Brakeless fixed gear riders

[junglegusset]

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?

 

[jayonabike]

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.

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)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

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.

 

[GrasB]

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?

 

[mickle]

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.

 

[wiggydiggy]

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!

 

[wiggydiggy]

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?

 

[tyred]

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.

 

[Theseus]

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.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

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.

 

[jayonabike]

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.

 

[tyred]

One other thing, brake pads are cheaper than tyres!

 

[Speedywheelsjeans]

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!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

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.

 

[Jezston]

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.