Originally Posted by
skinny matt
No you don't need them, but you may prefer them. I've ridden with and without foot retention including spinning down some serious hills and haven't had problems. Try it for yourself and let your own feelings guide you. I promise you and your bike will not explode.
That's the most dangerous advice I've seen on here for a while. Mind you, he's probably a cool fixier ride while I'm just some bloke who rides fixed gear.