eXCeSS

I don't know why but my friend and I can't seems to find the answer to this seamingly simple question:

Do fixed-gear bikes coast?
and also:
If you ride breakless, how the hell do you slow down?

Sorry for this but I've been wondering these haha.

adatewithatrain

no. they dont coast. except for yesterday when my chain popped off and i totally coasted an entire block. awesomeness.
breaking invloves several maneuvers of one or a combination of a)back pedaling, b)skidding, c) putting a front break on.

armia

this guy is kidding

r-dub

nah, I don't think so. s/he's got lots of other new-to-biking questions in other forums. Either legit or some strange troll...

as for answers to other questions, see above.

there are a few more ways to stop/slow down when brakeless:
1)go uphill and let gravity work for you
2)find a patch of sand and sink your wheels into it
3)hit something large
4)rig up a complicated remote-controlled netting system everywhere you go
5)uh, the force?

crushkilldstroy

you forgot the "dive into the grass"

andygates

And for that matter, "just stop pushing the pedals and let 'em run down"

Fugazi Dave

Why would you need to stop? Never stop moving! I'm riding as I post this, even. Anything less is slacking!

HereNT

Parked cars and brick walls have always worked for me...

cavit8

A foot in the front wheel also works

jfmckenna

No coasting and no stopping just yell, "No Brakes!!!"

shants

i mean, aren't car doors made for stopping bicycles?

peripatetic

what's a bicycle?

46x17

Remember just because your bike has no handbrake it is not brakeless! Fixies have a drivetrain brake. Not as effective as a front handbrake but effective enough to be legal by many states' vehicle codes.

s2sxiii

I use a small anchor not unlike a dog sled. Plenty of high street potholes to slow me down.

SSSasky

Where on earth did you find an anchor that's like a dog sled?

jim-bob

My dog never wants to stay on the sled.

eXCeSS

ok so they dont coast
i thought so becuase then how the hell would everyone go brakeless

and if i was trolling my questions wouldnt be this pertinent lol

ostro

i ride my fixie along the coast everyday. When i ride breakless for a while it really slows me down, just get soo damn tired, otherwise i use my brake to slow down.

46x17

It is not brake-less, but Hand-brake-less. We have a drivetrain brake.

The more we keep saying brakeless, the more people will think our bikes are dangerous, the more people will think we are suicidal nitwitts, the more will be done to stop thoses bikes. It is time to educate the public.

ostro

we will have to stop saying "breakless" too then, otherwise they will think we are crazy nitwitts.

46x17

Hah didn't even catch that one.

BTW The first modern looking fixed gear bikes were called safety bikes!

TLN

Depends on what angle you hit them at. I prefer to hit the outside vs the inside.......hitting the inside slows you down too much.

pr0tium

using your thumb and forefinger as a brake caliper is usually fairly effective

tbk

inserting your thumb between the tyre and the bottom of fork crown has worked for me a few times. It still smarts a bit though!!

dolface

the only reason they were called safety bikes was because the saddle was closer to the ground than on the penny-farthings, so there was less distance to fall.