Gear ratio effect on stopping/skidding

on a fixed wheel? bullshit. fucking troll.

I have been known to do this on fixed, but with both feet pointing back behind me.

Just for fun, you understand.

But it is possible.

And by the way, the OP has a front brake everyone. He has said that a number of times.

@iro_dan, I would agree with most of what you said especially the last bit about riding the bike and not worrying about if you are doing things properly.

But that kind of contradicts what you say about only doing tricks on proper BMX or street/jump bikes.

IMO people can do whatever they like on what ever bike they choose.

And in a way doing skillful things on an inappropriate bike is kind of a bit special. A while ago I was looking to do a car endurance rally to china and other competitors were entering all sorts of inappropriate fun vehicles (2CVs, London Cabs, model t fords etc etc). If you just want to drive to china you'll drive a Toyota Landcruiser, but thats not really the point is it.

I don't know, maybe I'm speaking out my arse... wouldn't be the first time.

this thread is hilarious.

skids are for kids. I know it's going to piss alot of people off here, but really:

a) a skid is not a trick, it's a skid.. its something that will slow you down but also costs you money in tyres, and gives you less control than resisting or braking in a normal way *and is generally dangerous in/around traffic unless *you're a very experienced and technically accomplished cyclist**

b) if you want to do 'tricks' on your bike, don't do it on a 700c wheeled track frame. It's stupid, they're not designed for that..if you want to bar spin, ride banks, hop etc ride a bmx or a 24" singlespeed street/jump bike, with proper rims and with tubes/geometry that can take it.

sorry, I know thats probably a really taboo thing to say here, but I grew up riding mountain bikes and bmx (still do when I have time), so the whole fixed-freestyle thing really makes me cringe.

Just go ride your bike mate and stop worrying about whether you're stopping in the right way.

Agreed ^....however there are certain things you can do on fixed that you just can't do on any other bike that make it really fun for tricks IMO, actually riding fakie for instance, and being able to maintain speed only (possible on fixed), which is so much fun, generating pop for tricks such as keos etc from the drivetrain, again not really possible on non-fixed, and a fixed gear bike can be made more than strong enough for tricks by combining bmx parts, with the new array of freestyle orientated parts out there constantly being released my progressive companies such as 14, volume, milwaukee etc...
I used to bmx for a long time (7-8 years) and I think its important to remember that bmxes and mountain bikes were never originally designed for tricks either, but yet they both have a freestyle scene, and so does fixed.
Yes there are parts of fixed freestyle that make me cringe something rotten, like all those stationary shitty looking trackstand tricks which bore me senseless, but guys the guys in the vid below are leading the way in fixed freestyle progression.....and i'm liking where its going:

Bootleg Sessions v.3 -- Full Trailer on Vimeo

You almost got the last sentence right, I would change it to "Just ride your bike and don't give a fuck what anyone else thinks :)"

Save the no-breaks for the photo day my dear. x

skids are for gayers.. FACT

Just like gaydial wheels, I can see the advertising line now:

"New gaydial wheels, so straight they're bent!"

skids are for gayers.. FACT

... I don't skid

Yeah but trying to continually skid/skip stop/whatever on that kind of GI is going to be really really harsh on your knees, you only get one set of knees!

A drop to 66-68GI will allow you to still hit close to 30mph relatively comfortably, but still give you so much more bike control than you have now, making stopping etc require far less effort.

Don't know whether u'd be able to hit 30mph (not comfortably anyway) on 66GI. That's about what i ride on my Charge, and i really like it. Great acceleration, much easier skids and skips, and def kinder on my knees. Having said that, i ride just under 70GI on my Mercian, and find it to be a great around-town GI. My Charge is for fucking about on. But if you're riding 'properly' (and i use the term very loosely) then 70 GI is fine for the streets.

Agreed ^....however there are certain things you can do on fixed that you just can't do on any other bike that make it really fun for tricks IMO, actually riding fakie for instance, and being able to maintain speed only (possible on fixed), which is so much fun, generating pop for tricks such as keos etc from the drivetrain, again not really possible on non-fixed, and a fixed gear bike can be made more than strong enough for tricks by combining bmx parts, with the new array of freestyle orientated parts out there constantly being released my progressive companies such as 14, volume, milwaukee etc...
I used to bmx for a long time (7-8 years) and I think its important to remember that bmxes and mountain bikes were never originally designed for tricks either, but yet they both have a freestyle scene, and so does fixed.
Yes there are parts of fixed freestyle that make me cringe something rotten, like all those stationary shitty looking trackstand tricks which bore me senseless, but guys the guys in the vid below are leading the way in fixed freestyle progression.....and i'm liking where its going:
[URL="http://www.vimeo.com/4348711"][/URL
]
You almost got the last sentence right, I would change it to "Just ride your bike and don't give a fuck what anyone else thinks :)"

Yeah, I can definitely get on board with that!

Nice video, not much progression there really though - just imitating bmx in a really clunky ugly way (apart from all the whirly flatland stuff). There is a reason that dirt jump bikes and bmx's have tiny frames and super low saddles - having a big gate of a frame and a saddle right up your arse makes it next to impossible to hop properly or tweak in the air. Riding larger wheels and a bike with a longer wheel base means that transitions are nothing like as smooth and you have much less control as it's harder to shift your weight forwards/backwards. Just means that riding isn't as fluid.

I just see it as shooting yourself in the foot if you know what I mean - I can totally see the benefit of riding fixed in terms of what you were talking about generating pop and riding fakie - but thats a drivetrain issue, I'm really talking about the build of a bike and it's shape.

I'm all for people doing whatever they want on bikes however they want.. I just think it's a bit stupid to not pick the right tools for the job. I kind of just see it as a fashion thing.

Yeah, I can definitely get on board with that!

Nice video, not much progression there really though - just imitating bmx in a really clunky ugly way (apart from all the whirly flatland stuff). There is a reason that dirt jump bikes and bmx's have tiny frames and super low saddles - having a big gate of a frame and a saddle right up your arse makes it next to impossible to hop properly or tweak in the air. Riding larger wheels and a bike with a longer wheel base means that transitions are nothing like as smooth and you have much less control as it's harder to shift your weight forwards/backwards. Just means that riding isn't as fluid.

I just see it as shooting yourself in the foot if you know what I mean - I can totally see the benefit of riding fixed in terms of what you were talking about generating pop and riding fakie - but thats a drivetrain issue, I'm really talking about the build of a bike and it's shape.

I'm all for people doing whatever they want on bikes however they want.. I just think it's a bit stupid to not pick the right tools for the job. I kind of just see it as a fashion thing.

Not really an issue, its fixed vs freewheel, you can do it on fixed and you can't on freewheel, with regards to the right tools for the job, most of those guys are on freestyle specific frame/fork bike setup's, which look nothing like traditional track bikes, they have more standover clearance, different geometry, and are heavily re-enforced and built with much tougher/bmx parts to take lots of abuse.
My bike is possibly one of the ugliest most unfashionable things you'll see on the roads, but its designed for a purpose, and it serves that well, some people ride bikes for fashion, some for fun, but I don't think you can deny that to reach a certain skill level, the level of practice required kinda goes beyond fashion.
Everyone has their own reasons, personally I couldn't care less how my bike looks, i'm gradually making it more and more bulletproof as the months go by, and its handling the abuse better and better as I upgrade parts, I ride my bike for fun no other reason, it makes me smile, and the good times I have with my mates just remind me of how fun it is, so I will continue to do so, as I have done for many years, until it either stops being fun, or I am no longer able to do so.
Oh and if you think its next to impossible to hop properly, clearly you haven't seen Tom and Ted ride, those guys can pop 2-3 ft+ hops on fixed easier than most peeps can on bmx, just because you can't do it...doesn't mean there aren't people out there that can :)

Oh and if you think its next to impossible to hop properly, clearly you haven't seen Tom and Ted ride, those guys can pop 2-3 ft+ hops on fixed easier than most peeps can on bmx, just because you can't do it...doesn't mean there aren't people out there that can :)

I don't try! I have other bikes for that stuff.. I'm a big guy and I break bikes. If I can break a wheel coming up short on a dirt transition on my jump bike then why would I go hopping around on my fixed? Wheel builds cost money!

Each to his own. I'm not getting at anything, or trying to piss anyone off.. just personal preference, I have different bikes for different things.

Oh i'm not pissed off, its just a discussion I have frequently thats all, but you're right about one thing, bike parts are expensive, I'm also a pretty big guy and i've trashed a fair few parts this year, but this is my only bike at the moment so its not too bad, hopefully my 48H wheels that i've got on now should last a little while!
I do want a 26 inch dirt jump bike as well though actually, there are some things that are just more fun with a freewheel ;)

sorry if its a re-re-re-post but some good snakey skids on here, good tune for this time of night too, enjoy,.
YouTube - Hutchinson Tires Urban Video 2008

Sorry Jason, but that is the biggest load of arty farty marketing wank I have ever laid my eyes on.

I do want a 26 inch dirt jump bike as well though actually, there are some things that are just more fun with a freewheel ;)

manuals!

I'm about to sell my old Cannondale chase if you're interested (xtr parts and saint cranks) ? ;)

Sadly I don't have enough cash at the moment, too busy replacing all those parts I keep breaking on my fixed!

Would you be interested in flogging the saint cranks seperately though?

Would you be interested in flogging the saint cranks seperately though?

haha - maybe - I'd prefer to do it as a complete. I'd probably make more money breaking it down but splitting bikes makes me sad.

See how the sale goes and if I can't get what I want for it then I'll let you know.

We've managed to get a bit off topic here.... soooo... skids are cool right? :)

haha - maybe - I'd prefer to do it as a complete. I'd probably make more money breaking it down but splitting bikes makes me sad.

See how the sale goes and if I can't get what I want for it then I'll let you know.

We've managed to get a bit off topic here.... soooo... skids are cool right? :)

Yeah please do, I think to be honest you would recoup a lot more cash breaking it with those kind of quality parts, if you want to...feel free to PM me with what you'd be looking for money wise for the cranks and BB, i'm not all that flush this month, but I might be able to do something.

@iro_dan, I would agree with most of what you said especially the last bit about riding the bike and not worrying about if you are doing things properly.

But that kind of contradicts what you say about only doing tricks on proper BMX or street/jump bikes.

sorry mate, didn't mean to ignore this - going blind. Bloody design work.. I can barely see by the end of the day.

I'm all for the 'just go ride' attitude.. I suppose I was just talking about riding progressing , and the only way you can really push something is by choosing the right equipment.. actually, thats not quite right, I think i meant not being held back/handicapped by your equipment..

but anyway.. skids and all that.. sorry fuji bloke for hi jacking your thread..

iro_dan, if I'm honest BMX bikes look gay now.

When everything was oversized (anyone ride an S&M Warpig?) it looked too bulky, and these days the weight weenies have made a mockery of BMX parts. Not to mention the really really short seat tube thing going on. Seeing some big guys riding these tiny frames and tiny parts looks just as weird as seeing guys doing tricks on fixed bikes.

Seeing some big guys riding these tiny frames and tiny parts looks just as weird as seeing guys doing tricks on fixed bikes.

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iro_dan, if I'm honest BMX bikes look gay now.

When everything was oversized (anyone ride an S&M Warpig?) it looked too bulky, and these days the weight weenies have made a mockery of BMX parts. Not to mention the really really short seat tube thing going on. Seeing some big guys riding these tiny frames and tiny parts looks just as weird as seeing guys doing tricks on fixed bikes.

My first frame/bike was a dirt master jump, back when 4130 tubing on bmxes was just straight gauge, none of this butted bullshit lol ;), oh yeah and I ran profile SS cranks, do you remember those? Do they still make them even? I also had original behringer bars (correct spelling?) for years, great bars, tough as nails.

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/dirt_master/

This was my first BMX

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/free_agent/10353

Mine was wonderful and chrome. I put a Voxom tyre on the back because it came in a giant fake condom packet.

I remember Profile SS cranks, I didn't change the cranks on my bike because after I killed that Free Agent trying 360s down stupid stair sets I got this:

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/schwinn/18287

Which came with sealed 3 piece cranks.

I think i meant not being held back/handicapped by your equipment..

yeah i agree with what you're saying, and to be honest when I'm my bike 99% of the time I am spiting my lungs out just trying to get to my destination just that little bit faster than last time. Any annoying issues with the bike such as slightly flat tires, un-true wheels or noisy chain drives me nuts. Hell sometimes I ride along the fat white line on edge of the bus lanes because i think there is less rolling resistance!

Hell sometimes I ride along the fat white line on edge of the bus lanes because i think there is less rolling resistance!

I do that too! Except in the rain - those things are death in the rain.

@ nurse... I know what you mean sort of.. but there is still some incredible riding happening, whatever the bike trends are (these come and go).. I don't ride BMX any more, back and knees too screwed to ride tiny bikes, same reason I stopped skateboarding.. just 26" jump bike atm. About to start building another.

@James, I know I'd make more money by splitting, but I love that bike and I'd rather try to sell it to someone who'll appreciate it too and keep it as it is.
I'm still in two minds though, as I might split it and keep some parts for my new build. Whatever happens I won't be keeping the cranks as I want shorter one's, so I'll let you know. Saint cranks are great, stiff as hell and hollowtech too so nice and light.