Track stand help needed.

[Gronk]

Ok I know there must be perhaps a millions of these threads posted the world over... but my question is pretty quick: After watching Ryan Leech's MTAOT dvd, the thing with the trackstands on the incline is all good... but what about when you do it on flat ground, still no brakes?

He seems to use them on and off, but do you still try to get that rocking motion going yourself, rather than having the hill do it for you? Or do you keep your brakes locked until you 'have' to move (for balance) and then just move/rock forward/backward slightly to retain balance then relock the brakes?

Thanks

 

[dain2772]

you do the rocking yourself and move your body.

think of it this way, a little movement on the cranks will push you a little forward, then you put the brakes on, as you lean back again release the brakes and you will roll back.. all tiny little movements.

definitely use brakes, and have a lot of patience.

 

[Nebuchernezzer]

I don't rock backwards but i can manage to trackstand for long enough standing still and rolling forward slightly as needed.
Long enough to wait for traffic lights to change or for cars to go past a crossing or whatever.
I don't know weather you can do that already but it's probably a good intermediate step instead of trying to rock backwards straight up.
It sounds easier to me (note i'm crap at trials though).

 

[Gronk]

Thanks guys. I originally tried learning these with the brakes constantly locked on, and only unlocked to move forward to gainbalance, never tried this moving backwards thing. So it's a brakes on AND off thing, right ok will try that.

I think I am past the total beginner step of doing these, learning the stupidly hard way may have helped, because now learning on the incline is relatively easy. But will try this other stuff on the flat.

Thanks!

 

[tu plang]

then you can move onto the tracksit

 

[Labcanary]

then you can move onto the tracksit

that's where you sit and watch yeah?

You'll get there in good time Gronk, just keep on practicing. It took me a while to be able to do trackstands for a lengthy period of time, I found that it helped if I relaxed a bit. If you start to fall to one side point the front wheel in that direction but also don't push too hard on the pedals, brake a little if you want but don't lock them on. You'll get the feel of it and then wonder why it seemed so difficult.

 

[toodles]

keep one foot preloading a crank all the time. Releasing your front brake and then grabbing it again will let you "rebound" into a slight backwards momentum. I had a lot of trouble trackstanding when my wheels were on different levels (front high or low) but practise will get you there.

Oh and learn to back spin your cranks really quick without loosing balance.

 

[tu plang]

that's where you sit and watch yeah?

haha nah. its something i sort of subconciously picked up. i can trackstand having dabbled in trials for a while and general riding but i just sort of developed the seated track..stand? at work riding a bike from the work shop and then waiting for customers who were looking at stuff near the doorway... so i'd just kinda sit there balancing on the bike.

one day some guy goes "gee i wish i could do that" i was just kinda like "uh what?... oh right yeah"

its not something i can always do especially if im trying but i'll ride up to a set of lights and just sit there on the bike until it goes green.

 

[Labcanary]

haha nah. its something i sort of subconciously picked up. i can trackstand having dabbled in trials for a while and general riding but i just sort of developed the seated track..stand? at work riding a bike from the work shop and then waiting for customers who were looking at stuff near the doorway... so i'd just kinda sit there balancing on the bike.

one day some guy goes "gee i wish i could do that" i was just kinda like "uh what?... oh right yeah"

its not something i can always do especially if im trying but i'll ride up to a set of lights and just sit there on the bike until it goes green.

Heh, I thought your were kidding around with the "tracksit" comment...my bad
I never really bothered trying to do "tracksits" on my mtb but since I've built up my fixed gear bike (the weekend just gone) it's been a breeze - and the only way I can do them no-handed
Now I just wish I could bunny-hop...

 

[gbowen444]

My bike has not seat. so the tracksit is out, however...

As most people have said you really need to use you brakes on the flat or lacing down hill. Keep pressure on the front foot so if you need to move forward you can, but if you need to move back, with the brakes locked, push off the bars and shift your whole weight back with a lurch and release your brakes as you do. Your bike will roll back. You can do this quite hard into a fakie if you want. I don't know why ryan didn't put this on the DVD as it is very important.

Also practice rocking heaps, to get balance and also practice just balancing by hoping the front only. Shift your weight back over the rear a bit and just hop the front wheel side to side by pulling back on the bars to lift the front an inch or so and then letting it fall and bounce up again (suspension forks make this harder BTW as you loose a lot of control). You can balance quite easily after a while. This is probably a more useful method of resting than tackstanding once you get good, as trackstanding can be difficult on natural where you often don't have a smooth area. Hopping the front only also allows you to have your front wheel facing where you want to go, whereas trackstanding you have to turn you wheel back as you set off for a move.

 

[Dumbellina]

Not boasting, but I'll say it anyway, track standing is a good way of impressing the roadies. I think its easier on my roadie because its balance point is easier to find and hold. My MTB is slightly harder (especially on roads) because of shifting balance points due to deflection of tyres and suspension action (the dually is impossible for this reason).

 

[allan_key]

Dh

Downhill bikes are the easyest iv found to learn to track stand on, Track stands take practise and time to learn, just keep at it, and challenge your self as you get better, try no brakes, then one hand, then no hands, and just go from there

have fun

 

[Trance_Kidd]

sorry to ask but i just do not now what a track stand is..cheers matt

 

[Gronk]

gbowen: I was working on the rocking a bit today, man it's harder than it looks! The little hops in place to stay balanced are coming along fine, but rocking is a different story... I either crab walk to one side or start involuntarily going in circles. More work definitely needed but things r starting to come along slowly

 

[gbowen444]

gbowen: I was working on the rocking a bit today, man it's harder than it looks! The little hops in place to stay balanced are coming along fine, but rocking is a different story... I either crab walk to one side or start involuntarily going in circles. More work definitely needed but things r starting to come along slowly

Try looking at something at eye level or keeping you head up, rather than looking down at your front wheel. This can make a difference. Also as I said, suspension makes rocking much harder to control. Keep practicing though....

 

[Vandy]

sorry to ask but i just do not now what a track stand is..cheers matt

A trackstand is basically being still on a bike and balancing it for as long as possible.