View Poll Results: Can you track stand?
Yes, I can stick it
20
29.41%
Almost, move forward a little bit
22
32.35%
No, hell no...
26
38.24%
Voters: 68. You may not vote on this poll
Can You Track Stand?
#26
20+mph Commuter
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It's useful in the city grid. I can ride around the city for hours and never touch the ground with a foot. I track stand every red light that i can not run. Not as crucial since I gave up clipping in but still do it daily.
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#27
Cantilever believer
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It would seem to me that putting a lot of weight on the pedal while going nowhere might be more stress on the chain than when the bike is moving. So a pin or link getting slightly deformed every time one does such a thing might result in the chain wearing out quicker.
It's only something I wonder about, not that I know it is an absolute issue.
Similarly I wonder if those that wear out their chains quickly tend to be those that use a lot of power to climb and accelerate or even regularly do track stands. It might offer an explanation for why some that go to great lengths to care for their chain have a short chain life and I do very little for my chain and they last a long time.
Again, it's just something I wonder about. Not that I know.
It's only something I wonder about, not that I know it is an absolute issue.
Similarly I wonder if those that wear out their chains quickly tend to be those that use a lot of power to climb and accelerate or even regularly do track stands. It might offer an explanation for why some that go to great lengths to care for their chain have a short chain life and I do very little for my chain and they last a long time.
Again, it's just something I wonder about. Not that I know.
I recall one of the initial fears of narrower chains was sudden breakage due to less metal cross-section. A mis-pressed pin can indeed cause disaster as the tolerances are much tighter and the pins are generally mushroomed, but overall the narrower chains (even the 13-speeds on the market) don't seem associated with sudden chain snappage.
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#28
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#29
Habitual User
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It would seem to me that putting a lot of weight on the pedal while going nowhere might be more stress on the chain than when the bike is moving. So a pin or link getting slightly deformed every time one does such a thing might result in the chain wearing out quicker.
It's only something I wonder about, not that I know it is an absolute issue.
Similarly I wonder if those that wear out their chains quickly tend to be those that use a lot of power to climb and accelerate or even regularly do track stands. It might offer an explanation for why some that go to great lengths to care for their chain have a short chain life and I do very little for my chain and they last a long time.
Again, it's just something I wonder about. Not that I know.
It's only something I wonder about, not that I know it is an absolute issue.
Similarly I wonder if those that wear out their chains quickly tend to be those that use a lot of power to climb and accelerate or even regularly do track stands. It might offer an explanation for why some that go to great lengths to care for their chain have a short chain life and I do very little for my chain and they last a long time.
Again, it's just something I wonder about. Not that I know.
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#30
The Wheezing Geezer
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I used to be able to, pretty well. Well enough to win a 'slow race' when I was a teenager.
'Slow racing' on my old Paramount
It was the second time I got my picture in the newspaper. The first was with my brother, sledding on old-fashioned sleds on Mt. Lemmon.
The third was as an adult, riding out front of a huge pack of motorcycles at the Red River motorcycle rally maybe fifteen years ago. Glad it wasn't this year's, with the shoot-out last Friday.
'Slow racing' on my old Paramount
It was the second time I got my picture in the newspaper. The first was with my brother, sledding on old-fashioned sleds on Mt. Lemmon.
The third was as an adult, riding out front of a huge pack of motorcycles at the Red River motorcycle rally maybe fifteen years ago. Glad it wasn't this year's, with the shoot-out last Friday.
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#31
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I’m downright embarrassed that I cant track stand. I claim to be a messenger! It’s shameful honestly.
can’t wheelie either. Finally learning how to bunny hop, after years of trying and failing, so maybe there is hope
can’t wheelie either. Finally learning how to bunny hop, after years of trying and failing, so maybe there is hope
#32
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Ironically a former neighbor gave me a light one Sunday afternoon while I was climbing a hill near his abode. His dog scared the living daylights out of me a few years before. We had exchanged words then. Anyway, for some reason he thought it was my light. I accepted the gift and found I had a USB cord to fit.
#33
Grupetto Bob
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As my 20 year old girlfriend said to me (I was 20 too), “If I have to explain it to you, you already missed the point.” Needless to say, that relationship didn’t last.
AND, I can track stand worth s…..
AND, I can track stand worth s…..
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Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
#34
Old fart
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I can track stand for 10-15 seconds. It's definitely easier with a fixed gear.
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#35
cowboy, steel horse, etc
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For some reason I never found them easier on FG. Maybe because I learned them on freewheel, 15 years before I even tried riding FG.
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#36
Senior Member
It is one of those skill I never really tried to perfect but find myself doing at times when it is convenient or useful, like at an intersection when I expect to be able to go in a few seconds or a bit more and don't want to clip out. I also find myself doing it on technical singletrack on the mountain bike when evaluating a line. I am sure I have done it for more than 10 seconds lots of times. Not sure if I can do it on demand, but I seem to do it spontaneaously fairly often when circumstance make sense for it.
For me riding no hands on some bikes is a little like that. I recall riding one of my bikes that I would have said I really couldn't ride no hands and realizing that I was confidently sitting up flipping off a driver with both hands and yelling an obscenity.
For me riding no hands on some bikes is a little like that. I recall riding one of my bikes that I would have said I really couldn't ride no hands and realizing that I was confidently sitting up flipping off a driver with both hands and yelling an obscenity.
#37
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#38
Senior Member
I suppose "not really" is my answer. I haven't even tried to do a proper track stand, i.e. without using the brakes. I can stay stationary for a few seconds while seated though. However, if applying the brakes still counts then at least 20+ years ago I could stand for several minutes (a bit over 9 min was my record). Haven't bothered to try it for a long time now, but I'm sure I could manage up to a minute after a few tries.
#40
Tange
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I was a bike messenger for over 5 years in the 80s. I developed a very good track stance, I'm in my late 50s and can still do one for upwards of a minute.
#41
Senior Member
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Over the years I've mastered it due to riding around London with its gazilion traffic lights. Treating the ground as lava gives me something to do while stuck at a reds, and I don't think anyone ever said having good balance and bike control was a bad thing.
And I figure I'll go through less cleats by not wearing them out on tarmac by having feet down at every light, and of course I look like a cycling legend....or a massive poser depending on peoples views
And I figure I'll go through less cleats by not wearing them out on tarmac by having feet down at every light, and of course I look like a cycling legend....or a massive poser depending on peoples views
#42
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I voted "yes" using your 10-15 second definition, but people who are really good can do it much, much longer. Every once in a while, the stars align and I can do it for the full length of a red light, but I don't really both much any more unless I see the light is close to turning green or I'm just messing around on my town bike. It uses too much mental and physical energy to do it in the middle of a real ride.
#43
Rhapsodic Laviathan
Eehhhhhh....