Originally Posted by
kunsunoke
I think the best approach is to just forget about the shifter and brake altogether and just jam your feet into the front spokes. If you've had enough absinthe you won't even feel the asphalt, and will have a really cool story to tell your bros afterward.
When I was 14 decades ago, I would ride my track bike to work after school, about a 3 mile trip including some hills and descents. It was the only way to get myself and bike to a ride to the velodrome after work and make the evening workouts. But I was boring and stopped at red signals.
I am really surprised that the current crop of fixed gear guys have not rediscovered what was handed down to me long ago, a think palmed glove, great for brushing off potential flat debris and useful as a brake when applied to the top of the front tire.
I wore a gymnasts glove over my riding glove having stitched a heavy section of leather to it, as I did not have a sacrificial riding glove to burn up.