Street rider

Quote:

Originally Posted by LessonLearned

Just seems foolish to remove brakes that are already there. I understand not wanting to buy and install rear brakes but if they're already there... It's not really hurting anything and sometimes if I'm in a pinch and my left arm is busy signalling or steering, I can use the rear brake to slow me down a little. Basically I like having the brakes while I learn more about riding fixed. I've only been riding FG for a couple weeks.
Thoughts??

You could always route the cable from the front brake to your right lever and get rid of the left lever/rear brake. You can slow down and still signal. Thats what I did to the sqrlfriends bike the day it came in the mail.

LessonLearned

Does it matter at all how many brakes I have if I get into an accident? Will they try to say "oh he only had one brake so he's an unsafe cyclist and it's his fault"?

Street rider

Nope. Having brakes is having brakes. Especially if you are able to get across what fixed gear is/means, and how that applies to the situation.

prooftheory

Some states have laws about that you need to be able to bring the bike to a skid on clean asphalt. If you don't know how to skid yet, that might be hard with just the front brake.

Street rider

How could they enforce that though? If a cop ever told me to show him that I could skid to make sure I was riding safely, I would kindly refuse unless he was to give me money for a new tire. I'm broke, and don't skid because of it.

LessonLearned

Oh I know how to skid. It's hard to do when I'm at max speed though. In fact I don't even try. Hard to get leverage when the cranks are spinning so fast. But at medium speeds I can skid pretty well. The scary/"hard" part is putting your weight on the front wheel since to do that you have to lean forward, which is the direction of whatever it is you're trying to skidstop to avoid - nah mean? It's like leaning towards the obstacle or "danger". Instincts tell you that is not a good idea, but it's critical if you want to stop.

RGNY

buddy dropped off the $20 yard sale Raleigh he grabbed for me.

looks to a 1980 based on preliminary research.

no idea what it's fate will be, but looking forward to cleaning it up....

hairnet

It depends on your state's vehicle code wording. Some may specify brakes as a requirement while others just say you need a mechanism capable of skidding the rear wheel or seizing the front wheel. it depends, look it up

seau grateau

"Hold it right there, son. You know why I pulled you over? Let me see you whip-skid that sweet fixie."

Mumonkan

today i got out of work to a flat rear tire, so i walked the bike over to sears and found a staple poking through my tire, and then used one of the floor pumps off the rack to change my tire on their sales floor

oddly enough noone asked me anything or yelled at me for it

Scrodzilla

Today I received something sparkly and pink in the mail from Italy.

IthaDan 

^^^ Keep talking....


Got some rusty bike boom bikes running for a local antique dealer. Sold one of the park stands I picked up last week from CL because the price was right while I was at it. $200 windfall for the day. Not a thing wrong with that.

misskaz

Just confirmed: low rear tire on my commuter is my 3rd pinch flat in a month. Three different wheels on two different bikes and before you say it, I have a floor pump at home and fill my tires at least once a week to the appropriate PSI. Just bad luck plus ****ty Chicago streets. I actually think I know the decrepit speed bump on my commute that might be the problem... Gotta figure out a new route or way around it. GRAR.

solipsist716

Today I fixed a fork travel issue at work that's been hounding me for a while. And then some ten year old bastard ****ing spit on me as I was working on another bike. I. Hate. Humans.

Scrodzilla

Once a week? ****, I check mine ever day.

jimmytango

Agreed. I try not to get more than 10lb off, ever.

Today I am learning that MetRX protein/meal replacement bars are officially not my friend.

misskaz

But I'm always late for wooooork!

Mumonkan

the only bars i can generally stand are clif bars or those nature valley ones (although theyre not really protein bars)

powerbars are like cardboard flavor saltwater taffy

Scrodzilla

Getting a flat makes you more late, right?

LessonLearned

Today I found out that Nitto bars destroy all in their path. And lizard skins are some comfy-ass grippy-ass wrap.

PS my home IP is still banned by these forums so I'm typing this on a "smartphone" and won't really be checking the forums or replying while I'm not at work, until this gets resolved.

misskaz

Yeah yeah whatever fine. Stupid boys being right. *kicks rock* *sulks*

jimmytango

Me too. That's why I check them when I get home.

FTFY

Yeah, I like Clif, but this thing just made me sick.

LessonLearned

Like I was sayin, today I learned firsthand the beauty of the Nitto RB021 bars wrapped in Lizard Skins.
Also caved to peer pressure n ditched the rear brake. Put the front lever on the right. Feels weird but I'll adjust.

ThermionicScott 

Looks cool, but weren't most of your "peers" saying "meh, keep it if you like"?

Dannihilator

Today I was good for a century.