i ted shred

That's a bit short sighted.

If I remember correctly an article recently said on average drivers ride 3 inches further away from cyclists without helmets. I'd link it but I'm lazy. Being lazy is also why the brake never went back on after the paint job.

42x17. We have a few hills here.

"I break for hipsters"

I saw that article, pretty interesting. I finally wear a helmet now after 20 something years of not wearing one. A request from family. I would get alot of comments in the world today when I would ride without a helmet, like where the hell is your helmet are you nuts!

I've only been riding fixed for a few months, so i'm still a little shaky and keep the brake on there. I have used it only once, but when i cooled down from the scares, i realized that i reverted to locking up my legs before i even reached for the brake, so i may take it off soon.

Brake. I value my pretty face. I'm also paranoid about my chain exploding, after watching someone else's do just that.

I don't run a brake because my new bike didn't come with a drilled fork, new one is in the mail so I can be safe again. I really dislike riding brakeless.

I ride brakeless, but I realize that I can't stop in quite the time that I can on my road bike (which has brakes. I should say that right now I actually can stop faster on my brakeless fixed gear than on my road bike because the brakes are shot on my road bike, but that's neither here nor there.) and so I tend to ride more cautiously.
Realistically, living in SF and riding my road bike was going to get me killed. There was a false sense of control because I knew (when my brakes were good) that I could stop quickly if I needed to, and I wound up doing stupid things in stupid places. Riding brakeless got me to be more aware (and I've only been riding fixed for about a month, brakeless the whole time) and cautious. I have a much better understanding of what I can and cannot do now.
I doubt I'll ever put brakes on my bike (I've had a few close calls) because it'll become a panic button, and that's not a good idea either.

LOL. I Ride with brakes on my fixed gear and watch the **** out. Seriously. You can still be aware of your surroundings with a brake on your bike and not use it.

You've just been lucky for a month. Put a brake on that fixed gear. You you most likely not use it because you are cautious (slower), but you will still have a brake to bail you out of a close call.

Also, replace your stupid pads on your road bike and you will be much better off.

When I drive, I don't wear a seat belt because it causes me to be more cautious :rolleyes:

http://stupidhurts.org//cpg14/displa...121&fullsize=1
http://stupidhurts.org/wp-content/fl...27-08_1444.jpg
http://stupidhurts.org//cpg14/albums...l__MG_1531.jpg

and yes i ride with brakes
I used to be pretty

Hit a curb face first during an alley cat in atlanta. My bottom teeth went through my top lip after a hipster clipped my front wheel he was riding brake less.

http://stupidhurts.org//cpg14/albums...27-08_1444.jpg

I ride brakeless because I have no regard for my own well being or that of those surrounding me. Seriously. Eff em!

Careful, you're making too much sense in a round-about way.

Brakeless. I used to get around via longboard, so while I enjoy the efficiency of a bike, it's much less enjoyable. I enjoy brakeless for the bit of risk, the need to look ahead and plan things out, and the extra amount of effort that goes into controlling the bike (somewhat) safely. To me, it's a compromise between bombing hills on my board and getting around on a geared bike.

I actually bought a front brake and lever a few months ago, but I've been too lazy to install it. I'll be building up a new bike soonish, and that one will have a front brake for sure. Wet roads are a bit too sketchy for my taste to ride brakeless on, but I'm also afraid that I'll just start getting lazy and rely on the front brake to get down hills instead of backpedaling.

edit: in case anyone is curious, I also sport a helmet and lights.

HATE. hate.

so no brakes on a track bike because it's ridden on the track, got it.

How do track riders come to a stop after a race?
are they skidding to a stop or is the person who held them in place before the race catching them at the end?

This is a serious question

stop pedalling hard and go over to the side of the track, as far as i can tell.

Sack-to-stem skidding, duh. :)

Riding with a brake on the track is illegal, so yes I do ride brakeless.

As said, they just ride around the track until they slow down and then ride up the banks.

I ride brakeless all the time. I can come to a complete stop without brakes. I ride with my fingers up my nose, in my ears, in the air, and even up my arse. If I want to ride brakeless I take my fingers off the levers.

I used to ride brakeless for the longest time, then people invited me for long distance rides. . . I didn't feel comfortable drafting people without a front brake so I got one. Kinda got used to how it looked so it's been on ever since. Doesn't add too much weight either.

I started out with a brake, and once I got really comfortable, and learned how to skid, I took it off.

Brake...just in the front. I know it's not cool and my messenger friends don't but honestly, I could not ride as quickly to get places if I couldn't stop just as quickly when I needed too. Milwaukee drivers suck, and so do the streets in this city

I ride brakeless, because the shop that shipped my bike from DC to Florida for my most recent job cut my brake cable =( Between then (August) and now, I've managed to lose my brakes altogether and honestly when it comes to spending more cash on my bike, I'm thinking I'm gonna want to go with a 17T rear cog before I go with picking up a new brake set.

I ride in DC, high traffic and mostly flat. Knock on wood, I've yet to face any problems so far.

[Update: Come to think of it I almost got doored last summer. Fortunately I was able to swerve out of the way, but swerving+front brake would have surely been necessary if the guy opened his door moments later than he did]