Frankfast

After my ride yesterday on my single speed, I noticed that my rear brake was dragging on the rim. The culprit was a rusted cable housing so the cable was getting stuck. Since the LBS wasn't opened yet I decided that the only way to take a morning ride was to remove the cable from the rear wheel and flip flop the wheel to the fixed gear side. I've ridden the bike for almost two years and have always been intimidated by riding fixed gear.
My first attempt on the street was uncomfortable so I walked the bike to the local MUP for some practice. After a while I seemed to get the hang of it and headed out for my daily ride. They say that fixed gear is not safe. Well nothing that demands skill is safe and fixed gear demands more skill than coasting. I relied exclusively on the front brake to slow myself. My knees aren't strong enough to slam the rear wheel. I don't know how people can ride these things without brakes. I took it easy and returned home without incident.
There are many things yet to learn. Not sure if I can ride fixed using clipless pedals. I don't quite understand how to unclip while the pedals rotating and taking your foot off the pedals is an experience in itself. But I'm determined to learn. I've decided the pleasure of riding fixed gear is not to be exclusive to the young but also to the young at heart.

chasm54

Good for you.

The answer to how to unclip is simply to bring the bike almost to a halt before doing so, at which point it is no different from a geared bike. I ride mine sometimes with spd, sometimes with clips and (loosish) straps, sometimes with no foot retention at all - though doing the latter does reduce one's confidence a bit when spinning downhill.

I too use brakes, it isn't that I can't stop the bike without them, but it is harder on the knees and no matter what any FG enthusiast tells you, you can't skid stop in as short a distance as you can with the assistance of a front brake. With the brake, a FG is every bit as safe as a freehub/freewheel bike.

Skills to learn to get you comfortable. First, relax and spin down the hills. That's the big one, in terms of enjoyment, and it does take some practice to convince yourself that you really can spin at well north of 150 rpm. Second, trackstanding. It's easier on a FG and does save a lot of clipping in and out. Enjoy.

Frankfast

Not exactly sure what 'trackstanding' means but thanks for the vote of confidence.

chasm54

Trackstanding is being able to balance on the bike when stationary without putting a foot on the ground. Useful at red lights, or when manoeuvering at low/zero speed in stationary traffic. Plenty of youtube videos on how to do it. Takes a couple of hours practice. But if you decide to try it, use platform pedals when practising. You'll be putting your foot down a lot to start with.

OldTryGuy

Balancing the bike in place with falling over. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3KJEN_KrVM

leob1

Why didn't just ride with only the front brake?

Frankfast

Ok, got it. Looks like it will take some practice.

Frankfast

I don't think it's wise to ride single speed without a rear brake.

Frankfast

Thanks, he makes it look easy.

leob1

SS or geared, the front brake is way more usefull than the rear brake. I use the front brake only about 80% of the time. you get most of your brakeing force from the front. If I didn't have a rear brake, I could still ride with just the front.

chasm54

True, that. I'll use the rear on sketchy surfaces, or to scrub off a little speed approaching a bend, but use the front alone most of the time.

Frankfast

I agree but it's the other 20% that's needed in wet or slippery conditions. You need some control of the rear wheel when your environment demands it. That's why on a fixed gear you don't need a rear brake. I don't know about you but I don't want to be speeding down a hill in the rain with only a front brake.

Zinger

At 4:20

sreten

Hi,

You can ditch the rear brake for a SS fixie but not for a SS freewheel.

Both should have a front brake and it should be used a lot.

Slippery is often wet, but wet tarmac is not slippery.

Going down a hill in the wet I'd use front brake only.

rgds, sreten.

chasm54

Do what you want, but you're putting yourself at risk. Wet tarmac most certainly is more slippery than dry tarmac. The reason for using more back brake in these conditions is that a rear-wheel skid is often survivable but if you lose your front wheel you're almost certainly gone. Front brake mainly, if not exclusively, in dry conditions on sound surfaces. Increasing amounts of back brake as the surface gets wetter or, especially, looser.

B. Carfree

Ever have a brake cable fail? For some reason, they only fail when you are using them. I prefer to have at least one more brake than I need. YMMV.

Frankfast

That goes against everything I've ever learned during years spent on a motorcycle. As a matter of fact Moto Guzzi employed a hydraulic system that activated a percentage of the rear brake when pressure was applied to the front brake lever, as a safety feature.
I know I use the rear brake more than most. I find it controls my speed better. However if I need to stop or slow quickly, then yes, the front brake is more effective....unless it's wet.

DiabloScott

I've never used the freewheel side of my flip-flop. I've got both brakes and I use them frequently and whenever I need to, but it's a fun skill to try not to use them. This is my commuter bike and it's sometimes wet but no long hills.

sreten

Hi,

You have got it all wrong whatever you feel most comfortable with.

AFAIK the basic Moto Guzzi system was two discs up front, one
smaller at the rear, the front brake lever being one disc, and
the rear (foot) lever being being both front and rear together.

It is not a case of the the rear being activated as a safely feature,
it is that rear brake only is bad, and the system prevents that.

And your wrong in the wet, the front brake is still miles better.

rgds, sreten.

trackhub

Frankfast,,, Welcome aboard! I have been riding fixed since 2000. I am 56, and see no reason to give it up, just because some perceive it as "too hard".

On riding brakeless: Illegal and just plain stupid. Leave it to the 20-somethings, who seem to have the sad misconception that they are making some sort of political statement
by doing this. Yep, they're making a statement alright.

Clipless pedals: No. never needed them. Toeclips and straps work fine for me.

Give yourself time. You will get sore the first few rides, but this passes, and you will find yourself becoming a better cyclist. It works. You may need to experiment with gearing, depending on where you're riding. I find my 42 x 15 (≈75 inches) works fine for me. More hilly routes would need a lower gear.

Rick@OCRR

I ride fixed with Crank Bros. Egg Beater pedals since they give me four sides per pedal to hit when starting out, easy to un-clip when stopping. I have front and rear brakes but rarely use either one . . . mostly front when I do need brakes. I'm 63 so certainly not a kid! Welcome to the joys of riding fixed! Rick / OCRR

sreten

Hi,

Wet tarmac is not slippery and front brake only will maintain
the maximum grip. Loose sand and wet mud changes things.

I already have tyres with more grip at the front and less at
the rear for good rolling, the rear does "slide" occasionally.

Downhill all front brake is the way to go.

rgds, sreten.

Frankfast

I stand corrected. You are right in that the foot lever activates both the front and rear brake but I believe that you are wrong in stating that the reason for this is because the rear brake only is bad. This system was installed so that under certain conditions (wet) the rider had the option of applying both the front and rear with only one lever. The amount of pressure applied to the front and rear brakes was taken out of the hands of the rider and predetermined by the good people at Moto Guzzi.

Frankfast

Wow, I've never heard that before. Maybe they should wet down the tracks at all the Motogp races before the start or at least the decents in the Tour. Love your confidence.

gregf83 

There's no question that traction goes down when wet (coefficient of friction about 50-60% of dry) but there's still plenty of traction available and really no reason to change your braking style (other than less pressure) when it gets wet. Your car still brakes well in the wet and so do your bike tires. If you really need to panic stop skidding your rear wheel will be controllable but it isn't going to slow you down much. If you need to stop you still should be using mostly your front brake.