rogwilco

Yeah, because there's no difference whatsoever between a skateboard you can just jump off of and a bicycle in city traffic (or going downhill at 40km/h).

Mattpatt

Ever tried jumping off a skateboard while going down a hill, probably not since you posted that.

cardboardhut

There are at least a couple of fellow couriers here in Toronto who ride all day with no brakes AND no foot retention. I have no idea how they stay safe. Personally, I keep my brake on just for that once-a-year "OH ****" moment, like when you're cutting between stopped cars at a red light and some pedestrian pops out from behind a cube van.

I was once in an alleycat and a minivan took a left turn in front of a racer who was two metres ahead of me. He had no time to lock up his pedals and went right into the front side panel. He was fine but he left a giant greasy face print on the passenger window and took a ride to the hospital in a neck brace. That convinced me to hold off on removing my brake for a while longer.

kotapaka

No point at all. I have brakes but use backpedaling as a means of reducing speed. When I have to stop real quick I use brakes. You don't need to use them but it's good to have them. It's not just you - think about other people. You can hit somebody - a child or an old person will be the worst. You can cause problems for drivers because if someone hits you with a car he will be guilty until proven otherwise and it will cause him money, trouble and stress. It will cause you a lot as well but as I say don't be selfish - think about others as well. Cycling does have a responsibility attached to it and you must make sure you and the others are safe. Don't be like one of those idiots that thinks he is the king of the road.

rogwilco

Actually I've never been downhill-skateboarding.

LoRoK

In all seriousness, riding brakeless is required so that when you mash past all the lycra-clad dorks who could never in a million years think about catching you, then they will see the lack of brakes from behind and then they get really sad and cry.

Astronomical

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feetpower

isnt there an argument that says resisting the pedals are bad for muscle/tendon fibers in your knees?

Astronomical

knees are for posers bro

iansmash

I don't see why resisting the pedals would be bad for the knees? knees are meant to push and pull...not just one direction

feetpower

yeah ****, who needs knees anyway? artificial knees ftw!!!

anyway...

my 2 cents is that the only advantage is joining the brakeless cool club

Astronomical

Protip: Walking down stairs is horrible for your knees.

dsh

Yeah these just aren't true at all.

I have seen many people riding brakeless who were both careless and didn't know their limits.

Riding brakeless well requires these things.
So does riding brakes well.

You can't compare the 20 year veteran messenger (brakeless) to the brown-flip-flop wearing frat boy on a beach cruiser (with brake) and say "Ah hah, see the brakeless guy is more aware!"
That's not the brake, it's the rider.

I'm sure the vast majority of major city messengers, being brake users, would take offense to your claim that brakelessness means awareness.

yoyosup

it took 47 posts for someone to finally say barspins, what's the matter with you BFSSFG?

ilaidlaw

I say sit on the fence. install that front brake and you can still argue you ride brakeless. plus you get mega street points if you have to smash on them hard enough you endo over your front bars.

Astronomical

we don't do barspins in these parts.

Astronomical

congratulations, you've pulled information directly from your posterior.

LoRoK

Let's not forget the PRIMARY REASON that we ride brakeless fixed gears: Sex with girls.

Mattpatt

Fix'd

LoRoK

^
You do what you gotta do, but I would think you're the minority around these parts. But hey, there's no judgement here.

feetpower

lets just slippery-slide this to end this thread,

what if you hit a baby?? and killed him/her?? could you live with yourself bc you're too cool for brakes and killed a baby**********?

lets be REAL, the brake isn't about YOU, its so you don't hit OTHERS.

/thread

StanSeven

[QUOTE=Prime;9495314]Straight up.

The only "ADVANTAGE" of riding a fixed gear bike brakeless, is an aesthetic advantage. Your bike will have clean lines.
THATS IT.

You're kidding. 90% of the posters here ride a fg that costs nothing. Aesthetice advantage? Ha.

bicycle

if you have to ask BikeForums.net if brakes are a good idea...

LupinIII

i'm a proponent of brakes. use them, i have one on mine.

that said, my next fixed gear will have no drilling for brakes and have rims i wouldn't want touched by a brake. skids are out too since the rear is a tubular. i know, **** me right?

Moximitre

Please stop thinking and arguing that riding brakeless cannot be done safely and effectively in traffic. It can. People have been doing so for years, and will continue to do so for years to come. There is an extensive array of options to avoiding traffic and pedestrians and other obstacles in a given situation that do not involve using friction brakes. Watch any good alleycat footage, you'll notic that (gasp) you can even ride REALLY FAST without brakes. The top group is a mishmash of brakes/nobrakes/roadbikes/the weirdo kicking ass on an MTB. Brakeless riding is not for everyone, neither is driving a manual transmission, or snowboarding, or swimming... Just because you can't do something, or even comprehend that it can be done, does not even remotely mean it cannot be done.

htfu