Are Fixies Legal?
05-04-19, 05:17 AM
#51
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/thread.
Seriously, that's not just a Georgia thing. Its true here in CA as well and I suspect every state in the union. If you ride of the roads you have to have at least the one break.
So true. Cops can write tickets for all sorts of cockamamie things, but that doesn't make them valid or always legal.
Seriously, that's not just a Georgia thing. Its true here in CA as well and I suspect every state in the union. If you ride of the roads you have to have at least the one break.
So true. Cops can write tickets for all sorts of cockamamie things, but that doesn't make them valid or always legal.
05-04-19, 07:24 AM
#52
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05-04-19, 02:13 PM
#54
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05-06-19, 11:14 AM
#55
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wle
05-06-19, 11:18 AM
#56
Jim
Michigan laws only require you have a brake that can skid the bike. Is it enforced?... never seen it happen.
If a Fixie rider can skid his back wheel, I'm sure the cop would find that sufficient.
There are so many kids on BMX bikes who strip off their brakes to be cool... it just frightens me, especially when they ride at night wearing dark clothing.
If a Fixie rider can skid his back wheel, I'm sure the cop would find that sufficient.
There are so many kids on BMX bikes who strip off their brakes to be cool... it just frightens me, especially when they ride at night wearing dark clothing.
05-06-19, 05:33 PM
#57
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I think you are mistaken. Here is the requirement in Georgia:
Ga. Code Ann., § 40-6-296§ 40-6-296. Lights and other equipment on bicycles; helmets by persons under 16 years of ageCurrentness(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a light on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of 300 feet to the front and with a light on the back which shall emit a red light visible from a distance of 300 feet to the rear. Any bicycle equipped with a red reflector on the rear that is approved by the Department of Public Safety shall not be required to have a light on the rear of the bicycle.(b) Every bicycle sold or operated shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level pavement.(c) No bicycle shall be equipped or operated while equipped with a set of handlebars so raised that the operator must elevate his or her hands above the operator’s shoulders in order to grasp the normal steering grip area.(d)(1) No person under the age of 16 years shall operate or be a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, bicycle path, bicycle lane, or sidewalk under the jurisdiction or control of this state or any local political subdivision thereof without wearing a bicycle helmet.(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term “bicycle helmet” means a piece of protective headgear which meets or exceeds the impact standards for bicycle helmets set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the Snell Memorial Foundation.(3) For the purposes of this subsection, a person shall be deemed to wear a bicycle helmet only if a bicycle helmet of good fit is fastened securely upon such person’s head with the straps of such bicycle helmet.(4) No bicycle without an accompanying protective bicycle helmet shall be rented or leased to or for the use of any person under the age of 16 years unless that person is in possession of a bicycle helmet at the time of the rental or lease.(5) Violation of any provision of this subsection shall not constitute negligence per se nor contributory negligence per se or be considered evidence of negligence or liability.(6) No person under the age of 16 failing to comply with any provision of this subsection shall be fined or imprisoned.Ga. Code Ann. § 40-6-296 (West)
There does not seem to be any specific requirement that the brake be mounted on a particular wheel. And FWIW, the requirement is identical to California's.
There does not seem to be any specific requirement that the brake be mounted on a particular wheel. And FWIW, the requirement is identical to California's.
05-06-19, 06:08 PM
#58
Junior Member
My economy bike has a disc brake in front and calipers in the rear. The disc brake does not quite make the front wheel skid but the rear brake does and I think it is because the mechanical advantage of the brake on the rim make it a more effective lockup brake. I had contemplated a disc in the rear, but this is complicated, expensive, and probably would leave the rear brake unable to lock the rear wheel.
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05-06-19, 07:23 PM
#59
Member
Since pedal pressure can lock the rear wheel and cause a skid, that legally counts as a "brake."
05-07-19, 01:03 PM
#60
Senior Member
On a fixed gear bike all you do is push back on the pedal to stop. Actually works better than the hand ones. Most kids bikes you learn on are like that. I didn't have hand breaks until I was a teen, after I had outgrown my lilac colored sting ray. LOL
I just realized as I glanced over to my Day 6 Big red bike, it actually reminds me of my first bike, the old Stingray. Same handlebars. Well almost these have a teeth knocking bar across the top, but its the perfect place to put the headlight and flashing light for night riding.
I just realized as I glanced over to my Day 6 Big red bike, it actually reminds me of my first bike, the old Stingray. Same handlebars. Well almost these have a teeth knocking bar across the top, but its the perfect place to put the headlight and flashing light for night riding.
Last edited by Marci; 05-07-19 at 01:12 PM.
05-07-19, 01:32 PM
#61
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The only reason not to have brakes, apart from on the track, is style. I can understand the visual appeal of a minimalist stripped to the bone bike, but if I'm on the road, I want to be ready to deal with the unforeseen: the kid or dog who runs out, the car that pulls out at the last moment, the pothole or patch of gravel just round a bend, or the style-obsessed solipsist on a bike with no brakes who sails out of a side road assuming that no one else is there.
Even if you can do it on your fixed gear bike, skidding is not as efficient as braking under control, which is why they developed ABS for cars and motorbikes, rather than automatically locking brakes— which would have been far easier to invent.
I can ride uphill and down, on and off road, urban and rural, for an hour without touching the brakes on my fixed, but they do me no harm when I'm not using them, and one day might save my life or someone else's.
As for legality: that will vary with different jurisdictions. Surely someone rebellious enough to ride a brakeless fixie doesn't worry about legality? <wink>
Even if you can do it on your fixed gear bike, skidding is not as efficient as braking under control, which is why they developed ABS for cars and motorbikes, rather than automatically locking brakes— which would have been far easier to invent.
I can ride uphill and down, on and off road, urban and rural, for an hour without touching the brakes on my fixed, but they do me no harm when I'm not using them, and one day might save my life or someone else's.
As for legality: that will vary with different jurisdictions. Surely someone rebellious enough to ride a brakeless fixie doesn't worry about legality? <wink>
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05-07-19, 09:09 PM
#62
☢
The only reason not to have brakes, apart from on the track, is style. I can understand the visual appeal of a minimalist stripped to the bone bike, but if I'm on the road, I want to be ready to deal with the unforeseen: the kid or dog who runs out, the car that pulls out at the last moment, the pothole or patch of gravel just round a bend, or the style-obsessed solipsist on a bike with no brakes who sails out of a side road assuming that no one else is there.
Even if you can do it on your fixed gear bike, skidding is not as efficient as braking under control, which is why they developed ABS for cars and motorbikes, rather than automatically locking brakes— which would have been far easier to invent.
I can ride uphill and down, on and off road, urban and rural, for an hour without touching the brakes on my fixed, but they do me no harm when I'm not using them, and one day might save my life or someone else's.
As for legality: that will vary with different jurisdictions. Surely someone rebellious and stupid enough to ride a brakeless fixie doesn't worry about legality? <wink>
Even if you can do it on your fixed gear bike, skidding is not as efficient as braking under control, which is why they developed ABS for cars and motorbikes, rather than automatically locking brakes— which would have been far easier to invent.
I can ride uphill and down, on and off road, urban and rural, for an hour without touching the brakes on my fixed, but they do me no harm when I'm not using them, and one day might save my life or someone else's.
As for legality: that will vary with different jurisdictions. Surely someone rebellious and stupid enough to ride a brakeless fixie doesn't worry about legality? <wink>
05-08-19, 07:53 AM
#63
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You cats who are saying that pedaling backwards counts as a brake are really just reaching. It's not like a coaster break, it's more like dragging your feet or jamming your foot against a tire to stop. It's not actually a brake.
My original question was pretty simple; "Are fixed-gear bikes legal?". Here in GA, they ain't, but I doubt I'll actually get a ticket were I to chose to ride one (Single speed: YES, Fixed Gear: Not so much...I had one when I was a kid then I grew up. It was called a BIG WHEEL).
My original question was pretty simple; "Are fixed-gear bikes legal?". Here in GA, they ain't, but I doubt I'll actually get a ticket were I to chose to ride one (Single speed: YES, Fixed Gear: Not so much...I had one when I was a kid then I grew up. It was called a BIG WHEEL).
05-08-19, 08:26 AM
#64
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The laws as written above call for a brake that enables the operator to make the braked wheel skid -- a brake is defined as a device for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, typically by applying pressure to the wheels. A fixed gear is a mechanism that fits this definition and meets the requirements of the written law, so it's actually pretty tough to make a convincing argument that they're not legal. Jamming your foot against the tire or dragging your feet on the ground would not fulfill the law's requirements because the bike is not equipped with feet.
05-08-19, 11:31 AM
#65
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My original question was pretty simple; "Are fixed-gear bikes legal?". Here in GA, they ain't, but I doubt I'll actually get a ticket were I to chose to ride one (Single speed: YES, Fixed Gear: Not so much...I had one when I was a kid then I grew up. It was called a BIG WHEEL).
In the UK, a fixed gear counts as one brake, but you are also meant to have a conventional brake on your front wheel. In normal riding on any bike, your front brake does most of the stopping.
If someone chooses to rely on skidding their back wheel instead, they are making a lot of sacrifices (stopping distance, control, cost of tyres, possible prosecution after an accident) but gaining "simplicity and style". Each to his or her own, but I think there is no justification for not fitting two conventional brakes on every bike. There are rationalisations, of course.
05-08-19, 11:37 AM
#66
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A lawyer once said to me, "Whether it's legal or not doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is whether I can beat it in court."
-Tim-
-Tim-
05-08-19, 11:45 AM
#67
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Riding brakeless is a young man's game. Like stairs.
I'm with Knope on this one.
I'm with Knope on this one.
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05-08-19, 12:18 PM
#68
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You cats who are saying that pedaling backwards counts as a brake are really just reaching. It's not like a coaster break, it's more like dragging your feet or jamming your foot against a tire to stop. It's not actually a brake.
My original question was pretty simple; "Are fixed-gear bikes legal?". Here in GA, they ain't, but I doubt I'll actually get a ticket were I to chose to ride one (Single speed: YES, Fixed Gear: Not so much...I had one when I was a kid then I grew up. It was called a BIG WHEEL).
My original question was pretty simple; "Are fixed-gear bikes legal?". Here in GA, they ain't, but I doubt I'll actually get a ticket were I to chose to ride one (Single speed: YES, Fixed Gear: Not so much...I had one when I was a kid then I grew up. It was called a BIG WHEEL).
05-08-19, 10:36 PM
#69
Senior Member
You don't have to get around it because no one cares. And if you have a front brake, no one is really going to care even more if something were to occur.
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05-08-19, 10:44 PM
#70
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I glean from that his point was that the law is open to interpretation? But the judge is no fool. The juries however, are a troop of monkeys, which can be swayed either way depending on the amount of Jedi mind tricks you know. "A jury of your peers" is the most frightening phrase in American English.
05-09-19, 08:19 AM
#71
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I glean from that his point was that the law is open to interpretation? But the judge is no fool. The juries however, are a troop of monkeys, which can be swayed either way depending on the amount of Jedi mind tricks you know. "A jury of your peers" is the most frightening phrase in American English.
He loved and had absolute faith in "The common man" and that's why his image is on the penny which is the most common coin.
As for brakes, from both a legal and practical perspective, I think reasonable people can agree that it is better to have and not need then to need and not have.
Personally, I don't skid $35 tires. They wear out fast enough on their own.
-Tim-
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05-09-19, 09:42 AM
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I glean from that his point was that the law is open to interpretation? But the judge is no fool. The juries however, are a troop of monkeys, which can be swayed either way depending on the amount of Jedi mind tricks you know. "A jury of your peers" is the most frightening phrase in American English.
05-14-19, 12:59 AM
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Here in DK the only requirement is that you have a backup for the front brake, so if that is a pedalbrake or a rear brake, that is all good.
05-15-19, 08:29 AM
#74
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FG riders are capable of slowing/Skidding the rear wheels thru the cranks and the front brake caliper together qualifies if what the OP posted was word for word of the law.The Cranks IMHO represent the mechanical means of braking the rear wheel.I personally don’t ride brakeless since my age makes it less feasible.I hate pain and try to avoid it at all costs lol.
