Zach Gallardo | Fixed Gear Reviewer & Reasonably Dangerous Hooligan

Skidding is fun. It’s probably why you wanted to get into fixed gears because you watched MashSF and Macaframa. Here's your Guide to Skidding on a Fixed Gear. The lower your gearing is, the easier it will be to skid. You can learn how to skid on whatever ratio you already have, but if you can, gear down to learn how to skid. Skid patches are the locations on your rear tire your gearing allows you to perform a skid. Skidding will burn through your tires like nothing else. More skid patches will extend the life of your rear tire, so you can save money in the long run and skid for longer. Get a bunch of cheap tires because you will be trashing tires. Foot retention is almost necessary for skidding. It’s possible to skid without it, but I can’t even skid without foot retention. If you want to learn fast, foot retention will help you get there. Before the actual skid, there’s the setup. The easiest setup is the “ballz to stem” method where as you can clearly see, the rider’s t...

Most people that ride fixed can point to one thing that keeps us riding fixed: the buttery smooth, interconnected drivetrain that lets you feel like you and the bike are one. This is part 2 to the Ultimate Guide to Getting a Smooth Fixed Gear Drivetrain, so you can really enjoy one of the best parts of riding fixed. 5. CNC'd over stamped There’s two main manufacturing methods for chainrings and cogs, and the one the manufacturer chooses impacts how durable and smooth running the components will be. The short and simple of it is CNC’d cogs and chainrings run smoother and are more durable than stamped ones. That’s all you need to know. 4. Chain quality First, chains should be durable and not stretch easily since once a chain stretches too much, it won’t run smoothly anymore. Second, chains need to be strong as to not snap under the force of your monster horse thighs. 3. Chain tension Proper chain tension is crucial for a buttery smooth drivetrain. If the chain is too tight...

One of the most satisfying parts about riding fixed gears is the feeling of a buttery smooth, interconnected drivetrain. In this video we’ll talk about 4 out of 9 of my top tips to get your fixed gear drivetrain running buttery smooth, so you can enjoy riding your bike to the fullest: 9. 144 chainrings are better than 130 BCD  The two fixed gear and singlespeed standard BCDs are 144 and 130 BCD. Most entry level fixed gear bikes will come with 130 BCD, but 144 BCD is the track standard. Since the most durable and smoothest running components are usually made for the track, it’s easier to find higher quality 144 BCD chainrings. There are durable, smooth running 130 BCD chainrings out there, but they’re just harder to find. If you’re already upgrading your crankset, go with a 144 BCD crankset, so you can have more choice of high quality chainrings, new or used. 8. Make sure your drivetrain fits together: 1/8” and 3/32” components explained The chainring, cog, and chain each have s...

The problem with expensive bikes is that they can be so nice, they stop being useful and stop being fun. Here is The Dark Side of Nice Bikes, so you can determine if building an expensive bike is worth it for you.