bwilli88 

Anyone riding fixed without foot retention but using brakes front and rear?
Any reasons for requiring riding fixed with foot retention?
Do you need to have retention when you have brakes?

veganbikes

I did try that when I first started riding fixed and I DO NOT recommend it. Maybe I might consider trying it with my Stamp 7s as at the time I was using some cheaper platforms with less grip but I would rather just have my SPD pedals which make riding fixed a lot easier.

I remember going down a hill and slipping off and having a lot of trouble getting back on the pedals and didn't feel safe. Obviously I did survive or my ghost is running this account and has been since it started.

The only time to ride brakeless is on a track where everyone is doing the same thing in the same direction.

JohnDThompson 

If you have caliper brakes, there's no compelling reason to have foot retention. I prefer to have foot retention just to stabilize my foot on the pedal, but it's not strictly necessary.

TomPalmer

No reason you need foot retention for fixed gear. I have been riding fixed 20 years and no longer use any retention but like large grippy pedals.
Brakes are a good idea for most riders- some just want to be cool going brakeless. It just take time to learn the technique for brakeless.
I run brakes front and back just for more control.
Experience is the best teacher.
Tom Palmer

GENESTARWIND

That is some bad advice.
If you like your shins, some type of retention is recommended be it cages, straps or clipless pedal/shoe combo. Even with brakes. The more control you have over your bike the better when riding fixed gear

EJM73

I ride with SPD pedals and brakeless. I do live in a very rural area which makes it easy to ride. I have only skidded a couple of times and that was just to try it.

ThermionicScott 

If you spin high RPMs, things can go wrong really fast if a foot slips off a pedal. Even something like Power Grips would be a good idea.

TomPalmer

Opinions vary. It is a skill anyone can learn. I have ridden many years fixed without retention and never an issue with my shins.
Tom

79pmooney

+1 I've ridden gears like 42-17 forever. Always had hills nearby. Love going down fast. (Well I'm 70 now and I back off a lopt frm my younger days but cars still pull up and tell me I"m going close to 40.)

40 RPM in that gear is 200 RPM. Getting hit in the Achilles by the pedal coming (driven by all your and the bike's weight and torqued up with the gearing) around is going to be life changing. I go down those hills on traditional pedals with rattraps and the old fashioned slotted cleats, toeclips and straps pulled tight so my foot is still on that pedal after I uncleat. (I uncleat, heart jumps into my mouth, I brake and bleed a little speed, slide my foot forward and back in, swallow that heart and continue. No harm done.

GENESTARWIND

I knew many people who rode motorcycles in az without helmets and they didn't die, doesn't mean it's something I'd suggest.

TejanoTrackie 

Not necessary until your foot/feet come off the pedal(s) at high speed/rpm. Then it becomes a very compelling reason.

TomPalmer

Not really a good comparison, but I see your point. All I am saying that retention is not necessary to ride fixed gear if you just learn how to do it well. Spinning out is not fun and can cause trouble, but usually for inexperienced riders or not using adequate pedals and shoes. Good flat pedals and sticky shoes will keep your feet on the pedals at high rpms, but you still need to work at developing the skill to do so.
Tom Palmer

Senrab62 

Just like your scenario of "grippy shoes" and "grippy pedals" doesn't always work with rain, dust, mud, cold, etc. Me focusing on keeping my feet on the pedals, is likely not the best use of my energy, power, or focus.

For over 100 years, retention of some sort has been the standard, norm, and best practice for riding fixed gear.

I'm 220+ and put down some watts, and can spin, and I consider myself skillful. I'd never consider a reason to not have foot retention, because the cons outweigh the pros. In fact, once one has the skill to clip in, or flip a pedal, I cannot think of any pros to not having retention at all vs having some form. Can you?
​​​​​​

TomPalmer

Yes. Foot comfort being #1. Wearing something with a flexible sole is more comfortable for me. Being able to have my foot in more than 1 position on the pedal is more comfortable. Once I gave up on retention for most riding, I do not have cramps in my feet or calves. I still ride clipless on mountain bikes once in a while, but usually good flat pedals.
#2 would be just wearing shoes easy to walk in vs clipless shoes.

I was responding to the original questions-
Anyone riding fixed without foot retention but using brakes front and rear? I am the anyone not riding fixed without retention- it is more enjoyable for me.
Any reasons for requiring riding fixed with foot retention? There are no reasons for me that require riding fixed with foot retention.
Do you need to have retention when you have brakes? You do not need retention, period. It is a preference for many, just not me.

Sorry if my experience strike some so negatively. There are many ways to enjoy our bikes, the "rules" are not enforceable unless you are racing.

Tom

bwilli88 

I ask because it hurts my knees to be clipped in and try to rotate my ankle/leg to unclip.
Also, I have ridden over 60km and only had a total rise and fall of 120m. Here in Cambodia, I am not worried about spinning out

TejanoTrackie 

Just some observations regarding clipless pedals. I find it much easier to unclip by rotating my heel inward rather than outward. Also, most pedals allow you to adjust the effort required to unclip, and since you apparently are not worried about unclipping accidentally, you could set this adjustment to the minimum level to make unclipping easier. When I raced on the track I had the unclipping setting very high, but on the road it is much lower.

seat_boy

I don't use clipless anymore with my fixed gear, just grippy pedals and shoes. Sometimes Crocs.

The key point is I have brakes front and rear, so I can control my legs from spinning more than I want to. I've never had an issue.

stevel610 

I have cages on the one fixed. The other has wide platforms with spikes - which I usually ride SS. Both bikes have 2 brakes.

While I also have a road bike with clipless, I usually ride it on the platform side as clipless winds up making my knee hurt.

bironi

That's a lot of trust in yourself. I'm also over 70, but I prefer clipless pedals with easy entry and exit. I have a partial knee replacement 10+ yrs ago. I release my feet from the pedals on steep descents, just trying to get maximum years on that joint. I used to stay clipped and hit 40+.

GENESTARWIND

you can adjust cleats and exit/entry angle with clipess. tension as well.

GENESTARWIND

along with adjusting pedal stroke, saddle position, extension. you shouldnt have any issues with knees using clipless.

GENESTARWIND

well retention while riding fixed might not be needed in your eyes. from a safety standpoint it is. having control of what youre riding is necessary. especially on a fixed gear bike. ability to brake safely and control what youre riding.

dont equate to what youre doing and what youve gotten away with to being safe or thinking its ok to give beginner or newer riders advice just because you havent gotten hurt yet.
if one is riding fixed gear outside of an enclosed space like a veledrome and public streets means they should have brakes and foot retention. front and rear brakes but atleast a front brake at minimum. especially in traffic.

79pmooney

Unless you are one of those oddballs that likes going fast downhill. There are humans that have this odd love of going as fast as they can downhill. Seems to be a trait from birth. If you happen to be one of such people, pedal retention can mean not being struck in the Achilles by a steel pedal driven by the weight of you and your bike.

I have had cars pull up and tell me I"m going 40 mph. In a 42-17 gear, 67 gear inches. That's 200 RPM. If I were to slip off a pedal, that pedal strike would not be fun. Probably lead to a nasty crash also but years later, that pedal strike is going to still have consequences long after the bones have healed from the crash. I only ride my fix gears with toeclips and quality leather straps in good condition. With traditional slotted cleats. But the strap is more important. Cleats can come out. I want my foot to never leave the pedal when I am at speed.

Edit: Bah! I answered this thread already. Oh well.

storckm

Are you using toe clips or some sort of clipless pedal? I ride toe clips, but I don't tighten them, which gives me some room to move my feet around now and then.

Asi

I ride without any foot retention. But keep in mind i do this on my own risk.. It's not advisable for most.

I found it to be working without due to the low gear ratio (42tx13t). Easy enough to climb hills in my town, speedy enough to go up to 50km/h downhill without over-spinning issues. I have front brake (skidding does not work well with my gear ratio)