Originally Posted by
TejanoTrackie
If you are only using a front brake with a fixed gear setup, then your rear brake is obtained by back pedalling, which is much easier to do with foot retention. If your feet come off the pedals at high speeds, it is difficult to get them back on the pedals and you can lose control of the bike and get injured in the process. Without foot retention, you lose most of the advantages of FG, and would be better served with a SS freewheel setup and adding a rear brake.
Exactly.
The dreaded Run-away-Cuisinart effect of losing contact w/ the pedals on a downhill is not to be underestimated, avoid w/ proper foot retention.
One compromises the training effect of riding FG on the road w/o proper foot retention.
Developing a smooth efficient pedaling style, max spin intervals and powerful hill climbing are all compromised w/o proper foot retention.
For plootering about w/o foot retention a SS FW w/ two brakes would be good relaxing fun.
-Bandera