Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Off with her brakes!

I haven't ridden my bike in a month and I'm totally depressed about it. I can only ride on the weekends and first it rained stupidly hard all weekend then I HAD to work on the house all weekend because the next weekend my in-laws were coming so all of a sudden I haven't touched the poor beast in a month. So yesterday I pulled the Kogswell out and started pulling the bar tape to fix a little un-wrapping problem. Once I got the tape off I decided to go whole hog and pulled off both brakes and the computer and everything I could find that the bike didn't NEED. Not a huge pile of parts but with most of the weight coming from right over the front wheel the feel of the bike has totally changed. And I like it a lot. I haven't used the brakes for a while anyway, I just kept them on there for riding with a geared friend on the weekend to prevent idiot pileups. Since he decided to not bike anymore I don't have that restriction so come saturday I'm off. Looking forward to just riding.

Congrats!

1/8 pound and braggin rights isnt worth it for a family man. My humble opinion.

peace...

It's not about the style or the weight. Those are consequences of the action, not the reason for it.

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

Saving money on not having brakes?

I think a front brake is a nice compromise.

Okay, here are my thoughts:
I believe that when you ride brakeless you ride more cautious and are more aware of your surroundings. You know that you can't stop as fast. Consequentially you also ride a lot slower, especially down hills (SF has many).
With a brake you can stop a lot faster, therefore you can ride a lot faster, especially down hills.
I do NOT believe that that riding brakeless is more dangerous than riding with a brake. I rode both. It evens out. If my city was flat the brake would be unnecessary. Currently the brake is back on - seems more practical because I like to go faster down the hill than up the hill.
However, in terms of style, I agree the brake sucks! It is ugly, it ruins the looks.
Further I believe the whole panic stop argument is nonsense, especially with only a front brake. How often do you panic stop? Last time I did it it was too late and I hit the door anyway and that was with two brakes.

I agree the brake can look ugly, but if you do it just right, you can make it look classy and then you got form and function.

I have a front brake because I can't think ahead.

I agree the brake can look ugly, but if you do it just right, you can make it look classy and then you got form and function.

Show me a classy front brake. I have never seen one.

I know the standard 'you pay more attention' argument. Even if i were to buy into it, there are certainly those times where you simply arent payiing enough attention, or you were but you didnt have a safe option out. The pure number of people in this forum who have detailed hitting doors, parked cars, or the pavement are evidence of that.

I dont care if you (or anyone else) do or do not ride brakeless; I do think parental responsibility should be a factor in one's personal decision though; not blind acceptance of the standard justifications.

"Show me a classy front brake. I have never seen one."

The one that doesnt exist.

"I have a front brake because I can't think ahead."

I have a front brake because I CAN think ahead.

I know the standard 'you pay more attention' argument. Even if i were to buy into it, there are certainly those times where you simply arent payiing enough attention, or you were but you didnt have a safe option out. The pure number of people in this forum who have detailed hitting doors, parked cars, or the pavement are evidence of that.

I dont care if you (or anyone else) do or do not ride brakeless; I do think parental responsibility should be a factor in one's personal decision though; not blind acceptance of the standard justifications.

perhaps he's not really a family man... maybe when he registered, he wanted to let everyone know that he loves the FamilyGuy but that name was taken so he went with Familyman. Now that I think of it, his dog Brian rides a brakeless (not chrome!!!) Pista.

no offense to familyman (specifically) or FamilyGuy fans (in general) intended...

if i was into sobriety...i'd be into riding brakeless...

This again?

another style argument.... *sigh* it's all just personal preference, folks. let's not get started on helmets now.

I use two brakes and a helmet. What someone else does is their choice.

I am indeed a dad. Of two. That's why I don't ride a motorcycle, skydive, scubadive, or play with fire. I ride in a place that's completely flat, rural, and the roads are absolutely straight. Traffic is light and the shoulders are 6 feet wide. I'm comfortable with my level of risk.
My point though was about the bike. It really feels different and I didn't expect it. Two levers, brakes and cables weigh about a pound or so. Not something I can notice when I pick the bike up, but definatley noticeable when I ride. It's just different. I can see now why people who are used to no brake think bikes feel weird with brakes on it. I might put brakes back on, we'll see. The brakes I just took off are going on my Pinarello pursuit bike.

brake or no brake, when i ride its fun.

Show me a classy front brake. I have never seen one.


So i guess you are right. It does make it look like the bike is wearing head gear.

Show me a classy front brake. I have never seen one.

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/f/thomas.htm

You might disagree. Me, I think it's flair when that cable whips up like that. It's an accent on the solid sleek lines of the bike. I can appreciate 'em both ways. (incidentally, I tend to think that aero routed cables are not so sexy--though my own dropbar brake is an aerobrake)

Obviously you may disagree.

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2004/f/thomas.htm

You might disagree. Me, I think it's flair when that cable whips up like that. It's an accent on the solid sleek lines of the bike. I can appreciate 'em both ways. (incidentally, I tend to think that aero routed cables are not so sexy--though my own dropbar brake is an aerobrake)

Obviously you may disagree.

Yeah, I can see what you're getting at, sort of a finial. BUT, the dummy-lever is a no-go in my book: its aesthetic shortcomings far outstrip its meager functionality. Slavish devotion to symmetry is riccockulous.

brake or no brake, when i ride its fun.

This is almost as good as the Hammye quote William Karsten uses as a tag.

Yeah, I can see what you're getting at, sort of a finial. BUT, the dummy-lever is a no-go in my book: its aesthetic shortcomings far outstrip its meager functionality. Slavish devotion to symmetry is riccockulous.

Why then you've got it! (I was looking for one with just a single gum rubber bug whip brake, but didn't find it right away)

I don't know who's got more balls, those who eschew brakes, or those who admit to liking them on this forum. Geez, this is worse than "which messenger bag to buy".

I don't know who's got more balls, those who eschew brakes, or those who admit to liking them on this forum. Geez, this is worse than "which messenger bag to buy".

We aren't debating brakes, we're debating aesthetics. And if you haven't figured it out by now, on this forum aesthetics trumps brakes, helmets, stash pockets, Chrome vs. Bailey, manpris, pie, Jameson's, Phil, steel frames and bullhorns.

Oh, wait: aesthetics is all of those things! Damn.

Yeah, I can see what you're getting at, sort of a finial. BUT, the dummy-lever is a no-go in my book: its aesthetic shortcomings far outstrip its meager functionality. Slavish devotion to symmetry is riccockulous.

It's kinda hard to ride on the hoods when you only have one hood.

And it's kind hard to ride on the drops when you've got bullhorns.

...

In my opinion rural riding and riding in city traffic are far different things when you look at how useful or necessary a brake may be.

Yeah, a front brake is ugly compared to none. But you know what's really ugly? Fenders! and I wouldn't be caught without them on my primary bike in the messy seasons!

Brake now or break later.

To me this is a clean,minimal, just enough to get the job done brake setup.

i ride with a front brake now im messengering because ive needed it when im rushing, thinking about where im going and doing dangerous riding. sometime you just need to rest you legs as well, or if a car pulls infront of you and you need to slam on your brake. buit especially if your nackered and need a rest from leg work.

if i was riding around the city, being a commuter or just not messengering then i'd ride brakeless. but rushing? i'd rather not take the risk.

General reply to the whole thread about the brake thing.....

Hmmm. I think they can look good, and can be useful for some. Meh; personal preferance, right?

I'm kinda' fond of my brake setup. Mix of new and old. Newish Campy caliper, with and older Scott/Mathauser lever. Good cable and kevlar housing. Ti and alu hardware on the stuff, 'cause hey, good deal on the stuff off of E-bay, so why not? Fixie blingle-brake. Or something.

General reply to the whole thread about the brake thing.....

Hmmm. I think they can look good, and can be useful for some. Meh; personal preferance, right?

I'm kinda' fond of my brake setup. Mix of new and old. Newish Campy caliper, with and older Scott/Mathauser lever. Good cable and kevlar housing. Ti and alu hardware on the stuff, 'cause hey, good deal on the stuff off of E-bay, so why not? Fixie blingle-brake. Or something.


nice bike....great pics....whats the alt?

nice bike....great pics....whats the alt?

longmont, co. looking towards long's peak; some great trail (for riding/hiking, and snowplay) head up there, half an hour from me and up about another 3,000 feet. long's tops out at over 14,000 feet.