The seller told me he got it from Canadian Tire but I've never been able to confirm that. Are you in Canada?
I've actually been riding fixed for over a decade but I needed a quick and cheap replacement bike and I've been riding it ever since (although I replaced the wheelset). Your first skid was quite successful I'd say. You said your crash happened when your chain slipped. By that I assume you mean it fell off? On the bright side it's better to learn the importance of chain tension from a minor crash early rather than a terrible crash later. One of the most important things with a fixed gear is to check the chain tension before each ride because it will slacken over time. After having my chain fall off many times over the years (and usually smashing my knees on the frame) I finally got into the habit of always tensioning it and since then it has never fallen off. Tensioning it correctly takes a bit of experience but I strongly suggest watching some tutorials on it because it's very important on fixed gears (or single speeds). A couple of extra tips: I don't know if it's just me but I find skidding harder on this particular bike maybe because the back wheel is so far away from the seat tube? In any case a much easier alternative to skidding is bouncing the back wheel in the air (kind of like a bunny hop but only the back wheel goes in the air) when the tire contacts the road again it will slow you down. Another thing is if you see some sand on the road you can skid much easier on this surface and if you try skidding on a wet surface skidding becomes very easy (you might even start pedaling backwards in this case hardly any pressure needed). The smoothness of you tire will also be a big factor. If your tires have lots of tread it will be much harder to skid. Anyway thanks for the video and keep on riding!
Fantastic information and advice. Thank you. No my chain actually slipped. (I suspect it may be a little old and stretched) it was the same sensation as when a geared bike is incorrectly indexed and jumps between gears. I am in Canada, just north of Toronto. This was the Caledon Trailway. I hope you stick around for my future videos!!!
@@cardiaccyclist7477 No problem! That's weird how your chain slipped. One of the good things about fixed gears is that they shouldn't do stuff like that. I can only think the tension was too loose.
@@blandoworthlessness Not being too experienced, I was unaware just how unusual this was. I do suspect that it was too slack though.
@@cardiaccyclist7477 also, make sure that the fixed cog on the hub isn't loose.
Snow is a good way to learn too!
Before I attempted that skid, I had managed to do a fairly long skid on wet grass. I should have stayed on that, it would have given me a softer landing!!!
The fitness gains, immediate fun and simplicity of fixed gears are all exactly the same for single speeds.
Minus the ridiculous tyre wear, knee damage, and danger in live traffic.
Far be it from me to ever tell someone what they should or shouldn't be doing, but I dont quite understand the appeal of skidding. Especially as a fully grown adult.
Buying special tyres to perform skids on (it's a thing) seems incredibly purile and quite bizarre.
Learn to understand the fixed gear stopping system for a bit of fun, enjoy that for a little bit and then flip your rear wheel back to the freewheel sprocket and go and put some real miles in.
Put on some drops or bullhorns and smash out 15 miles as fast as you can go. You'll know you've been on a bike ride then.
Knowing you don't have gears to help you through and then conquering some genuine hills is the pleasure of these simple bikes.
HAHA, Far be it from me to tell someone what they should or shouldn't be doing.......put on some drops or bullhorns and smash out 15 miles. I think you did that on purpose as a really clever joke.
Anyway, as I think you would fully agree, we are all very different. Imagine how boring it would be if we all thought the same!!!
why is it important to skid? I been riding fixed gear for the last year and rely on the front brake in emergency.
Strictly speaking, it is not necessary, it is just something that I wanted to do. Also, trying to learn the skill, I personally thought, would make a more interesting video than, simply riding up and down on a gravel trail. We are all different and all have different opinions of things, that is why there are such a variety of different cycling videos on RUclips Andrew.
As a doctor, please don't make any videos like this again - we enjoy your other normal videos of races, trails, or other - thank you. Keep at it - safely!
Thank you for adding a comment.
@@cardiaccyclist7477 Thank you for your excellent videos - keep well! (From a friendly Toronto co-gravel cyclist)
@@gearsofmedicine Thank you.
You have a visible rear brake on that bicycle, you didn't even need to backpedal skid in the first place! ( I suggest also getting a front brake on it too, rear only brakes are not enough unless you ride really slow.
Yes, I understand that.