richmondracer

i just got my first fixie, a cayne uno and the only way my parents will let me ride it (i'm a junior in high school) is if i get a front brake installed. so my question is this: does it matter if it's there as long as i'm still using my feet to slow down and i don't use the break?

notfred

You won't get cool indie street cred if you have a brake.

Other than that, no, it doesn't make a difference. But we all know the only reason you want a bike with no brakes is for cool indie street cred.

Also, there's a singlespeed and fixed gear forum.

moxfyre

Having a front brake is very important... it's against the law not to have one most places, and frankly I think anyone who rides without one is an idiot. You can slow down with your feet very effectively in most circumstances, but for steep descents and sudden panic stops a brake is crucial.

The cool kids may not have brakes on their fixies, but then again I don't see too many of them over 30, so either they're getting killed or they're wising up I personally had both front and rear brakes on the fixie I owned most recently. It was a ton of fun to ride. And I didn't use the brakes much, but when I did need 'em I was glad they were there.

cerewa

Just put a brake on and be ready to use it in an emergency.

Believe me, there's no reason that a brake and a fixie are incompatible.

Jeronimo_

What a fantastic diatribe! How can you be paranoid if everyone's out to get you?

To the OP: Just put one on and use it when you need it. I have two fixed gear bikes, one with and one without. It's not about style points, it's about what you are comfortable with, or what your legal guardians are comfortable with.

caloso

Get a brake. What the hell, get two and then you can use the other side of your flip-flop hub when you get tired.

Tabor

If for any reason your chain fails, you will be very happy that you have a front brake.

slvoid

If your chain fails, if its damp outside, if you just can't stop fast enough, if you're going 30mph spinning at 140rpm and you need to stop, you'll be glad you had a front brake.

FlatFender

I have 2 brakes on my fixie

Jeronimo_

Probably to see what size fishies he could hook in the paranoid pool.

JeffS

The ironic thing... is he did post it in FG https://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=327662 - and so far, every single person to offer an opinion over there has said to get a brake.

Good thing you're here to make us realize the errors of our ways...

ECDkeys

To the OP: your parents are wise. My first fixie had hand brakes (and still does), and I was still freaking out for about a week, with old habits that die hard (e.g., the impulse to coast). For me it was a strange transition, so having the hand brakes gave me incredible peace of mind. This fixie is still the bike I use when I know I'll have unavoidable hilly terrain. It wasn't until a few months had passed that I felt secure enough to go brakeless, and that included a buffer month just to be sure I wasn't jumping into it too soon.

Oh, and to the poster who finds brakeless riders over 30 a rarity: I didn't start riding fixed until I was 41; brakeless a few months later. I feel safer amongst older brakeless fixed gear riders, since we tend to feel our mortality more and have a greater respect for it, and we don't try reckless stunts to earn street cred.

dueL_

On the street brakeless for the first time when I was 19. Now at 36, still brakeless. It's all in how you ride...back then and the same now. It's about control and knowing when to slow your cadence when you need to and not just spinning balls out.

Maybe I'm old or maybe I missed the revolution, but when did people start putting brakes on track bikes?

moxfyre

Say what? I like to plan for emergencies and dangerous circumstances... especially since they mainly arise when you haven't planned for them, in my experience

Solid advice. If you want to switch between singlespeed and fixie, you'll want to have two brakes. Also, having two brakes on a road bike looks nice and symmetric and provides an extra hand position (the brake hoods).

That's perfectly good advice... assuming you can judge your comfort level with perfect accuracy. I just think many experience riders will tend to be a little TOO comfortable riding brakeless. You'll think you're totally in control until you suddenly find you're about to rear-end a truck that slammed on its brakes or something. Brakes are cheap and vital when you need them (even if that's rare)... and you can ride your fixie and ignore them the rest of the time!

slvoid

When they took the track bike off the track and slamming into the back of a car was not an option.

Mchaz

Missing teeth earn you rad street cred.

Tequila Joe

.... and chics really dig scars

SingingSabre 

Your current stopping system is only that chain.

It's a very, very good idea to get a secondary stopping system.

Az B

Two things I learned as I got old:

1) I really don't care what anyone thinks about my setup anymore. I do things because I want to and not to fulfill the expectations of others.

2) Bones heal much more slowly as you get older.

3) I can't count.

Az

norskagent

put a vintage campy record brake caliper and lever on, then your bike will be worth something.

Mr. Underbridge

I'm with the 'just put a brake on it' crowd. The question is, what does it hurt? If it offends your sense of cool, that's not a good reason. The extra 50 grams aren't much of a concern when you're just commuting. It won't hurt the performance of the bike at all.

To offer one suggestion - not only would I put it on, but use it a few times every time you take it out, for a couple of reasons:

1) you don't want gunk to build up on the pads and rims that could impair the performance of the brakes, and
2) you want to be used to how much pressure on the brake generates the necessary deceleration. Since you only plan to use it for 'panic' braking, you'd have a good chance of doing an endo if you don't practice it.

acroy

hehe - when did people start riding track bikes on the street?

jyossarian

Hockey players get all the chicks. Oh wait, no they don't.

Put a brake on it and use it. Your knees will thank you when you're older.

freeradical

Actually, it DOES matter if it's there............particularly when yer blasting down a steep straight and some j____off cager pulls out in front of you because "there were no cars coming".

Also, having a front brake on a fixie (and using it) is one of the best ways to become better at making panic stops when you're on your freewheel bikes. This is because fixies give you the best possible feedback on rear wheel traction while front-braking (particularly true in poor traction road conditions, i.e. rain,snow,leaves sand,etc.). You might not think it's a big deal, but the first time you REALLY NEED to stop it will matter, believe me.
And btw, a small dose of paranoia will go a long way to keeping yer face pretty for those prom pics........

lubes17319

I'd guess when they took them off the track & put them in the streets w/traffic.