# Brakeless fixed gear riders



## Psyclist (3 Mar 2012)

Just wondered what others opinions are on brakeless fixed gear riders, mainly track bikes on public roads.
Especially when there are laws & it is illegal here in the U.K.

Where I live, I have only seen several brakeless fixed riders. Once I came onto a corner, the man on his track bike had to skid (I know this is how they brake) and I had to out manoeuvre him as he carried on skidding for yards.

I think it's a trend more than about control. I've seen people on forums say brakes and gear levers are "in the way" or "unnecessary weight" which I think is silly. Yes the bike is fixed so it's _possible_ to stop the bike, but it seems like a problem elsewhere and makes me wonder the factor of cyclists which were brakeless fixed gear riders in stats about cyclist deaths and accidents on U.K roads.

My friend from San Francisco made this facebook update the other week which (bolded) seems to say something about fixed gear riders.



> Damn Im sore this morning !!! feel like a moron slammed into me doing 30 mph !! oh ya an idiot did slam into me !! still something must be done about these idiots with no brakes on their bikes, they will kill themselves or somebody else . *did you know there is one fixie rider killed every 3 months in SF ?* and still the police will not enforce the brakes on your bike law


 
Some fixed gear riders claim the police don't notice or care about brakeless, but that's not true.
I've seen on many forums people being fined or having their bike confiscated for being brakeless and a small majority were BMX's.

Anyone had experiences with this, or even have their own opinion?


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## biggs682 (3 Mar 2012)

i have a nice unknown make and age track frame awaitng to be built into my first fixie , just need to clear a few other projects first , and just for the record mine will brakes front and rear


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## Jonathing (3 Mar 2012)

I used to ride front brake only in my fixed and I love the aesthetic of brakeless but I couldn't do it in Sheffield, I need to loose too much speed at the bottoms of the descents. The bike that lives at my parent's house in the fens is a candidate for brakeless but I'm pretty sure my mum wouldn't let me out on it, even at 30.


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## smokeysmoo (3 Mar 2012)

The Spesh Langster Steel I had was factory supplied with front and rear brakes, I rode it with front and rear brakes, and I cannot understand those that do ride brakeless, (especially for urban commutes).
Even just a front brake seems pointless to me, surely it makes sense to have two, even if you only use the front and your legs mainly, if the front failed you've still got the rear as a back up.
There, I've opened the can of worms, now I'm sure the brakeless hipsters will be along to admonish me forthwith


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## gaz (3 Mar 2012)

There are a few hipsters who are more about the _look_ of the bike rather than it's practicality.


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## GrasB (3 Mar 2012)

kinetic-uk said:


> Anyone had experiences with this, or even have their own opinion?


It's stupid, don't do it. I can leg brake with the best of them but I can't come close to stopping like the front brake. Fastest way to stop on a fixed gear bike? Rear wheel hovering a few mm off the ground to get the weight far back as possible (can't do this when you're feet are spinning round) with all the braking on the front.


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## Psyclist (4 Mar 2012)

Glad I'm not alone on this then. As a joke was said about fixed gear riders on track bikes on the road because brakes are too mainstream!


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## screenman (4 Mar 2012)

Those guys have got to have some legs to lock up a fixed from any decent speed.


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## GrasB (4 Mar 2012)

screenman said:


> Those guys have got to have some legs to lock up a fixed from any decent speed.


Skip hopping the wheel to lockup is easy. Stopping quickly is a completely different ball game.


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## TheDoctor (4 Mar 2012)

gaz said:


> There are a few hipsters who are more about the _look_ of the bike rather than it's practicality.


 
Clearly some don't care about the look either.
I'm sure its owner loves it, but that's horrid IMHO.


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## screenman (4 Mar 2012)

I know about skip hopping, we used to use the front brake to get the rear wheel in the air, but actually skidding well as I said big legs.


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## GrasB (4 Mar 2012)

Skip hopping as I understand it - Lock your front leg out just before the bottom of the stroke. Just before the pedals get to quater to 3 yank up with the front foot. The rear wheel becomes unweighted & locks easily, even on an 85" gear.


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## GrumpyGregry (4 Mar 2012)

get it up stop it spinning put it down start skidding.


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## TheDoctor (4 Mar 2012)

It's still a crap way of stopping though.


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## totallyfixed (4 Mar 2012)

Might work in London but out in the real world on some of the descents with t-junctions or cross roads at the bottom you would be down to the inner tube if you hadn't set fire to your backside first.


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## junglegusset (5 Mar 2012)

When riding a bike I like to have as much control as possible. Brakes give you a huge amount of control. What is there to discuss?


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## jayonabike (5 Mar 2012)

GrasB said:


> Skip hopping as I understand it - Lock your front leg out just before the bottom of the stroke. Just before the pedals get to quater to 3 yank up with the front foot. The rear wheel becomes unweighted & locks easily, even on an 85" gear.





GregCollins said:


> get it up stop it spinning put it down start skidding.


Or just pull on that left hand lever attached to a rear brake, much easier (& safer)


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## GrumpyGregry (5 Mar 2012)

jayonabike said:


> Or just pull on that left hand lever attached to a rear brake, much easier (& safer)


nope. had a quick look, there isn't a lever on the left.


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## GrasB (5 Mar 2012)

jayonabike said:


> Or just pull on that left hand lever attached to a rear brake, much easier (& safer)


But that's not skip hopping 

plus why are the brakes wired up in a stupid manner?


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## mickle (5 Mar 2012)

Each to their own. My mate has been riding around York on a brakeless freewheel. Complete lunacy if you ask me, but then I'm not blessed with his remarkable bike control skills. I asked him how he does it. 'Anticipation' was the answer. I'd be too busy anticipating to start pedalling.


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## wiggydiggy (5 Mar 2012)

I have to admit I like the ideal of a fixed gear/front brake minimalist bike for my commute, but dont think I'm brave/skillful/mad/stupid* enough for a fixed wheel/brakeless bike.

Have I got that right > Fixed gear bikes can be fixed wheel or freewheel. Just because they are single gear does not mean fixed wheel right?

*Delete as your opinion dictates!


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## wiggydiggy (5 Mar 2012)

1751534 said:


> Fixed wheel is fixed wheel. Freewheel is singlespeed.


 
Cheers 

Finding this fascinating BTW > The braking methods I mean, it goes to explain why potentially some fixies are awful cyclists in that they don't know how to stop properly?


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## tyred (5 Mar 2012)

I can't think of any sensible reason for going out on to real world roads without brakes. I have them back and front on both my fixed gear bikes.

I do note that it is much easier to leg brake with a 63" gear compared to the 70" on my other bike. Still prefer brakes though.


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## Theseus (5 Mar 2012)

Brakes on both my fixed bikes.

Front & rear on the main one and front only on the hack as the hack will only take a roller brake in the rear triangle.


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## GrumpyGregry (5 Mar 2012)

mickle said:


> Each to their own. My mate has been riding around York on a brakeless freewheel. Complete lunacy if you ask me, but then I'm not blessed with his remarkable bike control skills. I asked him how he does it. 'Anticipation' was the answer. I'd be too busy anticipating to start pedalling.


He'll anticipate everything except the collision that hospitalises him. Eventually.

And I suspect his remarkable bike control skills will be the bystander's anti-social cycling.


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## jayonabike (5 Mar 2012)

GrasB said:


> But that's not skip hopping


I never said it was, that's why I put the word 'or' at the beginning of my sentence.


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## tyred (5 Mar 2012)

One other thing, brake pads are cheaper than tyres!


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## Speedywheelsjeans (5 Mar 2012)

Hipsters .... deserve to feel the full force of the back of a mini bus if they think they are to cool for brakes on roads. Real cyclists should know better!


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (5 Mar 2012)

brakeless fixie=freewheel with a GOOD brake. the law accepts the fixed as a brake, i.e. we have to have 2 brakes but just the front and the fixed is legal.


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## Jezston (6 Mar 2012)

I know a few people who do it, and most of them are pretty good at it. But they've still had nasty crashes that never would have happened had they fitted a front brake.

Skidding is fun, though.


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## mickle (6 Mar 2012)

Speedywheelsjeans said:


> Hipsters .... deserve to feel the full force of the back of a mini bus if they think they are to cool for brakes on roads. Real cyclists should know better!


Another cyclist hating cyclist. Why does anyone 'deserve' to suffer a violent incident?


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## smokeysmoo (6 Mar 2012)

mickle said:


> My mate has been riding around York on a brakeless freewheel. *Complete lunacy if you ask me*.


+1
In fact I'd call that damn right suicidal tbh


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## wiggydiggy (6 Mar 2012)

mickle said:


> Another cyclist hating cyclist. Why does anyone 'deserve' to suffer a violent incident?


 
No just Hipsters on foot lol I'll let them off with a warning if they are on a bike


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## colly (6 Mar 2012)

gaz said:


> There are a few hipsters who are more about the _look_ of the bike rather than it's practicality.


 
What IS that look? My Little Pony perhaps?


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (6 Mar 2012)

even more scary is the latest bmx brakeless teenagers are doing round our way


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## Speedywheelsjeans (7 Mar 2012)

mickle said:


> Another cyclist hating cyclist. Why does anyone 'deserve' to suffer a violent incident?


 
Why does it have to be violent? If they are under the impressions that brakes are for 'losers' then they get what they deserve for being immature and irresponsible. If your more interested in how you and you bike look rather than actually following the laws of the road and caring for your own life then you deserve the accident coming your way... you knew the risks, yet you still thought that brakes were for losers... well.. the darwin awards will be proud to accept you as a potential candidate for a prize.

Dont accuse me of hating, im not the idiot with no brakes.


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## GrumpyGregry (7 Mar 2012)

a collision at speed between the back of a minibus and any cyclist, even the most tragically hip of the tragic hipsters, the brakeless fixed rider, is inherently violent. I fink it is fiziks or sumfink?


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## GrasB (7 Mar 2012)

1754290 said:


> You do seem to be revelling in the prospect of their downfall though, which seems equally unnecessary.


Not from where I'm sitting. If you do something down right reckless & stupid for the sake of 'styling' then you deserve to meet the consequences of those actions. Riding into the back of a bus because you didn't put brakes on your bike is going to teach you more of a lesson than getting a minor fine from the police.


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## wiggydiggy (7 Mar 2012)

GregCollins said:


> a collision at speed between the back of a minibus and any cyclist, even the most tragically hip of the tragic hipsters, the brakeless fixed rider, is inherently violent. I fink it is fiziks or sumfink?


 
To be fair and put some distance between me and the bus hitting brigrade I only have a mild dislike/distain for hipsters and don't want them to cycle into the back of anything, except perhaps a decent clothes shop where they explain the importance of looser fitting jeans and belts


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## Speedywheelsjeans (7 Mar 2012)

1754290 said:


> You do seem to be revelling in the prospect of their downfall though, which seems equally unnecessary.


 
Its not as if I have said, I wish they would hit the back of a bus and spray their brains all over the pavement, my post is just stating that if they hit the back of a bus they are the ones to blame and its a direct and deserved consequence of their actions, its karma, maybe it will knock some sense into them at the same time. Do I want the to hit the back of a bus to teach them a lesson... No, I have hit the back of a mini bus and I couldnt shake my headache for days. So quit acting like im some sort of sadist.

Also what happens when an innocent driver kills one of them because they are not using brakes?? Drivers car is damaged, and driver is mentally affected due to their idiocy.



GrasB said:


> Not from where I'm sitting. If you do something down right reckless & stupid for the sake of 'styling' then you deserve to meet the consequences of those actions. Riding into the back of a bus because you didn't put brakes on your bike is going to teach you more of a lesson than getting a minor fine from the police.


 
^ +1


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## Speedywheelsjeans (7 Mar 2012)

wiggydiggy said:


> To be fair and put some distance between me and the bus hitting brigrade I only have a mild dislike/distain for hipsters and don't want them to cycle into the back of anything, except perhaps a decent clothes shop where they explain the importance of looser fitting jeans and belts


 
I dont want them to cycle into the back of anything. I do have a distain for hipsters, i think they need to grow up. Do I hate them as someone put in a previous post. No I dont, I hate rapists and murderers, war criminals and cauliflower.. but not a group of people who dont put brakes on their bikes.


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## wiggydiggy (7 Mar 2012)

Speedywheelsjeans said:


> I dont want them to cycle into the back of anything. I do have a distain for hipsters, i think they need to grow up. Do I hate them as someone put in a previous post. No I dont, I hate rapists and murderers, war criminals and cauliflower.. but not a group of people who dont put brakes on their bikes.


 
I think arguing over Hipsters is the only thing more annoying than Hipsters lol


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## Speedywheelsjeans (7 Mar 2012)

1754388 said:


> Now that is an interesting point. You would think that by now an incident would have made the media.


 
Not exactly. People die in horrific incidents every day and it goes unreported.


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## Speedywheelsjeans (7 Mar 2012)

wiggydiggy said:


> I think arguing over Hipsters is the only thing more annoying than Hipsters lol


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## GrasB (7 Mar 2012)

Speedywheelsjeans said:


>


blame the others . Your comment was reasonable enough.


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## mickle (7 Mar 2012)

What is this '_hipster_' of which you speak?


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## Psyclist (7 Mar 2012)

Brakes must be too mainstream for hipsters, lol.

I gave up trying to convince other people on another forum to stop riding track bikes,brakeless conversions etc. on public roads as all I got was ganged up on and grief with comments like how they can beat road bikers like me on their fixed gears!!

I've tried a fixed gear (with front brake) and they're horrible to ride on the road. I can guarantee that if a kid ran out onto the road no skilled brakeless FG rider could stop in time, it happened to me on my road bike and I had a close shave nearly knocking the kid over.

If you're in a car crash you're liable to be blamed for causing the crash. If people died or are seriously injured you're responsible for it, let alone (as far as I am aware) road cyclists are uninsured. 

I've explained loads of times and all I can do is




them on their ignorance to their own safety and the public's safety.


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## GrumpyGregry (7 Mar 2012)

kinetic-uk said:


> Brakes must be too mainstream for hipsters, lol.
> 
> I gave up trying to convince other people on another forum to stop riding track bikes,brakeless conversions etc. on public roads as all I got was ganged up on and grief with comments like how they can beat road bikers like me on their fixed gears!!
> 
> ...


 
How so? Mine's fine on the road, and my alternatives have 30, 27, 8, or 2 gears, some of which I can actually make use of.


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## Psyclist (7 Mar 2012)

It just was alien to not be able to free coast! Not my cup of tea anyway lol.


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## GrumpyGregry (7 Mar 2012)

kinetic-uk said:


> It just was alien to not be able to free coast! Not my cup of tea anyway lol.


Aha. Fair enough. Like Guinness, not being able to coast is an acquired taste and one must persevere to gain it.

Funny to think a hundred odd years ago people were probably saying the same about those new fangled freewheels.


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## GrasB (8 Mar 2012)

kinetic-uk said:


> It just was alien to not be able to free coast! Not my cup of tea anyway lol.


OTOH you do get used to putting power down at higher lean angles effectively & get to know just how far you can lean your bike over before you get pedal strike!


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