An alarming new commuting fashion?..

[Sheffield_Tiger]

That applies to any bike.

Also, just because you wouldnt jump on a fixed wheel bike and go commuting doesnt reflect the suitability of fixed wheel bikes for the purpose of commuting.

Quite

Nothing wrong with fixed for commuting.

It reflects that I would re-learn how to ride the bike before commuting on it, and would not advise anyone to just throw down their gears on monday night and commute fixed on tuesday morning

That said, it would be preferable to the 20 year old Falcon MTBSO that I see regularly with only a badly adjusted resin/steel rear canti on steel rims - the front cantis stuck out like little gremlin ears

 

[biking_fox]

Note that the OP was talking about SingleSpeed. NOT fixed. SS have a freehub, they can coast and hence need rear brakes in order to stop. Fixies without the freehub, can't freewheel but can be 'leg braked' and as such don't need rear brakes though I believe they are required to have front ones.

Some of the previous posts seem to be getting these terms confused.

 

[whitebait]

Note that the OP was talking about SingleSpeed. NOT fixed. SS have a freehub, they can coast and hence need rear brakes in order to stop. Fixies without the freehub, can't freewheel but can be 'leg braked' and as such don't need rear brakes though I believe they are required to have front ones.

Some of the previous posts seem to be getting these terms confused.

Just skimmed through this and assumed it was referring to fixies. I wouldn't want to ride a bike with no brakes anywhere. At all. Ever. I understand with fixies you can slow down by resisting the motion of the cranks (although I wouldn't want that to be my sole method of stopping, especially in London), but these fashion morons must see a fixie chap without brakes and think 'Ah, so that's what they're up to in shoreditch, off come my brakes' and then go and ride down the biggest hill they can find.

 

[fossyant]

No brakes are just mental. I have two brakes on my fixed, add in leg braking and it has very useful stopping power. I also wear out rear rims quicker than fronts !

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Two brakes on my fixed, I wouldn't want to rely on front brake and legs on an icy winter road

 

[Ibbots]

I used to see a studenty looking lass riding a cycle speedway type single speed with no brakes on my commute into Manchester. The bike was quite low geared so she would spin very fast then glide with her right foot just above the road, stopping power provided by Adidas. It made we wince just to watch her charging around the cars though she can't have got up a great deal of speed. Not seen her for about a year.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Are we sure it didn't have a coaster brake? They are becoming more and more popular.

A fixed, well set up and ridden by someone who knows what they are doing, and can track stand, is a thing of beauty, and perfectly safe, even in London traffic. My thoughts on those who cannot can be found here

Singlespeed with no brakes is a bike owned by a potential organ donor or a three year old and has no place on the roads.

 

[Bman]

I saw a young bloke at the station today. Pink bike, no (visible) brakes, but discs on his wheels

I'd post the whole video, but only a few frames catch the bike.

 

[HLaB]

I didn't think no brakes was a new fashion, stupid but not new I've always assummed on fixies its rear wheel braking that mitigates it in part, I wouldn't like to try it myself though.

 

[Hornet]

Seen all sorts down the Marleybone Road in London - many a single speed (sure not fixie) without brakes. Just don't ever stop!

 

[MontyVeda]

i had a bike with no brakes when i was a kid, well, it did have a brake, the sole of my shoe between the down tube and wheel... was not uncommon amongst the 'scrapheap challenge' bikes we all used to have.

 

[Fab Foodie]

There is a place for fixed cycling but central London in rush hour is not it. It puts them and other road users at more risk.

Sorry Beebo, but that's utter bollocks.
There are good cyclists and bad cyclists and some bad cyclists try to ride fixies.
There are a lot of cyclists who don't have proper brakes and they're all idiots.
But there's no reason why a proper fixed set-up with a front brake shouldn't be as safe as any other bicycle.
In fact, if anything I'd argue that a fixie is actually safer due to greater control and increased awareness you need to ride one smoothly.

 

[summerdays]

The advantage of not having brakes on BMX bike is that it allows the rider to do more tricks by being able to rotate the handlebars a full 360. Useful on a half pipe, but useless on the roads.

As for stopping, they use their feet by jamming it on the wheel.

Or on the ground .... I often see - mad!.

But I thought they had those Giro things on BMX's so they could 360 the front?

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Or on the ground .... I often see - mad!.

But I thought they had those Giro things on BMX's so they could 360 the front?

The usual effect of giros is to negate the effect of pulling on the brake lever. At least in my (albeit limited, BMX-wise) experience

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Sorry Beebo, but that's utter bollocks.
There are good cyclists and bad cyclists and some bad cyclists try to ride fixies.
There are a lot of cyclists who don't have proper brakes and they're all idiots.
But there's no reason why a proper fixed set-up with a front brake shouldn't be as safe as any other bicycle.
In fact, if anything I'd argue that a fixie is actually safer due to greater control and increased awareness you need to ride one smoothly.

Only if you are competent at riding fixed. Many London hipster types have as much souplesse as an arthrtitic pensioner with biopace rings and a shot bottom bracket.