Video: In Depth Trackstand Tutorial

Apr 15, 2020
by Alastair Clarkson  


The humble trackstand. With so many of us in lockdown with limited space to ride, there has never been a better time to brush up on an often-neglected technique that can offer huge benefits to practically every type of riding.

There are many tutorials on the subject and while they do offer some great advice I feel they often fall short. A trackstand is a more dynamic technique than you might imagine, with subtle movements, pedal control and an understanding of tiny details in the ground you're on.

I've been a Trials rider for over 20 years and trackstands are a vital technique to master. I have put together what I think is the most in-depth tutorial on the subject with hints and tips I've not seen elsewhere, I explain how to build up from the very beginning and step by step get the fine motor control needed to control a trackstand for as long as you want.

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Member since Jul 1, 2010
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65 Comments
  • 16 2
 Great video Ali, thanks for taking the time to put together such an in depth tutorial! I'm sure this will help out a lot of people that are looking to understand the fundamentals and nuances of the trackstand, after all who better to learn the trackstand from than an absolute trials legend!
  • 6 1
 Thank you!
  • 2 1
 @aliclarkson: I can track stand all day and I still loved the video. Thanks man!
  • 1 1
 @aliclarkson: you should wear a helmet just in case you lose control and fall over the railing and hit your head .

But seriously, excellent detailed instructions, I learned on an incline so the tips on level ground and on a decline are helpful.
  • 6 1
 at this point... no video, or amount of time can teach m how to properly trackstand for over one minute...
  • 7 1
 That's what I said. Then I started riding to work and challenging myself to never put a foot down. The floor is lava!
  • 7 2
 Try pointing slightly uphill and roll back and forth a few inches to help.
  • 3 0
 @DonkeyTeeth: Yes - me too!

At first it's way more work and you look ridiculous fighting to stay balanaced at a stop light that you swear is way longer than you ever noticed before, but pretty soon you're doing them sitting down and taking your hands off and (I assume) looking super cool.

Also nothing will piss your buddies off more than track standing on the trail right before you drop into a technical section. They're the best!
  • 3 1
 @plyawn: yes , doing a track stand at a stop light in front of an audience of cars and with a line of cyclists behind you is nerve wracking.
  • 1 0
 @DonkeyTeeth: or you could ride clipped in, and riding to work. Stoplights are enemies!
  • 3 1
 @ryan77777: yeah, I’ve tried that, thanks, I can track stand for just enough time, but I cannot show off. Once at a DH race, I started trackstanding, and the person was counting down, and when she got to two, I got off balance, and fell. Did I mention that I was trying out going clipless? Anyway, when she said zero, I was on the ground...
  • 2 1
 @plyawn: not true... there are WAY more annoying things you can do out on the trails, such as “accidentally” leave your bike, or backpack, or something at the landing of a jump, or “forget” something that you left at your car after a long climb, and right before the DH, loosening parts on their bike, such as grips, pedals, wheels, etc. I’m not encouraging this, but I’m proving that there is worse than that! Wink
  • 3 1
 @JacobyDH: True, but only the trail blocking track stand says "there is no world outside of my head - be amazed!'
  • 1 1
 @DonkeyTeeth: I always attempt to track stand every red light on my work commute
  • 1 0
 @lehott: no trying allowed - clip in and either success or fall over!
  • 2 0
 Next step maybe: static bunny hop over a broom handle and back without any correction hops. With brakes then with pedal pressure.
Just tryna think of other things we can all do to stay sane!
Anyone got any tips on hop bars on a 2x3m lawn?
  • 4 0
 Do it all switch foot as well!
  • 2 0
 @CrispyNuggs: good shout that’ll make things interesting lol
  • 2 0
 @CrispyNuggs: ugh I'm terrible at riding with the opposite (non dominant) foot. But I guess this is the time to learn!
  • 5 0
 is Ali riding Shigura brakes?
  • 8 0
 Yep Smile
  • 1 0
 @aliclarkson: you don't like the flex of stock Magura levers or is there another secret reason?
  • 2 0
 @kmoter: just got fed up of breaking them
  • 2 0
 I can just see the missus going nuts, when i put my bike's tires to the white wall... dear me.... otherwise, brilliant video mate, appreciate....
  • 1 1
 I just got a used 20" mod trials bike. Step one, balance with brakes locked. Step two, cuss a bunch!

So I can trackstand no problem, but try doing it with your brakes locked, damn that's hard as shite!

I'm a mountain unicyclist, so balance is not an issue, but it's a different beast on a trials bike.

My driveway is sloped, so I'm gonna work on it that way for a bit cuz the leaning against fence thing ain't helping.
  • 2 0
 That's the way I learned it, ratcheting circles towards my forward foot on a slight incline. Slower and slower until you can stand still. I get the tips with using a small bump or depression, but the front wheel against a wall thing didn't help me much when I was trying to learn to do it. I guess everyone's different.
  • 2 0
 "... we will get you guy doubling, tripling, quadruping the time the length of time you can track stand ..." That is so cool - I finally be able to do a 5 sec track stand!
  • 1 0
 I learned the track stand commuting to work every day in Portland. A "perfect day" was when my feet only touched the ground at work and at home.
  • 1 1
 This video is 8 hours late...I was just teaching my 6 and 8 year old neighbor kids how to track stand today. And wheelie. And crash (and roll =).
  • 4 2
 yeah, if you need any advice; im so good at crashing... Wink but arent we not supposed to be with our neighbors?
  • 3 0
 @JacobyDH: Well, we did side-by-side downhill “racing” on the quiet street behind their house (no slip-stream Coronavirus transmission, haha) with attempted but unsuccessful trackstand starts (hey, it was their first try), and 15-foot distancing at other times =)
  • 3 0
 @WRCDH: for 6 and 8 they're really lucky to be doing little mini dh races, yet alone right now
  • 3 0
 @WRCDH: nobody can say no to dh
  • 1 0
 @JacobyDH: So true! They’ve been hooked since last summer!
  • 1 0
 @WRCDH: so thats your doing?
  • 1 0
 @JacobyDH: Yes, they’ve been begging me to ride (every day over the last week or so) as they’ve seen me working on bikes in the driveway lately, haha.
  • 1 0
 @JacobyDH: Well, the 6yo brother has a need for speed. And his sister enjoys a good competition =P. When I told them my bike was a downhill racing bike, we all kinda looked at each other like “wanna race?”
  • 2 0
 @WRCDH: yeah man! giving back to one of the best communitys out there the DH community
  • 2 0
 @WRCDH: yup, thats how i got started! saved up for two years so that i could buy my first bike
  • 1 0
 @JacobyDH: Hour-and-a-half today...he’s gonna be a mini-Loic soon! She has the Rachel Atherton race face when we line up =P
  • 1 0
 @JacobyDH: Hmmm, maybe they can buy my nephew’s old full-suspension bike soon for cheap so they don’t have to spend multi-thousands on a full race bike yet =). But bikes somehow seem more special after working forr years to get one, huh?!
  • 1 0
 @WRCDH: yeah... mtb, especially dh is really expensive and so if they need any parts that i might have i would be more than happy to give back and look through my parts bin.
  • 1 0
 Looks like you need some painting for your wall after 2 months of quarantine
  • 6 0
 Funny because that’s today’s job (after filming my next video)
  • 3 0
 @aliclarkson: Just paint your tyres white?
Then can paint the wall at the same time!
  • 1 0
 Does his bike have a tensioner or something? Looking at the chain, it's not straight. What's it for?
  • 3 0
 Yeah I’ve got a titianium leaf spring style one that I made myself, weighs 12g, is hard to damage and works well
  • 1 0
 If you master this at home, next level is switch foot and no touching brakes!
  • 1 0
 or sitting down
  • 1 0
 Maybe you should do a video on front wheel hops? That’s the next trials technique I need to learn.
  • 1 0
 Just go to Ryan Leech Connection for all the techniques you'll ever want taught in progressive steps. So good and this month all for $1.
  • 2 3
 Bars turned left, left foot forward. Bars turned right, right foot forward. Lean slightly into direction of bars, balance on cranks.

Just add practice Smile
  • 2 0
 This is what I thought, but Ali is doing it the other way around and I instantly questioned if I had been doing it wrong all these years!
  • 4 0
 @MikeW75: nah I don’t think it matters which way you do it, I do suggest taking the time to learn both ways though!
  • 1 0
 brakless trackstand for an hour next!
  • 2 2
 Is his washing machine in the kitchen?
  • 3 0
 yes, in the UK it's normal to have it in the kitchen, we don't often have a utility room as houses here are smaller.
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