Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Brakeless SS

Does anybody do this or have you seen anybody do this?

I'll keep my opinions to myself, but this guy must be spending a fortune on shoes and tires.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH5W1Z23wPg

That's just asking for trouble.

ROFL, yes the Ted Shred thread has been beaten before.

It's weird. It left me speechless the first time.

Using the shoe as a brake should only be a last resort.

That said, I still do it just for fun sometimes.

I have seen a guy do this. One of the street vendors at Cincinnati reds games does this. I stopped and talked bikes with him, he showed me his bike and then demostrated his stopping technique. He stopped, not real well though.

This is the jam.

Well that's just not efficient at all.

Seen this before ... anyhow, I've e-braked it before (for fun, not because I needed to) ... but if this guy really uses this as his primary stopping mechanism he has to run out of shoes frequently. The soles of shoes are (obviously) not meant to be used for this purpose and they wear through VERY quickly.

You guys know it's a joke right.

Some of you are a bit dense around here...

Wait it's a joke?

you guys know it's a joke right.

Some of you are a bit dense around here...

prove it.

i hear snowflake laced wheels brake way more better.

although that looks like a good way to shorten one's life expectancy, ted shred seems use it to prolong his. whatever works. I predict fixed gear folding bikes will be the next rage.

there was a time when this method really seemed like a sweet idea to me. it takes the piss out of shoes and the smell is startling. thinking back, brakes would have been better. especially in the rain.

I've seen people do trick skids with it and also just for ****s and giggles. Or practice for an emergency situation.

some kid rolled by me on a brakeless bmx today while i was at a stoplight.

I've seen BMX riders do this for a while now.

I never do it, wouldn't want to kill my Sidi's

Halfpipe bmx bike=brakeless ss

Cool. I think I'll take the brakes off my wife's Mercedes.

You guys know it's a joke right.

Some of you are a bit dense around here...

I think you are mistaken...

Cool. I think I'll take the brakes off my wife's Mercedes.

you mean her new brakeless half pipe benz

you mean her new brakeless half pipe benz

Yeah. Although she does spend rather a lot on shoes already. Maybe brakes are a good thing.

ted shred

As a way of stopping, this is no joke. As a thread this has been done so many times by sooo many bike noobs that are think they are cool. I met Ted once at random while riding on the street and we talked for a while and are actually friends now. One of the most legit people I have met riding.

As far as the stopping with your foot goes, it is the best brake you have other than a brake. This technique allows you to put more weight over the rear of the bike and takes no energy. And if doing it properly you are stopping the tire, not just slowing it, so there is no rubbing of your shoe, no smell, no wearing them out. Besides, he's sponsered by vans, gets more free shoes than he could possibly wear.

And to all the "safety" police out there, you should be advocating this. If your running brakless and your chain breaks or derails, you could be f*cked. I have used this a few times to stop after my chain came off and was glad to know it.

As a way of stopping, this is no joke. As a thread this has been done so many times by sooo many bike noobs that are think they are cool. I met Ted once at random while riding on the street and we talked for a while and are actually friends now. One of the most legit people I have met riding.

As far as the stopping with your foot goes, it is the best brake you have other than a brake. This technique allows you to put more weight over the rear of the bike and takes no energy. And if doing it properly you are stopping the tire, not just slowing it, so there is no rubbing of your shoe, no smell, no wearing them out. Besides, he's sponsered by vans, gets more free shoes than he could possibly wear.

And to all the "safety" police out there, you should be advocating this. If your running brakless and your chain breaks or derails, you could be f*cked. I have used this a few times to stop after my chain came off and was glad to know it.

Clearly you haven't seen him do this. Or watched the video. You can clearly see the wheel rotating while his shoe is on the tire, thus wearing out his shoes and creating a smell. He'll probably get killed someday.

Using the shoe as a brake should only be a last resort.

That said, I still do it just for fun sometimes.

Take your shoes off then you have total Fred Flintstone Style-leeeee

Aww. ...

I envy his talent or his luck. He swarves through the traffic in reverse direction! I get flipped over in the RIGHT side of traffic by a roaming pedestrian; screwed up my front tire and bloody all over. PEDESTRIANS! (Is it a Tokyo thing?)

He'll probably get killed someday.

That's such a ****ed up thing when cyclists just casually throw crap like that around about other riders suffering the same serious misfortune we all face with a "serves them right tone". You're a scumbag dude

That's such a ****ed up thing when cyclists just casually throw crap like that around about other riders suffering the same serious misfortune we all face with a "serves them right tone". You're a scumbag dude

I didn't say anything about "serves him right" nor did I wish that he would die. That would be messed up. I am just pointing out the obvious. Dude flies through SF intersections with EXTREMELY limited ability to stop his bike. He probably will get killed someday. Thanks for calling me a scumbag, though.

Please don't put words in my mouth.

I didn't say anything about "serves him right" nor did I wish that he would die. That would be messed up. I am just pointing out the obvious. Dude flies through SF intersections with EXTREMELY limited ability to stop his bike. He probably will get killed someday. Thanks for calling me a scumbag, though.

It's not your place to hedge bets on the survival rate of other people riding their bikes. Have some class.

I stand by my previous comment.

It's not your place to hedge bets on the survival rate of other people riding their bikes. Have some class.

I stand by the scumbag comment.

hedging a bet? wtf are you talking about? I was pointing out the obvious. Class? I'm not the one sitting here calling people names on an internet forum...just mind your own business and don't comment on my posts or call me names anymore, thanks.

Okay you two stop.

I didn't see where it was said ill will was wished upon anybody.

Those reading this will have their own interpretations of what was meant.

Thank you,

Siu Blue Wind
Forum Admin.

He's years late on this anyway. I did this back years ago, as did most kids, when my coaster brake failed until I got it fixed. It's not new, by any stretch of the imagination. I stopped doing it because I thought it would get me killed.

Anyone else find it funny that he runs Deep-V's with machined sidewalls?

Anyone else find it funny that he runs Deep-V's with machined sidewalls?

I never noticed that until now, that's actually pretty funny.

maybe he likes the way it matches his chrome and white pista

Bikes need to stop.

I seriously wonder if he has ever had a scare... I have been thrown from my bike on several occasions by contact with cars, wheels falling off, other bikes, dogs...
I have also seen a few fresh car on bike accidents here in NYC, and pass by "white bikes" all day long...
I think some people need to be reminded that humans are fragile. We die really easily! Be careful you f'ing idiots!

Actually, on a related note;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5JHYt7n58E

makes this look safe. The entire documentary (which is really excellent) is available online if you search for "carts of darkness" in google

He's years late on this anyway. I did this back years ago...

My first commuter bike's calipers were frozen when I got it, so I stopped the bike for about 3 weeks using this method. Only I jammed my foot between the seattube and the tire...better leverage. Wore a groove in my sneaker. This was in '87 and in Chicago, so the terrain was much more flat. Didn't have the money or mechanical skills to get the bike fixed, but eventually I did. Took it to this old-time bike shop where the owner/mechanic was about 65-70 at the time. He asked me how I'd been stopping the bike. When I showed him my shoe he let out a big belly laugh and said, "Well, whatever it takes, man. Come back in 3 days and I'll have everything working."

It was an old road bike w/no decals and a bent rr deraileur. I found it in some friends' basement when helping them move. Cobwebs, flat tires, ripped saddle, unravelled bar-tape, etc. When I got that thing back, WOW! dude hooked me up w/some sweet Dia-Compe side pulls, new/used rims, tires, saddle, and some real old satiny red bar tape he said was 'just layin' around'. New/used rr der, etc. He repacked my bb and replaced my cables all for 50.00. He said he had everything on hand, but I think he took kindly to me because he knew I didn't have alot of money at the time. Needless to say I bought all my commuting gear from him and he got me started doing my own maintenance.

Sorry, got off topic...this just reminded me of those early days when I was broke and tired of riding the bus to work. :p

BTW, I gave the bike to a friend when I upgraded and he left it outside of a store unlocked. When he came out...gone. :notamused:

Iv'e done it, pretty scary

Actually, on a related note;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5JHYt7n58E

makes this look safe. The entire documentary (which is really excellent) is available online if you search for "carts of darkness" in google


Thank you for posting this!!!! What a great film.

Aww. ...

I envy his talent or his luck. He swarves through the traffic in reverse direction! I get flipped over in the RIGHT side of traffic by a roaming pedestrian; screwed up my front tire and bloody all over. PEDESTRIANS! (Is it a Tokyo thing?)

I find other people on bikes more dangerous though. It's ok when they stick to the sidewalk, but some venture on the street and have no sense of looking behind them when pulling out or which direction they should go.
Koshukaido seems to have a lot of people riding the charis the wrong way on the street! especially around meidaimae. I have been hit twice by people on bikes. Once nearly head on! the guy swerved right into me!

I don't know why, but this firmly reminds me of Dan Osman. Do something stupid for the sake of stupid for long enough and it will catch up with you eventually.

Well I guess this was the obvious next thing. There is nothing about this I can pretend to like, except that it provides me with some irrefutable nyc beats san fran ammunition...

I find other people on bikes more dangerous though. It's ok when they stick to the sidewalk, but some venture on the street and have no sense of looking behind them when pulling out or which direction they should go.
Koshukaido seems to have a lot of people riding the charis the wrong way on the street! especially around meidaimae. I have been hit twice by people on bikes. Once nearly head on! the guy swerved right into me!

Actually, you are right. I had the same incident every time I go out. I usually let them pass by me. I sometimes miss my Kendo Armor. Hehe. With it, you can probably do SS-no-brake. (When cars come near you, you pull the bokuto on them.)

Actually, on a related note;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5JHYt7n58E

makes this look safe. The entire documentary (which is really excellent) is available online if you search for "carts of darkness" in google

That's my city!

I've seen dudes do this in person. Looks like tons of fun.

And to all the "safety" police out there, you should be advocating this. If your running brakless and your chain breaks or derails, you could be f*cked. I have used this a few times to stop after my chain came off and was glad to know it.

It is definitely good to know how to do this for that reason, for sure. It melts through clipless MTB shoe soles in no time though. I learnt that the hard way a while back when I put a new cog on a brakeless bike and used this method to stop at the bottom of a hill so I didn't put any backward pressure on the cog before mashing back up the hill to tighten the cog down.

lol, thats all i have to say

I realize this video is old, it was just the best thing I could find to go along with the post.

someone mentioned this already, but alot of BMX street riders do this all the time. I ride BMX street, but I run a rear brake. I just feel safer with it (for obvious reasons). Brakeless BMXers always say that it helps you commit to tricks better, and it allows for bar spins and such without a giro. It makes sense for halfpipe, but i don't get why people do it for street riding. I guess its way easy to put your feet down on a bmx than a Bianchi Pista though.