People who ride track bikes tend to really fall in love with it. It's a completely different feeling since you're legs are always moving. I don't own a track bike (yet) but it is pretty freakin' cool to ride. As long as you have the strength to keep it under control, you feel much more "connected" to the bike. But it does use a completely different set of muscles. It takes some time to build the strength, and the confidence I would imagine, to ride a track bike. Here in DC they are extremely popular with messengers, but I feel that's most likely a standard everywhere.

I've heard two major complaints from people riding track bikes 1) knee issues, it takes a great deal of pressure to exert the 'backwards' force to stop and 2) having to pedal through turns. There was a thread about this in the fixed gear forum. Regarding your question as to how fast you can stop, it depends on your strength. There are two ways to stop, either exerting pressure backwards, or hopping the back wheel, exerting pressure backwards to stop the rotation of the back wheel, and skidding.

I know a few guys who use them for a training mechanism, and they're great in the rain and snow since you don't have to rely on friction to stop.

As far as using it on a trainer, I don't know how well that would work out. Since track bikes generally come set up with an easier gear ratio. Simply so that you can manage flat land and still make it up hills. I use the Spinerval DVD's as well, and I think you'd be defeating the purpose of the video by using a track bike.

Take a look at the fixed gear forum. My info is amateur, but just thought I'd try and help!

DC_Emily