Road Cycling - Biek couriers...how do they...?

I noticed some bike couriers last week in Toronto zipping through traffic-these guys are riding track bikes (no brakes, no deraileur) with SPD pedals.
How do they do that? Why?


(oops, should read Bike Couriers)

Yeah, those fixed gear weirdos. I'm not sure why they do it. How? You just pedal. Apply back pressure to slow down or stop.

Fixies are almost obsessive about their love of their single speed bikes.

...and blow out their knees in the process

Front brakes are usually recomended for fixies on the road.

everything you want to know about riding fixed in the city (http://oldskooltrack.com/)

not to hijack the thread but this kind of reminds me of this lady i saw riding an old fixie in toronto...she was going along normally and everything and then the light turned red and she put her feet down flinstone style to stop...but the problem was she was wearing flip-flops and they came off...so she was stopping herself with her bare feet...which were all bloody by the time she stopped....so not everybody can ride a fixie without brakes:D

Why in the world did she put her feet down before she stopped?

riding a brakeless fixie with no toe clip or clipless pedals is insane.

I noticed some bike couriers last week in Toronto zipping through traffic-these guys are riding track bikes (no brakes, no deraileur) with SPD pedals.
How do they do that? Why?


(oops, should read Bike Couriers)

I've met a couple bike messengers, and asked them this question. The answers fall into one of three categories:
a) It's cool
b) Less valuable to bike thieves -- most people fail to see the appeal of a fixie, so there's less reason to steal one.
c) There are no derailleurs to break, there are no cables to replace, there are no cogs to wear out (cog wear is accelerated by imperfect chain-line and lateral chain movement during shifts, or so I've been told. Fixies have perfect chain line). Mechanically they are a LOT simpler. Less stuff to break, and when you rely on your bike working so that you can eat that night...

I met one bike messenger from San Fransico -- God only knows how he managed to climb those hills on a fixie. He could out climb a Harrier jet though. Just gone . The others I've met have been in fairly flat cities like DC, Providence (Rhode Island) and Boston. One gear would work just fine around there.

b) Less valuable to bike thieves -- most people fail to see the appeal of a fixie, so there's less reason to steal one.

and even if some dumb kid tries to steal it once they think they are clear they will try to coast...........

and even if some dumb kid tries to steal it once they think they are clear they will try to coast...........


The mental thought of that had me laughing out loud.

I ride a fixt too work every day and it is relativelly a flat commute so breaks are not necessary for me. On big hills you just don't allow yourself to go too fast so that you can stop. The secret is to be able to, in the event of an emergency, stop the back wheel and skid out much like you did on your coaster break bike as a kid. The why part is simple, it's fun.

b) Less valuable to bike thieves -- most people fail to see the appeal of a fixie, so there's less reason to steal one.


i'll disagree there. here in nyc, people will steal anything that rolls and fixie culture is such that a nice track bike is especially coveted...