[Bearmntpicnic]

I can stop my work bike as fast as I can stop my commuter with a front break. Ive dodged all the asshats so far and until I see a reason to run a break I wont.

Oh and the difference is far more than a degree. The only way this person can slow down is by throwing his foot into the rear triangle. "an emergency stop."

 

[Total Heckler]

I can stop my work bike as fast as I can stop my commuter with a front break. Ive dodged all the asshats so far and until I see a reason to run a break I wont.

Oh and the difference is far more than a degree. The only way this person can slow down is by throwing his foot into the rear triangle. "an emergency stop."

I just hope you don't get too hurt not wearing a helmet and riding without a brake. You cant control everything around you and nobody is ready for anything.

So many of the fixie riders wreak of arrogance and ignorance.

 

[Bearmntpicnic]

I always wear a helmet when I work.

 

[Slugman]

I can stop my work bike as fast as I can stop my commuter with a front break. Ive dodged all the asshats so far and until I see a reason to run a break I wont.

Seriouly man - read what you just wrote. Even you know that an accident is going to happen eventually...

 

[splat]

MIne has a Front brake , and the main reason I use it is A) Its Fun, B) excellent training tool, and C) I use it during foul weather, because its drive train is far less likely get all mucked up from road grime.

 

[jonKranked]

OG has the right idea, as stated.

I got into riding fixie a few years ago because i couldn't keep a steady cadence worth sh*t (which is my own problem, probably due to mild mental retardation as some of you would argue ). But I fell in love with riding my fixie, and haven't switched back to anything else for road. And I doubt I ever will. i still have BOTH brakes (personal comfort thing) and I wear a helmet. I wear pants designed for men, no makeup, and have a normal haircut. Guess I lose.


Honestly, I hope more hipsters start taking up riding fixies. Most of them aren't intelligent enough to handle it and will eventually remove themselves from the gene pool by riding in traffic.

 

[jimmydean]

i still have BOTH brakes (personal comfort thing) and I wear a helmet. I wear pants designed for men, no makeup, and have a normal haircut.

Do you at least have post cards in your spokes?

I know I can't handle a fixie, but I wouldn't try either. My single speed is more than enough for me.

 

[Red Rabbit]

I rode a fixie in a parking lot. I thought "wow this could really improve my pedal stroke by getting me used to the idea of peddling in a full circle" I then road over to a friend (mind you i was riding clippless) tried to stop & got thrown over the bike.

If you are using one for training I think they need breaks.

does anyone ride cx or xc on a fixie? I think that would be suicide.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I rode a fixie in a parking lot. I thought "wow this could really improve my pedal stroke by getting me used to the idea of peddling in a full circle" I then road over to a friend (mind you i was riding clippless) tried to stop & got thrown over the bike.

If you are using one for training I think they need breaks.

does anyone ride cx or xc on a fixie? I think that would be suicide.

More study Engrish for you!!

 

[Red Rabbit]

Sorry, I will write more carefully in the future.

 

[blue]

Neither of those people.

I ride beakless and worked for the summer as a professional courier. My pants are tight, and I don’t always ride with a helmet.

You ride beakless because it makes you a better rider. You understand traffic patterns and what you can and cant do. You think about what you are going to do before you do it and you know your limits.

I’m sure you all as bike riders understand the connection between rider and bike. When you ride bikes like these it become a part of you. Personal experience and experiences of those around me have kept me from riding a brakeless fixie in traffic.

On a side note, I know a guy in SF who rides beakless freewheel which is a little nuts.

Ooooh professional...

Sorry broham, but I rode a fixed bike for a month at work and came to the same conclusion I'd come to before. Riding brakeless in traffic is inconsiderate of those around you and plain stupidity on your part at best. Slide around on the pavement with your rear wheel locked up all you want, it's still no replacement for a front brake in an emergency situation. I don't care how well you claim to know traffic, there will ALWAYS be an asshat out there that will blindside you.

Only one messenger here still rides a fixed bike (with a front brake - oh noes!), and even still he only rides it %25 of the time he's working. Another messenger is still recovering from shoulder surgery after getting cut off and not being able to control his stop into a barrier.

 

[PatBranch]

Neither of those people.

I ride beakless and worked for the summer as a professional courier. My pants are tight, and I don’t always ride with a helmet.

You ride beakless because it makes you a better rider. You understand traffic patterns and what you can and can't do. You think about what you are going to do before you do it and you know your limits.

I’m sure you all as bike riders understand the connection between rider and bike. When you ride bikes like these it become a part of you.

On a side note, I know a guy in SF who rides beakless freewheel which is a little nuts.

IT'S BRAKE!!

 

[jonKranked]

I for one, do everything beakless.


jonKranked: not a bird.

 

[ito]

I rode a fixie in a parking lot. I thought "wow this could really improve my pedal stroke by getting me used to the idea of peddling in a full circle" I then road over to a friend (mind you i was riding clippless) tried to stop & got thrown over the bike.

If you are using one for training I think they need breaks.

does anyone ride cx or xc on a fixie? I think that would be suicide.

Definitely done some XC on my KM when it was fixed and during the winter we had "snow cross" races with our fixies and CX tires. A serious amount of fun.

I've toured, commuted, trained, and ridden just for the hell of it on a fixed gear. When I got to the point that I could ride down Highway 9 and Redwood Gulch without a brake I took mine off my brake. I put one on now and again, but this winter the brake proved absolutely useless, so I got rid of it again.

I don't really see the clothing the hipster set wears any less stupid than the other fads I see everyday.

The bike gets me where I want to go and it is a hell of a lot of fun. Riding fixed gear, with or without brakes, is like driving a standard car instead of an automatic. More control, more in tune with the vehicle, and riding/driving one skillfully is something I can take pride in.

The bike in the Craigslist ad is hilarious because I could go buy a new fixie from a bike shop for the same amount.

 

[h22ekhatch]

The hardest part about riding a fixie?


Telling your parents you're ghey.

That joke was 10x funnier when it was talking about fruitbooters.

 

[sanjuro]

Neither of those people.

I ride beakless and worked for the summer as a professional courier. My pants are tight, and I don’t always ride with a helmet.

You ride beakless because it makes you a better rider. You understand traffic patterns and what you can and cant do. You think about what you are going to do before you do it and you know your limits.

I’m sure you all as bike riders understand the connection between rider and bike. When you ride bikes like these it become a part of you.

On a side note, I know a guy in SF who rides beakless freewheel which is a little nuts.

I am, without a doubt in mind, the one of the best riders in traffic. I started commuting from the North Bronx to lower Manhattan when I was 15 years old. And, yeah, I was a NYC messenger as well.

The way to learn to ride in traffic is to ride in traffic. I don't really care if people ride fixies. But there is no way you could convince me that it is safer than riding with brakes or it makes you a better rider.

I have drafted inches off of slow moving vehicles, sprinted 35mph+ through red lights, and other amazingly stupid risks. I learned the hard way a couple of times, like not to run red lights when oncoming traffic has a left turn signal.

If someone wants to ride without a brake, more power to them. I am also against suicide fences on the Golden Gate Bridge.

But lets not find some weak justifications. Almost every critical mass, I see a fixie rider go down, either over trolley rails or long fast straighaways, which could be avoided with brakes.

 

[benno]

**** me sideways people, there is a big ****ing difference between 'BRAKE' and 'BREAK'.

JEEBUS!

 

[Biscuit]

Hmm.. just last night I decided to convert my old lugged-steel road bike to a fixie. Cut off all the cable guides getting ready for paint. It's gonna be sweet.

I'm doing it mostly because it's going to be rediculously cheap. I've also got the frame and most of the parts, it's cooler than a crappy rusting road bike (what it is currently), and it should be good bike control practice riding around town.

That, and I don't like leaving my custom IF outside the coffee shop.

Yes, it will have a front beak. er..

OG, Ito: Any recommendations for gearing? I'm currently planning 48x17.

 

[Slugman]

I was thinking about this last night on my way home. The chicks Laywer must have sucked!

They got tripped up by the question of how she would stop if the chain broke... well what would happen to a freewheel bike with a front brake if the cable broke?!?!?

I still thikn it is a smart thing to have a brake on it - but her Laywer still sucked.

 

[splat]

Any recommendations for gearing? I'm currently planning 48x17.

I'm running 44X19

 

[Barbaton]

A fixie without brakes does not have adequate stopping power in an emergency situation.

I just fixed the brakes on mine for that very reason. Too many close calls.

 

[OGRipper]

OG, Ito: Any recommendations for gearing? I'm currently planning 48x17.

Cool project!

It really depends on where you'll be riding. I'm running a 44X17. I spin out going downhill but can barely turn it over on some of the steeper hills on my commute in SF. 48X17 seems kinda high but it should be ok if it's not too hilly where you are.

 

[Bearmntpicnic]

I ride 54 18 in richmond and DC. If its a track bike go with the classic large chain ring. It makes the bike look much better, which lets face it is a big thing when it comes to a bike.

 

[Biscuit]

I'm running 44X19

Dang, glad I asked. I'll probably stick to a little taller since it's mostly flat, but the bike needs to do-it-all, so to speak. I'm also pretty used to pushing a big gear since I ride 2:1 ss all over the hills.

 

[ito]

Biscuit, most people I've ridden with do something like a 44t up front and between a 17-20 in the rear.

I was rolling 34/13, no idea what it figures out to be, but it was workable on just about anything I encountered (it was a flip-flop on my MTB, so that explains the tiny front ring).

And just to light off the brake enthusiasts: I ride my bike with a loose chain, no brakes, and three loose crank bolts (the fourth one is missing).

 

[splat]

also One of the other things you need to take into account , especially if the bike does not have Horizonatal drop outs , is what gearing makes it so the chain Length works , and Big help is get some half links

 

[Biscuit]

Biscuit, most people I've ridden with do something like a 44t up front and between a 17-20 in the rear.

I assume these were with 700c road wheels? Wheel size makes a pretty significant difference on gear-inches.

If you feel like getting smarter (or feeling dumber) read here.

 

[ito]

I assume these were with 700c road wheels? Wheel size makes a pretty significant difference on gear-inches.

If you feel like getting smarter (or feeling dumber) read here.

Ya, 700c, sometimes 29er though.

 

[Biscuit]

For those who might be interested, my little side project is finally done. Took my sweet time building it. Splurged on a nice seat to really clean it up. Once I get the hang of it I'll start using real pedals too.

All I need is that front brake line to finish.. or do I?

 

[loco-gringo]

Nice.

 

[LordOpie]

...

That's hawt!

What frame is that?

(I'm pro-front-brake)

 

[ito]

Sexy, just needs Argyle rim tape and no brake.

Very nice project bike.

 

[Biscuit]

That's hawt!

What frame is that?

(I'm pro-front-brake)

It was a beat up Bridgestone Mile 112. Just a decent lugged steel frame. I shaved the der hanger, cable guides, frame pump mount, and the massive down-tube shifter braze-on's.

Stripped it with a wire brush on my angle grinder, and about six coats of rattle can paint (done proper like - wet sanding and all).

The fork is a $29 job from JensonUSA, I masked off the chrome crown. (notice the front brake doesn't actually line up - it's got an old-school drop.. so I got to find a different caliper).

Bars are from Soma, stem is a Nitto "Jaguar" (apparently a popular stem in the track bike world), wheels are dimension track hubs to no-name aero rims.

Thing is surprisingly heavy. I think it's heavier than my full-geared road bike.

 

[Biscuit]

Sexy, just needs Argyle rim tape and no brake.

Very nice project bike.

WTF is "argyle rim tape"? I'm assuming it's something other than the velox tape you put between your tube and your spoke holes.

 

[blue]

WTF is "argyle rim tape"? I'm assuming it's something other than the velox tape you put between your tube and your spoke holes.

It's to make your wheels look more "core" and "alt".

Ryan

 

[Biscuit]

It's to make your wheels look more "core" and "alt".

Ryan

For some reason I think the idea of argyle patterned velox would be really funny. I would totally pay more money to know that my bike was more "core" on the inside.. where it counts.

 

[OGRipper]

Nice work, that looks really sweet.

The fork is a $29 job from JensonUSA, I masked off the chrome crown. (notice the front brake doesn't actually line up - it's got an old-school drop.. so I got to find a different caliper).

Hmm, maybe that's a fork for 27" wheels? In any case you should be able to find a caliper with a dropped center bolt or longer arms without too much difficulty. American Cyclery in SF should have what you need, they do all kinds of stuff like that. You'll want to bring it in.

 

[ito]

WTF is "argyle rim tape"? I'm assuming it's something other than the velox tape you put between your tube and your spoke holes.

I thought they were actual rims, but rather decals you put on your Deep-V's.

But yes, Blue's definition is correct.

And a long reach caliper should be pretty easy to find. We always had them in stock at my old shop. Just call around the Bay Area. They won't work well with the pretty Argyle rims though.

 

[LordOpie]

Then you'll need an Argyle jersey!

 

[ito]

Then you'll need an Argyle jersey!

You'll need the tights to match!