I volunteer in our community bike co-op and am the unofficial senior mechanic... there are times it seems that I live down at the shop and that does happen, especially when I have a project or projects on the go.

We cater primarily to utility cyclists, commuters and students but in the past year have seen an increasing number of people coming in to see the guy who has done more ss and fixed conversions and builds than he can keep track of and to avail themselves of the tools and equipment that is on par with any shop in the city.

We charge a hanging fee of $2.00 and hour for members and $5.00 an hour for non members with a yearly membership fee of a mere $20.00...this is pretty appealing if you don't have a lot of money, lack tools, or need to get advice from folks who know bikes and know riding.

Our new parts are also sold at a very low mark up and we have an incredible parts room that is full to overflowing with good used parts and have a pretty good stash of high end bits and vintage parts..

So last Saturday I had two young fellows come in to build up their fixed gear bikes and they had both bought new wheel sets to fit to some vintage frames. The builds went well and both of the guys were able to ride their bikes out of the shop...both were fitted with front brakes (cause I insist on this) and one of the guys had wrapped his bars.

So tonight naked bar guy comes back with his bars wrapped in some lovely white leather and told me he just could not ride on bare steel as our night time temps are still around or just below freezing... I can understand that all too well.

He also told me that in the past couple of days he had come close to buying the farm 5-6 times and I had to ask him where his brake was (as it had been removed).

He explained that his mates had given him such a hard time about having a brake that he removed it as they had told him real fixed gear riders don't need brakes but had decided that living was better than being cool and that he never should have removed the brake.

This guy needs better friends and he told me that he thought I was a "real" fixed gear rider cause I just about live on my bikes.

And I am a real fixed gear rider... I logged 16,000 km last year with half of those km being done on a number of fixed gear bikes that all happen to be equipped with brakes, some have racks for paniers, most are fendered (cause I will ride in anything), and I have way too many lights and reflectors.

To many roadies, I am a Fred and am definitely not hip.

So I told this nice young guy that when his mates give him a hard time he can do a two fingered track stand or barring that, just tell them to f off cause what works for them might not work for everyone.

This isn't a post about whether you need brakes or not as that debate will never end but rather that one group should not give the other group such a hard time that they end up riding a bike they can't safely handle.

I can skid with the best of them, don't do many tricks, and use brakes as they are the reason I am here to write this post... there have been too many close calls where I know that without a brake I would have ended up as someone's hood ornament or planted myself in someones back seat.

I also ride long distances on a daily basis and can't see myself racking up this mileage without being comfortable and without being able to use that brake to save the legs and knees. Riding around the block without brakes is fine but at mile 99 on a loaded tour or on long descents, that brake is a nice thing to have.

I would not be surprised if this fellow comes back for fenders as he eyed up my fixed gear, drop bar mtb and thought it was pretty bad ass despite the fact it sports a brake, fenders, and has racks so I can do loaded tours a la fixed.

Obligatory bike pics...

My fixed mtb (on the commute)... when it's stripped down it is a blast to ride xc trails.



The fellow's vintage Sekine... this picture taken while work was still in progress but I will get pics when the bike is done.

i never understood this "real fixed riders go brakeless" mentality. since when can people define "real fixed gear riders"? trying to conform to a niche fashion/group = toolbag

people can indeed do what they want with their bikes, but going brakeless is a danger not only themselves but to everyone else on the road.

Like I said... I don't want to rehash the brake vs brake-less issue (even though I am a brake nazi).

That has been done to death and nothing anyone says will change people's minds... and I do have to admit that I have a sweet little ride in the shop that is currently brake less and clip less although it won't stay that way for long.

It's too old and too slow for the track and I already crashed it once when it was a coaster equipped bike...I don't feel like repeating that as I lost a beautiful Ishiwata fork.