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I'm an avid bicycler who has just moved to the city (Boston). As I (unlike many folks here) am unwilling to run red lights and violate traffic laws, I often have to come to a stop, dismount, and wait for the light to go green.

I've seen bikers, especially those in full kit on nice bikes, manage to come to a stop and stay on their bike, out of their saddles for some time. I can't manage to do this for more than a few seconds, and with spd pedals I am unwilling to try too hard lest I tip over and eat shit as they say. The best I can do is to brake hard while pedaling slowly, inching forward. This buys me a few seconds, given I am on level ground and I have room.

I ride a touring bike with panniers, so sometimes I don't have equal weight distribution laterally. Sometimes I do, and I've always wanted to learn how to do that stop and stand thing.

Is there any trick to it or is it just about balance and weight distribution? Should I be breaking hard on front and rear?

Dent7777
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    I can't really explain how to do this myself, so I'll leave that to someone else. In the mean time... have a look at "Track stand" videos on youtube :) – Terry Seidler Jun 18 '19 at 19:59
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    This is primarily a technique of fixed gear bicycles where the wheel is bidirectionally linked to the pedals. Apparently some can manage it on a conventional freewheel/freehub multispeed or singlespeed bike, but in practical terms, your bike isn't hip enough to do this. – Chris Stratton Jun 18 '19 at 20:06
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    @ChrisStratton I've gone and followed Terry's advice, and it looks like the fellow in this video is practicing the technique with a standard multispeed road bike (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0VnQJF_WKQ). Also, this is a duplicate question, I just didn't know of the term "Track Stand". – Dent7777 Jun 18 '19 at 20:09
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    Track stands are easier on a fixed gear bike because the rider can rock the bike both forward and backwards. The same effect can be achieved on a freewheel equipped bike by stopping on an slight upward incline so the bike will roll backwards. – Argenti Apparatus Jun 18 '19 at 20:16
  • Or you can go back by braking, shifting backwards and then releasing the brake when your center of mass is moving. – ojs Jun 18 '19 at 20:24
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    Dent7777 don't worry about the duplicate. I hope you don't mind it will soon get closed though. I suppose the other question does help you? – gschenk Jun 18 '19 at 21:21
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    @ArgentiApparatus The same effect can be achieved on a freewheel equipped bike by stopping on an slight upward incline so the bike will roll backwards You can get the same effect by turning the front wheel towards the middle of a sufficiently-crowned road. I've witnessed track stands being done that way successfully many times. Not by me, however. I track stand about as well as I imagine a walrus would. – Andrew Henle Jun 18 '19 at 22:05
  • @AndrewHenle I've never seen a walrus fall over when doing a track stand. Has anyone else? – David Richerby Jun 18 '19 at 23:16

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Ultimately it comes down to balance, what you have to work out is whether you can balance easier while moving slowly or not.

Watch a few track stand videos to see whether you think it's possible, if your sense of balance is good it's possible on any bike.

All that's required is generally a few inches of movement while braking and leaning into the direction required.

Some other alternatives if you really can't track stand would be :

Anticipate the lights changing so you don't have to stop, this will require slowing down but you shouldn't have to actually stop.

Or stop a few metres short of the lights so you have minimal time to track stand and have space to creep forward.

I don't know what the roads are like where you are but if there's a rail or post next to the lights you have the option of leaning on them and pushing off when the lights change.

Dan K
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