Right leg doesn't do much after skids

that does not sound funny--- I would go and see a doc ASAP..

are there fixed gear hospitals yet..considering the hype..

asm How do you skid?

Release weight of the back of the bike and, when your feet are horizontal, pull up with the front foot and lock the rear using clipless pedals.

asm And more importantly, why do you skid?

Because that's what riding fixed is all about.... without that control over the rear wheel (and the fun factor) it would just be like riding a bike where your legs don't stop going round.

asm And more importantly, why do you skid?

jonaent Because that's what riding fixed is all about.... without that control over the rear wheel (and the fun factor) it would just be like riding a bike where your legs don't stop going round.

Yes! It's all about the connection to the ground.
I dunno what I'm saying really, but it's all a logical progression. Riding fixed, trackstanding, skipping, skidding, other tricks, the rest. I'm still on a huge learning curve (having only just got to grips with skidding) but it's centred about being more involved with the bike. (In a nice way)
Although the beauty of it's that that's really just one aspect of it - take into account better pedalling technique, increased fitness, more agressive hill climbing, shifting ride mentality etc and you realise you can get out of it exactly what you want.
Which is why I rate it so much.

I skid a little, but usually feather the brake and do the whole skid-a-bit-turn-a-bit dance and find that I stop much quicker than on a geared bike. But while being able to adjust my speed without braking makes the whole difference to urban riding, I don't partic. feel skidding adds much.

Oh, and being on a bike where my legs don't stop going round is genius on hills.

jonaent (Jon)
Release weight of the back of the bike and, when your feet are horizontal, pull up with the front foot and lock the rear using clipless pedals.

Because that's what riding fixed is all about.... without that control over the rear wheel (and the fun factor) it would just be like riding a bike where your legs don't stop going round.

don't really need clipless pedals, i don't and i skid quite a lot too. on the contrary a lot of people into doing tricks use clip and straps. and i would say try not to use the front foot focus on pushing now

i wont say it's what it's all about, sheldon the godfather of fix doesn't do it, bikesnob NYC is against skidding, both of them don't ride brakeless but maybe that's another reason for you to do it :P

andrewleitch86 So yesterday I was practicing skidding for the first time. I'm not that great at it but I've got the technique. When I got in my left leg has full mobility but my right leg can't raise of a certain angle. When I thrust it up it just falls back down as if it's dead. anyone have any ideas what it could be?

Fit a rear brake. It'll be less painful in the long run.

Sounds like you've got a bad leg

mashton
One thing for me is that I am a red light stopper, so really like having the lower gear for all of those standing starts.

Respect. Me too.

As should the rest of you.

I can skid
I don't skid

edmundane don't really need clipless pedals,

Yeah, I meant anything that attaches you to the pedals... I tried straps on Rakan's blue/green bike and really liked it.... he did have a MASSIVE gear though.... 42:23 !!! which made it a lot of fun to blast about on!

winston I can skid
I don't skid

Your missing out on a lot of fun ;-)

winston I can skid
I don't skid

*
***You're ****missing out on having to buy new tyres all the time.

I've been scaring people in clissold park by cycling back and forth trying to skid, but I can't get it right, I just end up doing about 3 or 4 mini skids in a row, like stones skipping across water. What's the secret for holding the rear leg down? Also, how important is the top leg in all this? As you lean forward, unweighting the rear wheel, is it supposed to act in sync with the push-down motion of the rear leg. What happens first, left of right?

just lean all the way up against the stem/handlebars, that should do the trick for you...

thanks, but how come on the youtube vids i've seen the riders break into a skid without having to lean on the handle bars. In fact, they hardly seem to be putting any effort in. You're going to tell me it's just practice, yeah?

hell yeah!!

squoocher thanks, but how come on the youtube vids i've seen the riders break into a skid without having to lean on the handle bars. In fact, they hardly seem to be putting any effort in. You're going to tell me it's just practice, yeah?

It's a bit of everything.... technique, gear ratio, speed.... the 'skips' that u are doing are good, that's the first step..... it really is a case of practice, because once u get used to the technique, it's easy and then becomes second nature.

Thin about it this way..... when the pedals get to a horizontal position, i.e. front pedal going down, back pedal coming up resist both of their movements and take your weight off the rear. Pull up on the front pedal, push down on the back pedal....

On those videos it just looks like they stop pedaling and they skid! They are in fact pushing back with the rear foot, but friction is counter-acting and it looks like they just stop pedaling and then skid.

hope that helps..... or was it too complicated??? At the end of the day, once u get a feel for it.... you're away! It's easier on a track frame than on a road frame.

cheers for that!
I still think it's witchcraft though. Plus, the Bike Gods smile on youth (i'll be forty in a few years)

low gear is THE main thing that will make it easier for you....below 70 inches.....the guys on the vids might have really low gears???

practise on a low gear 'til you get the technique then put that smaller sprocket back on....

Practise in a wide open space, lean forward and then jamm it! Below 70" 48-19 has elped a deal too.