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Could we be Nader'd?

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Could we be Nader'd?

Old 03-17-04, 09:12 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by fixedgearhead
I was riding home after a 65 mile road loop the other day and was on one of the local paved bike paths for a 10 mile leg of it, and came up on some guy who was all decked out in a touring bike and bags and Bob Trailer and all the rest of the things necessary to that life style and passed him when he said to me. "You really should call out that you are going to pass someone or you might get slammed down by the person you are passing". The ironic thing was that I did call out that I was passing but what with the high head wind and noise of the Bob Trailer he was hauling he didn't hear me. So rather than try to explain to him that I did call out I just said "That's why I ride a Track bike with no brakes", "So I can avoid the Amateurs". Needless to say he was not amused and I lost what he was saying in the rush of wind as I left him in the dust. Not all people who ride bikes are brethren. Some are what I would call Jerks on 2 wheels.

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Alright, so this dude you're passing didn't do anything wrong. If he didn't hear you then you didn't notify him that you were passing him. At the very least it was a simple misunderstanding, the type that we all deal with every day and move on.

Then you reacted by calling him an "amateur"?!? So touring cyclists are amateurs and fixies are the real thing?

When does the therapy start?
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Old 03-17-04, 09:16 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
A fixed gear does have a brake. If it doesn't, it's not a fixed gear.
What is it?

(And please don't say "track bike")
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Old 03-17-04, 09:25 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Brillig
What is it?

(And please don't say "track bike")
What is what?
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Old 03-17-04, 09:27 AM
  #29  
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I reacted to his rather superior attitude. Yes it was a, "Miscommunication", but he was a Jerk none the less. If therapy is needed, look for some guy with an attitude riding a local bike trail with a bob trailer. His attitude indicated he was somehow in the right. I guess we should all have fog horns mounted on our bikes so that in the event somebody doesn't hear us call out, we can rectify their inabilities. Carry that out to it's logical conclusion. It wasn't a slam on touring riders as I do a fair amount of touring myself. It was a slam on Self Appointed Bicycle Police of whatever stripe. I think everybody should ride their own race, and we would all be better off.

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Old 03-17-04, 09:33 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
What is what?
Originally Posted by William Karsten
"A fixed gear does have a brake. If it doesn't, it's not a fixed gear."

Me:
"What is it?"
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Old 03-17-04, 09:36 AM
  #31  
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The gear itself. Your legs act as the lever and the fixed gear acts as the brake. A more primitive version of the coaster brake you might say.

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Old 03-17-04, 09:38 AM
  #32  
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fixed gear

Originally Posted by Brillig
Originally Posted by William Karsten
"A fixed gear does have a brake. If it doesn't, it's not a fixed gear."

Me:
"What is it?"
It was my understanding that Fixed Gear applied to the Drive System not the stopping system. I have a couple of Bikes that are converts from road bikes and don't run brakes but have brake holes. They are not Track bikes but are in fact Brakeless fixed gear bikes. QED.


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Old 03-17-04, 09:46 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Brillig
Originally Posted by William Karsten
"A fixed gear does have a brake. If it doesn't, it's not a fixed gear."

Me:
"What is it?"
It's a SS or a coaster.
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Old 03-17-04, 09:48 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by fixedgearhead
They are not Track bikes but are in fact Brakeless fixed gear bikes. QED.
Fixedgearhead
CA law says a bike must be equiped with a brake that can cause a skid on dry even pavement. I can lock the rear wheel on my FG and skid. With out shoving my foot in the tire, in the spokes, etc. This is repeatable. Thus, my FG has a brake.

This is my interpratatatatation. Yours, as well as others, may vary.
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Old 03-17-04, 09:49 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by fixedgearhead
It was my understanding that Fixed Gear applied to the Drive System not the stopping system. I have a couple of Bikes that are converts from road bikes and don't run brakes but have brake holes. They are not Track bikes but are in fact Brakeless fixed gear bikes. QED.


Fixedgearhead
I agree.
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Old 03-17-04, 09:52 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
It's a SS or a coaster.
A Single Speed is a bike with a single speed that can coast. It has nothing to do with the brakes, except for the fact that a SS requires brakes.

A fixed gear can have brakes or not, it's still a fixed gear either way.
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Old 03-17-04, 10:09 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Brillig
A Single Speed is a bike with a single speed that can coast. It has nothing to do with the brakes, except for the fact that a SS requires brakes.

A fixed gear can have brakes or not, it's still a fixed gear either way.
Go ahead, split hairs. I'm sure you know what I meant, but only desire to be pendantic, and pick away at any scab you can fine. But, go ahead and split hairs. Just know, it just makes you a comb over freak.

Edit:

I apologize. What I'm trying to say is that a fixed gear with out a "hand brake" is not brakeless, per my opinion. It still has a brake that is operable and fits the discription as required by law.

I'm not sure what your intention is, but based upon previous post, you're some what preditory in your comments. So, I reacted in a manner befiting what you've done in the past.

At any rate, a fixed gear has a brake. If it doesn't. Then it must be a coaster, SS, etc.

My definition. Yours may vary.

And again, I apologize.. I left what I said up above anyway.. 'cause I'm not a post retractor.

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Old 03-17-04, 10:40 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
At any rate, a fixed gear has a brake. If it doesn't. Then it must be a coaster, SS, etc.
Gotcha. Wasn't trying to being predatory, just honestly thought you were talking about an actual handbrake.

My bad.

As for "my past", I think if you go back and reread that thread you might see (in hindsight) that I was only egging you on due to a pretty heavy duty overreaction type post from you. Whatever, I thought that was done with.
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Old 03-17-04, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
Go ahead, split hairs. I'm sure you know what I meant, but only desire to be pendantic, and pick away at any scab you can fine. But, go ahead and split hairs. Just know, it just makes you a comb over freak.

Edit:

I apologize. What I'm trying to say is that a fixed gear with out a "hand brake" is not brakeless, per my opinion. It still has a brake that is operable and fits the discription as required by law.

I'm not sure what your intention is, but based upon previous post, you're some what preditory in your comments. So, I reacted in a manner befiting what you've done in the past.

At any rate, a fixed gear has a brake. If it doesn't. Then it must be a coaster, SS, etc.

My definition. Yours may vary.

And again, I apologize.. I left what I said up above anyway.. 'cause I'm not a post retractor.
We agree that the drive system is a brake by the nature of back peddling
The single speed without a hand brake is by definition an accident waiting to happen.
As to my being a comb over. I have sported a complete shaved head look for low these many years after the thinning of my hair and the only other option being a comb over. That would have been totally unacceptable. I also have a rather fetching handlebar mustache. On my upper lip, not my bicycle.


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Old 03-17-04, 10:51 AM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Brillig
Whatever, I thought that was done with.
Exactly, which is why I went the unusual route to apologize. Bygones are that.
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Old 03-17-04, 10:57 AM
  #41  
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"Regardless of what you think is better, reflectors are passisive and always reflecting. Not the same for your blinkie when it runs out of juice."

Here you go, Mr. Karsten... read up on just how effective reflectors are:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/reflectors.html
I'll take a blinkie any day, and run about three. If the batteries on one go, I'm still running two. I do run reflectors on my regular night rides, but they're not primary. Some of my blinkies even double as reflectors. And reflectors are not always on; they need a light source hitting them to be "on". In other words, they need something to actually reflect. No external light source, no on. Incorrect placement, no on. Passive, my foot-- in the way doing nothing is passive, maybe.

But again, fixies are so far down the list they're unlikely canidates for any kind of intervention-- unlike, say, baby strollers.
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Old 03-17-04, 11:11 AM
  #42  
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Nader'd

I remember the last time I bought a new bike from a dealer when I lived in California,1997. It was a Bianchi road bike that was for my wife. When the salesman delivered the bike after the prep, he handed me the reflectors in a small box, that, By law, are required to be installed on all new bikes that are delivered in California. He said, here, you can install these if you want to. I appreciated that even though it was against the then prevailing law. That is one of the examples of naderism run rampant. I think that if they could, they would try to prevent us from doing anything that they viewed as "Dangerous".
I hope we are flying under the radar when it comes to fixed gear bikes. I know that in Boston, there was an attempt to enforce the law on Brakes attached to fixed gear messenger bikes by the State Legislature as a result of somebody accidentally running down a legislator. If there is one somebody you don't want to hit on a brakeless track messenger bike it is a polititian.


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Old 03-17-04, 11:28 AM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Poguemahone
I'll take a blinkie any day, and run about three. If the batteries on one go, I'm still running two. I do run reflectors on my regular night rides, but they're not primary. Some of my blinkies even double as reflectors. And reflectors are not always on; they need a light source hitting them to be "on". In other words, they need something to actually reflect. No external light source, no on. Incorrect placement, no on. Passive, my foot-- in the way doing nothing is passive, maybe.

But again, fixies are so far down the list they're unlikely canidates for any kind of intervention-- unlike, say, baby strollers.

You miss the point. A reflector is passive. Doesn't need anything to work other than a light source, and thus meets the requirement of the people who decide.
It's not a matter of which is better, because that's known. (A blinkie, of course).

But, assume the kid who's dad buys a bike at Wallly world. Puts it in the garage. No maintance, etc. He'd blame the company for not having reflectors when the battiers died. Just human nature. A reflect will reflect when shined upon. Which is the situation we are talking abouti.
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Old 03-17-04, 11:29 AM
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Originally Posted by fixedgearhead
If there is one somebody you don't want to hit on a brakeless track messenger bike it is a polititian.


Fixedgearhead

Perhaps you want to, just don't want the out come, eh?

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Old 03-17-04, 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
Perhaps you want to, just don't want the out come, eh?
a fixie's not going to kill a politician.



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Old 03-17-04, 11:39 AM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by William Karsten
Perhaps you want to, just don't want the out come, eh?

I definitely would like to hit a few. I can't think of any I would like to "hit on". They have been screwing us all rather regularly if you know what I mean.


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Old 03-17-04, 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by fixedgearhead
I remember the last time I bought a new bike from a dealer when I lived in California,1997. It was a Bianchi road bike that was for my wife. When the salesman delivered the bike after the prep, he handed me the reflectors in a small box, that, By law, are required to be installed on all new bikes that are delivered in California. He said, here, you can install these if you want to. I appreciated that even though it was against the then prevailing law. That is one of the examples of naderism run rampant. I think that if they could, they would try to prevent us from doing anything that they viewed as "Dangerous".
I hope we are flying under the radar when it comes to fixed gear bikes. I know that in Boston, there was an attempt to enforce the law on Brakes attached to fixed gear messenger bikes by the State Legislature as a result of somebody accidentally running down a legislator. If there is one somebody you don't want to hit on a brakeless track messenger bike it is a polititian.


Fixedgearhead
i think i remember reading about this, and i don't think it was a politician. i seem to remember it being some CEO/corporate bigwig type. i bet he/she was walking out into the street from between parked cars (which happens all the friggen time in boston, and they walk out RIGHT the hell in front of you and then get the deer-in-headlights syndrome). either that or the messenger just didn't stop at the crosswalk (which also happens a lot), but most of the time they at least slow down at intersections.

maybe the one i read about was much more recent, but i know that the CEO one was responsible for making all the messengers in boston register with the city and carry a license and courier ID with them at all times. and also wear a big old blaze orange and black number patch on their bag...i think they also had to display a little placard on their bikes too. most either don't do either, or they just put the placard in their spokes.
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Old 03-17-04, 01:34 PM
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It's been 2 years but they made us wear the big ol reflective number on the bag and a big sharp licence plate on our bike. Sharp corners and all, the thing was the size of an automobile plate. I refused to ever put the reflective number on my bag because I do not know any other private working citizen that needs to do such a thing while they are working.
The guy that got hit was William Spring, I think he had something to do with the schoolboard. It's an easy story to find on the net. The doctors had to put him into a coma for some reason ot other, but the press claimed that it was the offduty messenger that did that to him.
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Old 03-17-04, 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by hammye
I refused to ever put the reflective number on my bag because I do not know any other private working citizen that needs to do such a thing while they are working.
Prisoners. Military. Police officers.


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Old 03-17-04, 01:42 PM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by hammye
It's been 2 years but they made us wear the big ol reflective number on the bag and a big sharp licence plate on our bike. Sharp corners and all, the thing was the size of an automobile plate. I refused to ever put the reflective number on my bag because I do not know any other private working citizen that needs to do such a thing while they are working.
The guy that got hit was William Spring, I think he had something to do with the schoolboard. It's an easy story to find on the net. The doctors had to put him into a coma for some reason ot other, but the press claimed that it was the offduty messenger that did that to him.
Story
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