Originally Posted by JohnDThompson (Post 21179433)

To be fair, I didn't see anyone actually stop in that video, and in one clip, around the 4 minute mark, the clip ends just before it appears the rider is about to slam into the guardrail.

Originally Posted by Happy Feet (Post 21181102)

I think one thing that happens with FG's in discussion and media is that the tool gets confused with the activity, sort of like skateboards. The bike itself, if used appropriately, isn't that bad - even with no brakes (note I said appropriately). The problem is that they are often used by people engaging in risk taking activities. They see the NewYork alley cat videos and want to replicate that image or vibe. The problem in this article wasn't the bike with no brakes (assuming it was intentionally FG and not just broken). It was blowing the intersection. Brakes or not, that's a bad idea. We don't know if that happened because of the bike or because of the riders decision making process.

I think FG's are a great tool for teaching riders to be actively engaged in what they are doing. You have to be aware of your surroundings, the terrain, effort, judgement of distance, muscle control etc... In my case I added the front brake because my honest assessment says I did not have the prerequisite skill to stop safely on hills (and the fact I have traction tires that don't skid). But when I ride, my operational goal is to not use the brake at all if I can help it. It will eventually become like a helmet, there for safety but not something I actually use to remain safe.

Originally Posted by Happy Feet (Post 21181738)

I'm sorry, the five minutes is up.

Originally Posted by livedarklions (Post 21181742)

That was still never 5 minutes and the parrot is deceased.

Originally Posted by badger1 (Post 21182527)

Yes it was, and no he isn't -- he's just restin'.

Originally Posted by livedarklions (Post 21182544)

Anticipating bf by about 30 years: https://vimeo.com/56525357

Originally Posted by livedarklions (Post 21176549)

And going downhill, getting into a skid requires you to overcome a bunch of momentum pushing the pedals forward. Definitely takes longer than engaging a brake. Any assertion otherwise is absurd.

Originally Posted by tgenec86 (Post 21174677)

I'm a curmudgeon. If I ride a fixie it's on a track and we call them "Track Bikes" instead of being edgy and hip.

Originally Posted by Miele Man (Post 21177433)

I've seen pseudo fixies with a cog screwed onto a freewheel hub (no freewheel though) and then a bottom bracket adjustable cup ring tightened up against that cog. I guess the rider rides a bit in a quiet area to tighten the cog and then retightens the lockring. I wonder just how secure that really is. I think there's a good reason why the lockring of a true fixed gear hub screws on differently than the cog does.

Cheers

Originally Posted by wolfchild (Post 21182729)

That's the reason why I have front and rear brakes on my fixed gear bike...If I know that I am in a situation where resisting the pedals won't stop me in time, I use a little assistance from my brakes...My personal opinion on skidding is that it's dumb and all it does is wear out your tire faster.

Originally Posted by Happy Feet (Post 21182947)

I am sometimes prone to a different form of distracted driving

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a9726309_c.jpg

Originally Posted by livedarklions (Post 21183650)

Agreed that riding on that without a brake on that is a lot different from doing so on a road or an urban path.

If nothing else, any small increase in risk you're taking by doing so is almost entirely on you, not a pedestrian or other cyclist. But yeah, not a lot of emergency stopping needed in a place like that.

Originally Posted by Happy Feet (Post 21183780)

I am blessed to live in primo cycling territory. I live on the side of a wide squat mountain with an extensive mtb trail system just above me, three up and over transits for hill climbing and two prairies on either side for riding on rural low traffic flats. each prairie is hemmed by dike systems so there's also miles and miles of gravel.