Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - I had to use my brake today

:notamused:
Normally on my ~10 mile coummute I can manage my speed reduction and braking most or all of the way with my legs. This morning just 2 blocks from my house, it starts. Nothing too dramatic, just multiple inconveniences. I'm approaching a stop sign as a car is stopping at the stop sign opposite me. I still have ~100' to go so I slow and assume they will clear by the time I get there. They just sit there, so I wave them on as I continue to slow. I finally stop and step down, thus forcing their hand. They finally turn left in front of me. Later on it seemed all the stop signs I usually can roll through had car conflicts, so I stopped repeatedly. Plus the greenway leg of my commute was partly flooded/muddy (hike a bike). Finally, as I turned wide (because of my fixed crank) into my work parking lot, someone was leaving:eek: I avoided a slow motion head-on by going wider almost into the curbline. Hopefully this afternoon will fare better...

I still have ~100' to go so I slow and assume they will clear by the time I get there. They just sit there

effing hate that

I use my front brake here and there. I don't feel any lesser for using it.

Sometimes I just have to stop quicker. Especially when riding with someone or multiple someone's because they stop at variable speeds to me, especially ones with freewheels.

when riding alone I don't tend to use it that often, but enough.

If I had been brakeless, this morning's ride would have had me blubbering mad by the time I got to work!

.... assume they will clear by the time I get there. They just sit there, so I wave them on as I continue to slow. I finally stop and step down, thus forcing their hand.

this happens to me a few times on every commute. also hate when a car in cross traffic slows down when they see me and end up closing the gap behind them that was going to be my chance to cross.

oh man, yesterday some 14 year old kid was standing in street smoking talking to his friend.
So he has his back to the road and points with the cigarette somewhere, coming an inch away from my face, if i didn't do a NEO maneuver I would've had to kill this guy.

^ I had some walking high school kids see me appraching, so they started to drift out into the lane, to "scare" me I suppose. So I sped up to ramming speed, and held my line, which had the desired effect (for me).

Riveting tale, chap. I suggest you keep the front brake.

It didn't happen today, but another thing that's aggravating is slowing to let a car pass you...and they won't pass. Sometimes I get into a "I can go slower than you" mode, just to make them pass. If it pisses them off as well I guess I succeeded at something!

So you had to use your brake to stop for stop signs?

today, yes - most are in neighborhoods (on corners where I'm turning) and usually no cars are about - and I can cruise through them while scanning for cars. Today there seemed to be a car conflict at every one, right as I started to think I could keep cruising.
Now it's raining.

effing hate that

+1, its odd we'd rather drivers be more aggressive in times such as these, though nearly all other times we'd rather drivers be more cautious around cyclists.

Just yesterday I was almost run down by a motorist riding the line of the bike lane. But in his defense, he stayed on said line as far as the eye could see. Consistency if nothing else! But back to the thread, I have to use my front break on average of once per ride due to cars pulling out too far into intersections to make a turn. Not to be anti-breakless, but I do think a front break is great. No skid could stop a bike as quickly as a front break, no matter how skilled the rider.
Just my 2cents.

I usually dont need to depend on my brake, but in winter months I make sure that the brake it available. Right now it is off.

+1 to hating when cars stop when you're far away or when youre already stopped at the sign. Takes MUCH longer for a bike to accelerate and get across the intersection than your car.

Good lord

I'm thinking of getting a brake (not 'break'), the one that came with the bike was super crappy and the lever rattled a lot (original '85ish), driving me mad. Having one allows you to ride faster with out having to scan any farther ahead then when riding slowly. It keeps you on your toes though, running with out brakes.
Its all good.

Holy s---! I can't believe I spelled brake like "break"! And 4 F-ing times on top of that.... must have been a bit drunk!

i have a csb about brakes too! i was riding back from class on campus and then this parkour idiot flings himself over a wall and right in front of my bike. had to use the front brake in order to not run him over.
That guy was such a tard....I dont have a problem with them doing it on campus, just watch where the hell you're going to be and make sure you dont land on somebody!

Holy s---! I can't believe I spelled brake like "break"! And 4 F-ing times on top of that.... must have been a bit drunk!

I hope you were getting quadded

this happens to me a few times on every commute. also hate when a car in cross traffic slows down when they see me and end up closing the gap behind them that was going to be my chance to cross.

+1. I think that my biggest peave is when, at a 2 way where I've got the stop sign and I stop for a car who doesn't have a stop sign, but then they stop. I get that it's nice or whatever, but ****, we don't need special treatment. We just need people to be aware, alert and capable before courtesy. Well, IMO anyway.

I use my brake when I need to stop. It's really handy.

i was riding back from class on campus and then this parkour idiot flings himself over a wall and right in front of my bike. had to use the front brake in order to not run him over. That guy was such a tard

We have so many peds here that just walk into traffic without looking its amazing more people dont get hit... in the past week I have had 2 different women be digging in their car suddenly spin around close door and start walking back across the street. No pause no looking for traffic and I almost hit them... This is one of the many contributors to why I use a front brake...


+1. I think that my biggest peave is when, at a 2 way where I've got the stop sign and I stop for a car who doesn't have a stop sign, but then they stop. I get that it's nice or whatever, but ****, we don't need special treatment. We just need people to be aware, alert and capable before courtesy. Well, IMO anyway.

+100, though I understand why they do it here. So many cyclists just dart through without even looking. I have almost been hit so many times by cyclists just not looking. They are almost as bad as the peds here... I mean cruise signs and all but at least look first...

On a related note, my bike has a front keirin clamp on brake, which is one reason I try to use it sparingly. It works fine and the front fork is fine also, even after all the abuse I dished out on it.

I use my brake when I need to stop. It's really handy.

Weird thing about brakes...they aid in braking.

The funny thing is that pretty much every serious fixed gear rider I know (defined by miles put on their bikes) rolls their eyes—often literally—at people who ride brakeless. Moral being that even if you don't like to use a brake put one on anyway, unless you want to look like a n00b.

The funny thing is that pretty much every serious fixed gear rider I know (defined by miles put on their bikes) rolls their eyes—often literally—at people who ride brakeless. Moral being that even if you don't like to use a brake put one on anyway, unless you want to look like a n00b.

really? i'm a serious FG rider and I ride brakeless. My friends and I are probably the fastest FG riders in Austin, and several of us ride brakeless.

Lol!

I don't know Austin too well, but I can pretty much guarantee you that if you started rolling around in Chicago traffic without a brake people would be laughing up their sleeve at you.

You're also not the fastest FG rider in Austin; even assuming that you're the champ at the local track meets you have a neighbor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong) you may have heard of.

The funny thing is that pretty much every serious fixed gear rider I know (defined by miles put on their bikes) rolls their eyes—often literally—at people who ride brakeless. Moral being that even if you don't like to use a brake put one on anyway, unless you want to look like a n00b.

Im pretty sure i put more miles on my bike than you and your brake preacher buddies combined. And im a noob for being comfortable riding brakeless? If only noobs rode brakeless you wouldn't see everyone urging everyone else to use a brake.

Okay, fine fine. I meant the fastest non-steroid using fg riders in Austin...

By the way, I'm not saying I myself am the fastest fg rider in Austin, b/c I'm definitely not and that would be kind of a ridiculous statement anyways. What I mean is that I ride with a crew of about a dozen guys who win most every alley cat in the city, race road bikes, and are at the front of all the organized rides. And of these guys, about half of us ride brakeless.

Also, Chicago isn't that difficult of a city to ride brakeless in. Not compared to San Francisco or somewhere else with hills and traffic. And don't tell me that there aren't any serious FG riders going brakeless in San Fran...

Im pretty sure i put more miles on my bike than you and your brake preacher buddies combined. And im a noob for being comfortable riding brakeless? If only noobs rode brakeless you wouldn't see everyone urging everyone else to use a brake.

If you still use the word 'noob' seriously, we're laughing at you for another reason too.

I'm not urging anyone to put on a brake. I'm just saying a) that I don't know anyone who consistently rides 50+ miles at a time on a fixed gear who doesn't use a brake, and, b) that if I see someone riding brakeless I assume they're a clueless n00b and I'm nearly always right. I don't care what you do, but if you don't want people to assume you're a jackass hopping on an already badly dated trend (and you may well not care), the move is to put a brake on.

I'm not urging anyone to put on a brake. I'm just saying a) that I don't know anyone who consistently rides 50+ miles at a time on a fixed gear who doesn't use a brake, and, b) that if I see someone riding brakeless I assume they're a clueless n00b and I'm nearly always right. I don't care what you do, but if you don't want people to assume you're a jackass hopping on an already badly dated trend (and you may well not care), the move is to put a brake on.

So i should be concerned what some jackass thinks about the way i ride a bicycle? Insecure much?


If you still use the word 'noob' seriously, we're laughing at you for another reason too.
How about you read all of the posts first before hitting the reply button, noob.

:notamused:
Normally on my ~10 mile coummute I can manage my speed reduction and braking most or all of the way with my legs. This morning just 2 blocks from my house, it starts. Nothing too dramatic, just multiple inconveniences. I'm approaching a stop sign as a car is stopping at the stop sign opposite me. I still have ~100' to go so I slow and assume they will clear by the time I get there. They just sit there, so I wave them on as I continue to slow. I finally stop and step down, thus forcing their hand. They finally turn left in front of me. Later on it seemed all the stop signs I usually can roll through had car conflicts, so I stopped repeatedly. Plus the greenway leg of my commute was partly flooded/muddy (hike a bike). Finally, as I turned wide (because of my fixed crank) into my work parking lot, someone was leaving:eek: I avoided a slow motion head-on by going wider almost into the curbline. Hopefully this afternoon will fare better... this is what a blog is for

One brake, both brakes or none at all; who really cares? Everyone needs to just get on their bikes and ride them. What works for one person may not be right for someone else, no big deal. This debate will go on til the end of time!
Not to mention - the brake debate hasn't got much to do with the original post!
Now go for a ride!

Yes, I'm obviously using the word "noob" uber-seriously.

I couldn't care less what any of you—track champions and Super Randonneurs to a man, no doubt—ride. I'm just mocking an online culture where using the brake on your bicycle is thought to be so novel that it's worth starting a thread over. In the real world badass messengers generally ride mountain bikes and hardcore fixed gear riders tend to use at least one brake.

Messengers are one thing, recreational riders and commuters are another. If i were a messenger id use one too, being on the bike all day is tiring enough.

could ya'll take all this to your respective blogs please?

The funny thing is that pretty much every serious fixed gear rider I know (defined by miles put on their bikes) rolls their eyes—often literally—at people who ride brakeless. Moral being that even if you don't like to use a brake put one on anyway, unless you want to look like a n00b.

I ride more than anyone I know, I'm up to about 900+ miles a month, and I ride brakeless. I'm also from Chicago, and it's a much easier city to ride brakeless in than here, in Albuquerque. You have 22 posts, and yet you're talking about n00bs.

I've seen plenty of brakeless riders with skillz, and plenty without. I saw one kid come into the bike shop looking a new rear tire to replace his worn out (from skidding) old tire. His face was all marred up, he said he crashed into a car.

And again I must say that this is a thread about the inconveniences of traffic, not brakes vs. brake-less. Yet most of you are beating a dead horse that never even lived in this pasture. Personal preference is personal preference.

One brake, both brakes or none at all; who really cares? Everyone needs to just get on their bikes and ride them. What works for one person may not be right for someone else, no big deal. This debate will go on til the end of time!
Not to mention - the brake debate hasn't got much to do with the original post!
Now go for a ride!


Bingo! as long as you can stop in time to keep yourself alive who gives a flying **** if you use a brake or not.

oh, you guys

And on that note, this thread should close!

What are you the thread superintendent?

But if I have a brake I cantz barpinz like those kool guyz in teh videoz.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really though thats the only reason I personally see as to not have a front brake, if its your trick bike and you need to spin your bars. But I wont be looking down on anyone for not having one, maybe they like it better, maybe they like that it takes more effort, maybe they like that they have to pay that much more attention to whats ahead to anticipate their moves, maybe they had one and never used it... whatever.

ULTIMATELY...who cares, ride your bike.

ON TOPIC:
Traffic is annoying in the suburbs and neighborhoods and "exciting" in the city. I wish people would realize that if it looks like someone has been riding bikes for a while and looks like they use their bike for commuting (i.e. they arent riding a dual suspenion walmart mountain bike or a BMX on the road, they're on a road bike or such), that they are smart enough to be able to handle riding in some traffic. I am not going to get hit If I can help it. Also, I can drive and do drive a car, so I know how all those traffic laws and rules work. My closest calls have been when someone did something not typical for a driver because there was suddenly a bike, me, nearby. If I'm on the road somewhere in any kind of traffic, I know what I got myself into. If I didn't, I'd be on the sidewalk. I wouldn't be on the road if I didn't legally know I could be, so the fact that I am should mean I know what I'm doing.

Sorry for the repetitive ranting, I just had an argument with a friend about this.

What are you the thread superintendent?
No, of course not! Foolish question:) .
It just went on such a tangent, that's all. Sorry to have bunched your knickers, no harm meant!!

I treat all motor vehicle drivers as if its me behind the wheel, that way I see them all as crazy drivers and keep myself alive.

I had to ride to work this morning with my eyes open the whole way. Ugh, usually, I can make it with my eyes shut the whole time, but today there were cars everywhere, and kids crossing the road here and there. It sucked! It totally ruined the zen of riding with my eyes shut. Hopefully I can keep my eyes closed on the way home! Wish me luck everyone!