Originally Posted by
Bandera
Those would be Track bikes: designed for operation on a Velodrome.
As an operator of such a machine "back when" what is now Vintage was New here's a fact about riding FG on the street from decades ago.
In our club we had a machinist who, for a modest fee, would cleanly and accurately drill track bike forks for a front brake for winter FG base miles on the road.
Knowing that the steep descents, potholes and left-turning busses which are very rare on the track are quite common on open public roads we fitted front brakes for road miles.
Shocking that we paid no attention to what has become obsession of fashion today that is a clear mis-representation of what Old School FG cycling was back when for serious club riders.
-Bandera
Well obviously, but even so there are track bikes which are drilled (See: 2001 Flite 100). I mean when it comes down do it it's all a matter of personal preference and people do run brakes on expensive track bikes (my friend came across the pursuit bike ridden by Taylor Phinney ridden on the '09 track world champs and he threw a brake on it). If anyone wants to put a brake (or two) on a track bike that's their business. But I will say if you put a brake on an L96 you are most likely dead to me, that's just my 2¢.