Originally Posted by westokyo

Keirin racers (professionals) have a brake for insurance purposes if they get into an accident training on the road.

1) I get stoked when I see a conversion. You rarely see a conversion here in Japan. Most people with a conversion out here probably know a lot more than that kid who bought his keirin bike off of that Japanese auction site.

2) I check the rest of the bike to see if they are a serious enthusiast out training or a hipster. I have never ridden fixed with brakes. But I am seriously thinking of buying a Panasonic FP39 (their road training track frame set up for both front and rear brakes). Sometimes I really feel limited going down hills on narrower roads with traffic. Going down hills is the only part my geared Crosscheck is better than my track bike because of the brakes.