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are fixies road legal?

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Old 09-30-08, 12:32 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by uke
Go with two brake. One brake lever just looks dumb, IMO. And it's always better to have more stopping options than fewer.
I connected my rear brake lever to a bell.
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Old 09-30-08, 12:34 PM
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A rear brake capable of making the rear tire skid is dangerous. All you need do is touch it while going around a wet corner and you're going down very hard.
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Old 09-30-08, 02:03 PM
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wow, i actually remember when i was a kid and one of my friends would always be the one who ahd no brakes on his bmx bike. went thru a lot of shoes that summer.
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Old 09-30-08, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by tzwsp4
9-21-11-8. Bicycle to be equipped with bell or similar
device.--A person may not ride a bicycle unless the bicycle is
equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal
audible for a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet. [/URL]
i am a device capable of an audible signal that is pretty loud, and my bike is equipped with me, i wonder if that counts. i can even scream "riiinnnng!" like a bell. i think that law only applies to mutes.
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Old 09-30-08, 02:46 PM
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jam a stick in your spokes, rear wheel only.
 
Old 09-30-08, 02:47 PM
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Originally Posted by MrCjolsen
A rear brake capable of making the rear tire skid is dangerous. All you need do is touch it while going around a wet corner and you're going down very hard.
There are plenty of things that will be dangerous while cornering on wet pavement. I'm not sure that is the best baseline for deciding what is safe to either go on a bike or be done while on a bike.

I personally would much rather feather my rear brake in a wet turn than my front brake. I think that Sheldon and others have waxed on this as well.
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Old 09-30-08, 03:23 PM
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no brake--- ticket
no lights--- ticket
no bike license in Los Angeles ---- ticket
talk back to the officer--- ticket
no ID---- ticket
priors--- ticket
warrents--- jail
whiskey---- Makers Mark...... oooops
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Old 09-30-08, 03:28 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by mander
Basically, the law you cite there is ambiguous and poorly written. It's obviously written by people who don't know much about bikes. It's not even clear whether a brakeless bmx legally has a brake, because you can skid the rear wheel on that kind of setup by jamming a shoe in between the rear wheel and top tube.
Anyone else see something wrong here?




Originally Posted by MrCjolsen
A rear brake capable of making the rear tire skid is dangerous. All you need do is touch it while going around a wet corner and you're going down very hard.
this is ridiculous. how is using a rear brake on a corner any different to resisting on a corner? This is along the same lines as "A front brake will make you go over the bars every time you use it". Learn to ride a bike.

[edit] added quote + rephrased

Last edited by ~Stuart~; 09-30-08 at 03:39 PM.
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Old 09-30-08, 03:59 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by MrCjolsen
A rear brake capable of making the rear tire skid is dangerous.
maybe if you have no idea whatsoever of how to modulate your brakes.

brakes are not off/on.

stop spreading bad advice as well.
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Old 09-30-08, 04:09 PM
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underage--- ticket
going the wrong way ( to avoid peds.) --- ticket
wearing gang colors--- ticket
guilt by association-- ticket
possession-- ticket
no serial on the bike?----- ticket
looking guilty--- ticket
smelling guilty---ticket
fresh paint and wheels--- ticket
interfering with traffic--- ticket
riding on the sidewalk in a bus dist.-- ticket
cant walk the line?---- ticket............................................
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Old 09-30-08, 04:38 PM
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jamming your "shoe" between the "top tube" and the rear wheel----- ya,,,,,, ticket...........
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Old 10-06-08, 07:13 AM
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Originally Posted by solbrothers
bwaahahahahah true that. quicksilver ftw!

Oh that movie is horrible in a funny way. I couldn't keep track of how many times there was something incorrect about the bike that Kevin Bacon had. It was a fixed gear. Then it could coast, then it couldn't, then it could then it couldn't, but it never had brakes.
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Old 10-06-08, 07:33 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by ogbigbird
i am new to the whole fixie thing and am planning to convert my old peugeot to a fixie.

my question is, the california state law for operating a bicycle on the street is that you need to have at least one wheel that can skid on dry pavement to be street legal. must i put on a caliper brake to comply legally, or can i wing it with none? i am missing a crucial piece to be able to put caliper brakes on the rear of my bike, so will front be ok, if not very safe?

thanks for any help.
Dude, build it up with both front and rear brakes, ride it around for a few months, when/if you think your ready to try it with just the front brake go for it if you like it give it another few months, then remove the front (if its legal in your area) then give that a try, if you like it go for it BUT! If you prefer to keep one or even both brakes dont let anyone talk you into NOT keeping them! Do what woks for you or you can go the way of the lemming
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Old 10-06-08, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by ogbigbird
i am new to the whole fixie thing and am planning to convert my old peugeot to a fixie.

my question is, the california state law for operating a bicycle on the street is that you need to have at least one wheel that can skid on dry pavement to be street legal. must i put on a caliper brake to comply legally, or can i wing it with none? i am missing a crucial piece to be able to put caliper brakes on the rear of my bike, so will front be ok, if not very safe?

thanks for any help.
It really bothers me that the title of your thread implies that the word "fixie" does not imply a brake. I ride a "fixie" as do many people I know....and we all have a brake or two.
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Old 10-06-08, 06:52 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by G piny parnas
underage--- ticket
going the wrong way ( to avoid peds.) --- ticket
wearing gang colors--- ticket
guilt by association-- ticket
possession-- ticket
no serial on the bike?----- ticket
looking guilty--- ticket
smelling guilty---ticket
fresh paint and wheels--- ticket
interfering with traffic--- ticket
riding on the sidewalk in a bus dist.-- ticket
cant walk the line?---- ticket............................................
You make me want to leave behind a lifetime of being staunchly anti-establishment and join the army.
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