I have been riding SS (single speed free-wheel) pretty much my entire life originating from BMX in the late 90s then getting around to 700c bikes in the late 2000s/early 2010s. I have just recently switched my drive-train to a fixed cog, just to mess around and see what the culture is so hyped over. (I know lol I’m fixed gears uncool cousin) however, I was able to get a near 45sec track stand on my second ever attempt.(about 15 seconds first try) I reckon that’s pretty good yeah? Perhaps my old BMX roots are still there? I have had this All-City Thunderdome for around two years and I’m extremely familiar with the geometry as well so maybe that’s a variable at play too, on the first attempt, I immediately noticed turning the wheel slightly in the direction of your dominant forward-foot, was like a cheat code , maintaining it there is sort of difficult though
My second attempt at track-standing was 45 seconds, is this decent for a beginner?
byu/saosin91 inFixedGearBicycle
by saosin91
7 Comments
I only read the title. Better than me when I started, my shit was opposite. Right foot forward; you get the picture.
if you ride a lot in traffic you’ll get really good at it if you track stand at every red light
Yeah that’s really not bad! Try angling your front wheel around 45deg then using your feet to rock back & forth to move side to side instead of spinning your handlebars. Like if it’s pointed to the right as in your video, your right foot will bring you forward/right, and your left foot will bring you backward/left. Also helps to hold a knee/shin against the top tube to help support yourself. Looks like a good start though, you’ll nail it in no time!!
Sit down
Aren’t the bars supposed to be angled/turned opposite of whichever is the front foot? It’s going to be harder to hold it if all the weight is to one side iirc.
Very good! I like that you’re hopping in the trackstand stance that shows you have very good control. Work on it and you’ll get more comfortable keeping the bike still.
Try and let the bike swing back and fourth independent of your torso, that’s what made it smooth for me.
My advice for practising it is:
do it for as long as you can every time you get on your bike and every time you get off it.
Play a game with yourself where the challenge is to get from A-B without putting a foot down.
You’ll be doing it without thinking in no time!