Can you track stand?

[li10up]

I hate having to unclip at lights but I just can't seem to get the track stand thing down. I can only hold it at a dead stop for about one second. I've read all the online stuff and none of it seems to work for me. Anyone have anything else to add? I like to have my left foot forward and I also unclip on the left. I seem to like to turn my handlebars to the left. Could this be making it more difficult for me? Or does any of this even matter?

[Eden]

Some can do it, but it is very difficult to do a true trackstand on a freewheel bike. With a fixie you can put back pressure on the pedals and rock the bike very, very slightly back and forth to keep your balance. You just can't do that on a freewheel bike.

[Tri Girl]

I WISH!
I know a couple guys that can do it pretty well, but not me. When I track stand- I just really track fall over.
It's not pretty, so I've given up trying.

[onimity]

Nope, but I can move very very slowly at a light to the point that I am almost standing still. I've heard that you can't really balance a bike at a complete stop, that you always must be maneuvering forward and back a bit. When there is a slight uphill I can let my bike roll back a tiny bit and then move forward a tiny bit, pretty much accomplishing the same thing, but on downhill stops, I just have to go super-super-slow for the last couple of feet if I don't want to unclip.

I've found that I can make lights change but unclipping BTW!

Anne

[Pax]

I can't ride for crap, I'm slow as hell and very outta shape...but I can track stand. I love to do it so I play around with it all the time.

[Zen]

Queen

I'm getting better at it, maybe five seconds.

[smilingcat]

It takes practice, practice and practice and lots and lots of riding.

Having your wheel turned slightly sideways is okay doesn't matter which way. I could never do it with the front wheels lined up with the rear (pointing striaght).

You also want to lock up your front wheel so you can apply pressure into your pedal. Rear brakes I leave alone. Its much easier to stand up off your seat and the pedals are in 3&9 o'clock position. your weight should be close to evenly divided between the two. Just a little extra on downstroke side.

To start, it is lot easier if you are pointing up hill then on a level ground or pointing downhill.

If I think about track stand I can't do it. If my mind isn't concentrating then I'm okay for like 15-25 seconds.

It also takes more effort than just putting your foot down. So if you want to rest at a stop light, best to put your foot down.

See my pic on new riders section, thread is Road bike regrets.

smilingcat

[Running Mommy]

I do the "movin real slow" track stand... Where I'm just about stopped, but moving just a bit so I don't fall over. I've always figured it was because I have such bad balance... But maybe I'm just a crappy cycilst!

You know us tri geeks, jack of all trades, but master of none!

[rij73]

I've found that I can make lights change by unclipping BTW!

OMG, that is too funny! That is exactly what happens to me every time it seems. When I finally give up and realize that I'm going to have to come to a complete stop, the light will turn green. GRRRRR!

[Brandy]

I just started riding fixed gear and I hate starting and stopping at lights. I have managed to slow myself down to a slow roll, then do a psuedo-track stand for a few seconds until I give up when I realize that the light isn't going to change. OH wait...what's that? I unclip and it changes. Every. Single. Time.

[sundial]

I've done a modified track stand. I prefer to unclip one shoe at the light.

Gravity's a bummer.

[boy in a kilt]

It's a matter of practice.

As mentioned above, you can't do a true track stand on a freewheel bike. But I've gotten pretty good at finding a sweet spot where I can roll back and forth just enough to hold me up. If I find a really sweet spot, I can hold a track stand through an entire light cycle. Most days, about a minute is my limit.