Gear ratio effect on stopping/skidding

i got a front brake.
but im using my foot to slow the back one so im shredding up my shoes.
it's 48/15.
whats best to get it changed to?
and do you change the chainring or the bottom bracket?

Dear God.........

I'm trying to get my head around skidding at the mo. I can hardly lock the back on grass / gravel with 48 - 16.

.

what other ways are there to stop brakeless

1. Retro-Thrusters
   
2. Hyperspace Button (only to be used in emergencies)
   
3. Forward firing foam canisters
   
4. Rear deploying parachute
   
   

Or just buy a fucking brake

This thread has to be up there with Eds Randonneur debacle

1. Retro-Thrusters
   
2. Hyperspace Button (only to be used in emergencies)
   
3. Forward firing foam canisters
   
4. Rear deploying parachute
   
   

Or just buy a fucking brake

Hahaaaaaaaa!

I'm trying to get my head around skidding at the mo. I can hardly lock the back on grass / gravel with 48 - 16.

read the bloody topic!! the answer is in here!

what other ways are there to stop brakeless

[serious reply] The only way to stop when riding brakeless is by using your legs. This broadly speaking breaks down in to three categories:

1) Resisting. This is where your legs resist the motion of the cranks, pushing down as they push up and pulling up as they go down. The more aggressively you resist the faster you slow. This is live feathering your rear brake on a normal bike. Great for slowing down or controlling your speed, but it isn't going to stop you quickly when you are going at speed. However this is probably the most used method of braking on a fixed gear bicycle, with or without a front brake.

2) Skidding. This is where you 'lock' your legs (I don't like this term, as I don't feel its truly accurate), thus locking the rear wheel, causing a skid. With your weight thrown forward this skidding can last for a long time, and is considered by many to be a type of trick. Indeed there are many a skidding competition and variations. With your weight further back the skid is shorter, and can stop you reasonably quickly,and I am not convinced it can ever stop you as quickly as a front brake, but does encourage you to ride more defensively and pre-empt what is going to happen. In any case a short sharp skid is probably the most instantaneous stop you can get when riding brakeless. Others have already detailed how to do it, but for completeness sake you basicaly push back on the cranks when one arm is in the 4 O'clock position, whilst simultaneously pulling up on the other crank when its at 10 O'clock (or 3 and 9 respectively if you prefer, everyone is different). Moving your weight forward helps, as you want to unweight the rear wheel to help initiate the skid on higher gears. Its also worth noting that the higher your gearing the harder it is to skid, the lower the gearing the easier. Anything under 60GI is super super easy to skid, even when sitting down (at least thats my experiences). Oh and skidding is the fastest way to go through your tyre.
EDIT: I should of mentioned that when skidding if you flick the back end out to one side you can stop over less ground, as the momentum is dissipated by the rear wheel moving out to the side rather then forward, if you get what I mean.

3) Skipping. Skipping varies from person to person but is basically a really short skid. Some people do it by popping a little skid and flicking the tail end out to one side a little other by picking the back wheel right of the ground to remove momentum in the drive train, others just do little forward skids. Each variation has a slightly different effect, both to the longevity of your tyre and also the amount of speed you loose. In my experience skipping comes first as you learn to skid as an accident. You try to skid but get a skip and then later once you have learnt to skid as a more effective way of braking and not burning through your tyre in a day. There isn't really much more to say about skipping, as I feel it is so personal. You just have to learn to skid first, and then experiment with doing different things.

I guess thats it really. My guide to stopping brakeless. I'm no expert, and I've probably got something wrong and its hardly a conclusive guide, but the intention is good, and it should give you some idea about ways of stopping a bike with just a fixed wheel drive train.

But by the sounds of it you aren't ready to go brakeless.
And you should probably get a lower gear. It will make learning easier.

hope that helps.[/serious answer]

Can we get it clear that skidding in NOT a trick, but an element of bike control!
Thanks

Can we get it clear that skidding is a trick and an indication that the bike is out of control!
Thanks

thanks

Can we get it clear that skidding in NOT a trick, but an element of bike control!
Thanks

HA! nodder!

Can we get it clear that skidding in your y-front in NOT a trick, but an element of pooping control!
Thanks

we all need to shit one way or another mate!

Please tell us which lock you use and where you lock bike

Please tell us which lock you use and where you lock bike

and if you prefer rapha or assos?

Can we get it clear that skidding in NOT a trick, but an element of bike control!
Thanks

My point exactly!

i like turtles.

duck have orange cock you know.

duck have orange cock you know.

seriously?

Actually KIDS, I've recently converted to brakeless, and whenever I skid to stop or for fun, I can vary the ammout of resistance between the road and tyre by shifting my weight.

Yes the tyre, whilst skidding is in a chaotic state, but controlling that, if nothing else, is bike control.

This thread has to be up there with Eds Randonneur debacle

haha!

**[serious reply] ...[/serious answer]**

html fail but +++1 ;-)

duck have orange cock you know.

Is that where they get duck a l'orange? Yum. Small helpings though.

[serious reply] The only way to stop when riding brakeless is by using your legs...

Thank god for that, I don't think I could have answered that with such saint like patience. Possibly the best laymans terms explanation of the use of the principles of physics I have ever seen.

Can we get it clear that skidding in NOT a trick, but an element of bike control!
Thanks

I would argue that all "tricks" are constructed of elements of bike control. Also, skids can be both tricks and bike control.

okay thanks all for the help.
so rear ring at 18 or 19.

now i wont have to risk dying.
thanks

okay thanks all for the help.
so rear ring at 18 or 19.

now i wont have to risk making myself look a fanny on bike forums.
thanks

Fixed

okay thanks all for the help.
so rear ring at 18 or 19.

now i wont have to risk dying.
thanks

Just put a brake on mate, you're still gonna risk dying until you learn how to skid/skip/control the bike well, gearing down won't suddenly give you magic skills that you don't have, I know you're a kid, but seriously stop worrying about looking cool, and start worrying about staying alive. Otherwise you're gonna end up dead with a headstone that reads "brakless and branless innit".