ostro

I'm riding along Lake Merced Blvd., minding my own business and some expert riding the bus yells, "Take off your break!" (Im gonna wager he spells it that way)

At first I laughed it off, but then i got to thinking. Why do you really care if i ride with a brake or not? I could give a rats ass what kind of bike this kid rode, whether he had a brake or not, but for some reason this irked me. It's like he actually cared about what i was doing, and because it reflected on him in some way.

I know, it's just one kid out there, claiming to be more punk than me. And i know Im not better than the next guy, but if i wanted to take off my brake, i would have done it a few years ago.

My adivce to you...put a saddle on your seat post and perhaps you wont be so uptight.

diff_lock2

Why don't you take off your brake (break lol)?

Dumpsterlife

who cares...dude was on the bus...tell him to take off his motor

ostro

Because i prefer a shorter stopping distance, the ability to go faster, life, and the likelyhood that i will be riding into old age.

matthavener

trolling from a bus... nice...

ostro

i know...i wanted to yell, go ride your bike. <burn>

blickblocks

Sounds like just a fixter trying to make a joke with another fixter. Why do you have to be so serious? If I was on a bus and saw a fixter riding with a brake I might say the same thing. Or I might yell "GO VEGAN!!"

edit - I should mention that a week and a half ago I was riding near the University Hospitals and this guy yelled from a distance "...siiiiingle speeeeeeed...!"

I laughed and waved.

powerames

basically, it comes down to 'street cred' and the rush. that's it. not having a brake makes you part of the "elite" brakeless crowd, and it's slightly riskier in general than having a brake. that's it. it's for some people, not for others. end of story. if you don't understand it you don't understand it.

doofo

dont worry guys

i yell get a brake to brakeless riders all the time

genericbikedude

he clearly succeeded in ****ing with you.

lyeinyoureye

BuddyMike

I was flipping my wheel to use a different in my driveway a few hours ago and got a "nice bike ******!" from a car window.

gargiulo.mike

i just popped my chain tonight, DAMN im glad i had a brake.

666pack

i popped my chain today when i was skidding into a parking lot... boy i'm glad i could ted shred to a complete stop faster than i ever could have skidded in.

deimos

Was rolling up through the entrance to my large city park here (Liberty Park) with my 9 year old daughter, when from the intersection I hear "BIKES ARE FOR P'USSIES!!" from car window.

I turn around and its actually a couple of good friends of mine. I shot them a very disappointed look and motioned to my daughter, like "wtf man can't you see the kid here??" Hah! My bud ducks down all embarrassed.

Zoe turns to me and says, "Dad, who is that?, I think he said bikes are for p'ussies" I felt terrible.

Thanks MAtt!! moron (jk)

calculus

i have to admit i yell stuff at other people on fixed gears,regardless of me being on a bike at the time or not but its usually limited to "you coulda done that with no hands!"

MLPROJECT

breaks are dumbe

calculus

... or that

shogun17

he was clearly insulting you by yelling single speed because you were on one or he was saying you were on one instead of a fixie.

doofo

srsly stop pretending to ride fixed

Gyeswho

let him be him. i ride with and without one. ridin with is an easier ride while without one is more stress but fun at the same time. but then again its not for all.

roadfix

I caught up the other day to a guy that was riding a single speed road bike. I told him that his bike wasn't fixed.

andre nickatina

i hear people scream 'get a brake!' at me, so don't feel bad because it goes both ways.

blickblocks

I don't see how that's much of an insult, since only us few think fixed is cool. But anyways a fixed gear is still a singlespeed...just a variation, like coaster brake.

That said I think SS is pointless if it's not fixed.

doofo

havent you heard the news
?