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TrackStand

3K views 27 replies 24 participants last post by  All Mountain 
#1 ·
I wasn't sure which forum to put this in, and its probably already been discussed. But how do you track stand and what are its effective applications. Thanks in advance
 
#3 ·
Interestingly the track stand actually came from "track" racing bikes and that type of racing. Those bikes for the most part have no freewheel (direct drive forward and backward), so your pressure on the cranks gives you some control and options that an MTB differs quite a bit.

That said, the term now just generally refers to the ability to stop your bike and balance it without putting your feet down. The ability to do this is often helpful in tight technical situations where you have to change direction in a very tight spot at low speed. You can also save a stalled bike on a technical climb. When you're riding in a group and come up too close behind a slower rider, you can often hold up long enough to not require stepping out of the pedals. I'm sure there are other uses, but these are the main instances where I use it.

This capability is kinda like trying to verbally instruct someone how to wheelie. I find it easier to track stand on a slight grade. You can keep pressure on the cranks pointing the bike uphill and move your body from side to side and even sawing on the bars when necessary. You're just trying to keep your center of gravity and balance point in that sweet spot that keeps the bike from tipping past the recovery point to the left or right. Going down a grade or on flat ground, I use the brakes slightly to drag forward movement and keep that same pressure on the cranks.

Using the handlebar is usually the last resort, as it seems to me that the bike balances better by using my body to change the COG rather than sawing on the bars back and forth. Often it winds up being a gyrating combination of the two that can look pretty comical. It's a useful tool, and practicing it on flat, soft ground will usually make you a better rider even if you never feel you master it totally.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I do it with

Brakes locked.
Right foot forward, most weight on that pedal and it's usually lower.
Bars 45 degrees or more to the right and most weight on the right grip.
The bike is leaning slightly right.
Most of my weight is over the bars and I'm usually twisted slightly right.

It's easiest for me on flat ground, and really easy on grass or dirt. I don't really need to even hold the left grip.
 
#5 ·
Trackstands are much easier on a slight incline. The trick is that you tilt your handlebars about 45 degrees to the left or right, so that it is pointing uphill. If your wheel is pointing to the left then put your left foot forward and a bit higher than level. Stand with your weight forward, as if you were hammering up a hill. If you start falling over to the left then press down on the left pedal to move your bike to the left to compensate. If you start tipping to the right then let up on the left pedal and your bike will roll backwards to the right. You can rock your bike back and forth this way forever, or until your arms cramp up :)

You can easily practice this technique on most roads. If the road is reasonably flat then you can almost always find a slight incline between the gutters and the center of the road. Trackstands on totally flat or downhill surfaces are much tougher, and I usually end up using all of the aforementioned techniques - brakes, body movement, and sawing the handlebars.
 
#6 ·
Great advice all.

I learned how to trackstand in my street and on my driveway. Basically, you want to practice parallel to a slight incline with your tire pointed 30 or so degrees up the incline, as gunfodder said. The key is to rock back and forth, compensating for not only side-to-side movement, but also forward and back movement.

When you get used to this, you can practice on flat ground. However, you don't have that incline to 'push' or 'fall back' on. You still turn your front tire 30-45 degrees or so, but you must use body english to 'rock' your bike back and forth to maintain balance. To rock the bike forwards, just use your forward pedal. To rock the bike backwards on flat ground, you can lock your brakes for a second, preload into the fork, and then sort of jerk/lean backwards. Your bike will roll backwards a bit.
 
#7 ·
As TNC said, it's really helpful on the trail. You don't need to be able to do a trackstand for a long time, since on the trail, it's usually only necessary for a couple seconds. Just knowing that you can stand still on a bike for a few seconds without putting your foot down will give you the confidence to try some tech sections that you might not otherwise try.
 
#8 ·
What helped me to progress on this skill is Balancing Board.
You can lookup internet for Indo-Board or make yourself one like I did for $15 in the OSH supplies (piece of wood, rubber and PVC pipe). You can practice on it while watching TV, reading book or other stuff. Once I improved balance on this thing (roughly a month), trackstand become natural almost instantly.
Before that I tried to get it down on the bike only during a season, but no luck.
 
#11 ·
All the above and then I'll add:

Folks learning trackstands make a common mistake - they try to hold their trackstand as long as possible, and then tip over. This rocks as long as you are trying to learn how to trackstand and tip over.

The key is to hold a trackstand for 1 second, and then roll out of it (before you tip over). Once you've mastered the 1 second trackstand, hold a trackstand for 2 seconds and then roll out. Keep increasing the time this way and you will be shooting past your five second mark in no time. Holding a trackstand for a shorter period of time and focusing on being able to roll out of it will allow you to spend more time practicing and less time getting reclipped in and re-setup.

K
 
#12 ·
Yes, I do it at the stop lights always for as long as it takes (on my road bike), my feet touch the ground twice, once before I start and second when I'm finished. Never in between. Haven't figured out how to apply this yet on my new Blur in a trail situation but I'm still learning.

walrasian said:
how- good balance practise and gentle pedal pressure

why- to look cool at stop lights on the way to the trail :D
 
#13 ·
kaboose said:
All the above and then I'll add:

Folks learning trackstands make a common mistake - they try to hold their trackstand as long as possible, and then tip over. This rocks as long as you are trying to learn how to trackstand and tip over.

The key is to hold a trackstand for 1 second, and then roll out of it (before you tip over). Once you've mastered the 1 second trackstand, hold a trackstand for 2 seconds and then roll out. Keep increasing the time this way and you will be shooting past your five second mark in no time. Holding a trackstand for a shorter period of time and focusing on being able to roll out of it will allow you to spend more time practicing and less time getting reclipped in and re-setup.

K
Now I don't feel so bad about my 15 second track stand any longer.

I usually practice when I'm with my GF riding slowly. I'll try to track stand for a few seconds while she catches up. I think it's kind of boring to go out to the park just to practice track stands. You quickly lose interest (unless you're some fanatic trialsin rider). And it is true that holding a track stand for just a few seconds is usefull enough on the trail when you need a little time to pick a line or use some body english to get lined up.
 
#15 ·
Stalk said:
What helped me to progress on this skill is Balancing Board.
You can lookup internet for Indo-Board or make yourself one like I did for $15 in the OSH supplies (piece of wood, rubber and PVC pipe). You can practice on it while watching TV, reading book or other stuff. Once I improved balance on this thing (roughly a month), trackstand become natural almost instantly.
Before that I tried to get it down on the bike only during a season, but no luck.
Yup... The ability to trackstand is great for doing those super tight and steep switchbacks b/c you learn how to use your leg/pedal power to stay upright.
 
#16 ·
TNC said:
helpful in tight technical situations where you have to change direction in a very tight spot at low speed. You can also save a stalled bike on a technical climb. When you're riding in a group and come up too close behind a slower rider, you can often hold up long enough to not require stepping out of the pedals
When I miss my line in slow technical places, a second or two standing on the bike may be enough to figure out an alternative solution...

I cannot sustain a track stand on flat ground but it seems to be easier on soft ground or even between some roots on the trail.
 
#17 ·
perttime said:
When I miss my line in slow technical places, a second or two standing on the bike may be enough to figure out an alternative solution...

I cannot sustain a track stand on flat ground but it seems to be easier on soft ground or even between some roots on the trail.
wierd.. me too. i find i can hold a stand foreva without unclipping when i'm in amongst the trees.
 
#20 ·
Hi there. Well, i ride once a week, unfortunnatly i don`t have more time, and all the things i can do seems "rusty" in those first minutes, it seems i have to warm up first, the first bunny hop is really bad, track stand doesn`t seems right, but after a while things comes back naturally.So my advice to you, is to ride some miles first and then start praticing. Just be patient, and don`t ever give up. Check Hans Rey site, go to lessons, it won`t teach you but at least it will give you an idea for how to start.
 
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