Originally Posted by
cyccommute
The same argument could be made for a freewheeling bike. If your foot slips off at 20, 30 or 40 mph or while sprinting...usually done out of saddle..., you are probably in big trouble.
And, no there isn't that much difference between fixed gear and freewheel bikes. Backpedaling to stop may look cool but it's just a skid which is dumb no matter what kind of bike you ride. I also see lots and lots of fixie riders who aren't using toe clips around here. I don't think they are too bright but it can be done.
If you're foot slips off the pedal on a geared bike while out of the saddle, - ouch ! But it's worse on a fixed gear and it's still bad even if you're in the saddle. Pedals stop spinning on a geared bike. They don't on a fixed gear. Getting your feet back on pedals which are spinning at 90 or 100 rpm isn't that easy and attempts can be painful. It happened a couple of times to me while I was getting used to riding fixed. I'd grab a handful of brakes and try to keep my legs clear until I slowed down enough to get my feet back on. Not something I'd like to repeat.
That said, I do ride fixed on occasion using regular shoes and I'm just more careful. I don't consider it ideal and would be more nervous about it on a wet day or at night when an unseen obstacle can jolt the bike enough to cause a foot to slip. I do have front and rear hand brakes.