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Stopping Techniques: Sliding to a Stop
This involves sliding out the rear wheels and steering into the slide with the
front wheels. Learning to slide the rear wheels is easy but comes after learning
how to kick forward and foot brake with either foot. Sliding to a stop is a criti-
cal skill. Continue practicing until you can slide to a stop from any turn at any
speed.
Start out on a flat, smooth, wide open pavement. Kick up to speed, and lightly
glide your braking foot over the pavement while making a wide turn to the brak-
ing side; this is the natural (on-side) position for a foot-down sliding turn.
Once you become comfortable with the on-side braking position, bank the As-
phalt deeper into the turn, shift weight onto the braking foot, pushing the deck
away with the non-braking foot while pulling back slightly on the bars with your
hands. Look to the outside of the turn and your hands should naturally steer
into the slide as you come to a stop.
Experiment with your foot braking pressure, how hard you push out the deck
and how hard you pull back on the bars with your hands.
Slowing down With Linked Sliding Turns
Slowing down with linked sliding turns should be learned AFTER you have mas-
tered foot braking on both sides, carving slalom turns, and turning to a sliding
stop.
Find a location where you can do 4-5 wide round slalom turns and come to a
controlled stop at the bottom. Speed range for learning should not exceed 15
mph. To initiate a slide simply add a pulse of mid-turn down force with your legs,
as you press into the banked deck. The rear wheels should drift out about 12
inches. Keep your eyes focused on the end of the turn and your hands relaxed
so you can steer into the turn.
To stop sliding, finish the turn and initiate the next turn, simply tuck up your
legs and take some of the pressure off the banked deck. Bank the deck and
handlebars hard over to get ready to extend into the next mid-turn slide. You
should be able to put down your on-side foot at any time, maintain the mid-turn
pressure and come to a sliding stop.
