Skidding is not cool....

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
While riding six mile yesterday, I noticed a bunch of places where people were skidding (locking your rear wheel) in to turns and other places. I know there are a lot of newer riders that ride there and that are on the site in general. Please take note that in no case is skidding considered cool or necessary. Sure, everyone skids from time to time, especially when you are trying to ride faster but it should not be a common part of your riding. I rode with some people on here at Mercer and noticed a few of those guys skidding just along the trail. Skidding causes erosion and could possibly cause ruts if the trail is soft. Keep it to a minimum!
 

pinkshirtphotos

Active Member
i love skidding it makes u look cooler... not

skidding is one of the dumbest thing a rider can do it actually takes you longer to slow down by doing it, wears ur tyres faster, and you are actually not in full control of your bike.
 

clutch

New Member
The front brake is your friend.

Many new riders are still scared of their front brake so they grab all of their rear brake to slow down quickly instead of leaning back a bit and using the front.
 

Glancing Aft

Active Member
Agreed!

One thing I found useful that I did a while back, was one day I went out with my rear break disconnected. I learned very quickly to ride with just the front break, I'd suggest trying it at an easy place some time.

I am not responsible for death, injury, or anything else! :D
 

f2f4

New Member
I've started to see a lot of skidding at Clayton too. But I never see any riders doing it.

Must be the horses.
dodgy.gif
 

idbrian

Crotch Rot
I don't consciously use my front vs rear brake in situations. I always use both brakes simultaneously in all situations. It would take me a little while to learn how to brake front/rear without thinking about it. Thing is i don't even know what situations warrant a front vs rear brake application.

But i don't skid.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
I don't consciously use my front vs rear brake in situations. I always use both brakes simultaneously in all situations. It would take me a little while to learn how to brake front/rear without thinking about it. Thing is i don't even know what situations warrant a front vs rear brake application.

But i don't skid.

I think it is natural to use both brakes at the same time but your front brake is the majority of the stopping power. As far as different situations, there really is a guide out there for different situations. Just learn to use the front brake more.
 

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
In general, people need to learn to use both brakes less. ;) Singlespeeding will usually break you of bad braking habits. ;)
 

idbrian

Crotch Rot
If anything, with the number of endos i do, i use the front brake too much. 70% of my crashes are endos. I just upgraded to Juicy 7's and on my first ride at Mooch i didn't crash at all, which is a first. So maybe they helped.
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
In general, people need to learn to use both brakes less. ;) Singlespeeding will usually break you of bad braking habits. ;)

Most recently i have really felt good handling the bike. I have been using the brakes less and less and often would care to use them not at all. Yesterday at allaire i was on the brakes a very small amount of the time. I maybe should have used them a bit more in one spot and maybe i would not have cracked my helmet. The sand there was really enough to eat up your speed.

If anything, with the number of endos i do, i use the front brake too much. 70% of my crashes are endos. I just upgraded to Juicy 7's and on my first ride at Mooch i didn't crash at all, which is a first. So maybe they helped.

I used to endo all over the place as well. I learned that you rarely need to use the front brake. Sean helped me w/ that. Since then i have been rolling over stuff with great great ease.
 

elzoller

El Guac-Oh
I don't think a lot of people are skidding intentionally, they are just learning to handle the bike, a lot of n00bs out there!! (which is good for the sport) It is a learning curve, I know I went through that. With time you learn how to use the terrain's features to control speed instead of just using breaks all the time plus you also learn that speed sometimes is your friend ;)

just my 2 pesos....;)
 

Frank

Sasquatch
I don't think a lot of people are skidding intentionally, they are just learning to handle the bike, a lot of n00bs out there!! (which is good for the sport)

Good point....was there last sunday myself and saw a bunch without helmets too. They will learn eventually.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
As I said before, everyone skids, espcially while learning. Just wanted to get it out there that is is not cool.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Skidding happens to all of us. Just don't do it on purpose. It's easy to tell the difference. Accidents are usually 6-12" in length. On purpose is sometimes several feet of the trail.
 

Wazu

New Member
My two cents is don't make the brakes too sensitive to begin with, front or back. Use both simutaneously but with around 60 percent more squeeze to the front. The actual slowing of the bike will be more like 90 percent front tire. I use individual front and rear constantly while maneuvering over trouble much like I use pinball flippers. My endos are usually caused from following too closely to riders that endo. Most of my crashes occur going around 2 miles an hour negotiating techinical crap.
 

sasquatch2

Member
that's dirty Bert!

leaving skidmarks on trails or shorts is really bad but the thing that pi$$es me off is when some dweeb finds a steep hill next to the trail and skids straight down it! I stop and block the hill with logs so they see someone doesn't want them to destroy the hill with erosion. I also hope the logs and branches will slow any erosion caused by exposing the dirt and creating a channel running perpendicular to the grade. Also, why are they skidding the whole way down??? Is that fun or cool???

-S
 
Top Bottom