what like this?
http://anomit.com/wordpress/wp-conte...e-umbrella.jpg

I busted open my chin open doing an endo like this, but I was riding clipless and a car turned in front of me without signaling while I was going 20mph. I grabbed my brake in a panic
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1016/...d1e26b.jpg?v=0

That's why brakeless is better, you would've done a badass hood slide and gotten some street cred in the process.

I wear size 12 hiking boots and they fit fine in large clips/straps. Feel naked when not clipped in, especially on ice.

I'm a courier in Toronto, and I find that oddly enough, riding brakeless is "safer."
Safer in the way that we rely too much on our brakes being there for emergencies, so we don't learn how to anticipate traffic, and we aren't nearly as aware of our surroundings.
Eventually you get a 6th sense about potential problems and avoid them ahead of time.

But brakeless and flats? Ummm... that's kinda dumb.

BTW @ Gyeswho
I had something similar when I had a front brake, but I broke my wrist.

umm no I would have slammed straight into the door or the car. I ride brakeless as well and understand what you're saying, but in the long run brakes will always trump brakeless (think about it from your knees' perspective;))

OH ****T, Gyeswho. that's a nasty ass chin split.

i'm definitely an advocate of brakeless, even when i used to work. when i did rock a brake when i started, i would grab it instinctively and inevitably do an endo. the trick is to roll and let your bag take the brunt of the blow.

i've definitely skidded into people/cars/intersections, but i believe skidding into a collision is generally better than flying straight off the front of your bike, more of your force is displaced by turning as you skid and you can usually control where your impact will occur. if you're in mid air it's left in the hands of the bike gods.

btw, i don't think dude needs any street cred with a filthy wound like that.

it'd be kinda cool if this turned into a wound thread. show off your scars.

^ ^ I had a chin that looked just like that! Except mine was split a little to my right. It's really bad when quick release wheels decide to release without your knowledge ;)

I ride brakeless from time to time just to keep it varied. By doing that it trained me to not rely so much on my brakes anymore and have a wide vision of situational awareness, but I use them exclusively when going down hills, which is a big reason why I am for brakes. It makes sense though what you're saying.

by the way, I'm not trying to sound like a nerd but those penny farthings aren't fixies, thats a direct drive, like a big wheel (holla), not a fixed
a track bike has a chain by definition.

nah, if you're a messenger, it makes sense. saving your knees and all that. i talked to this old head messenger a couple years ago and he was like "dude, you better start riding a freewheel, you don't want my knees." that kinda made me stop and think.

not to mention, if you are an effective fixed gear rider AND you have a front brake, you can stop quicker. see the sticky thread on braking physics.

People on this thread who are advocating brakeless over using a brake for safety reasons... You sound like you need to learn how to use a brake better.

you sound like you need to ride in heavy traffic more. bang some doors. get some taxi yellow paint on those handlebars. hollah. i got you.

Sounds like lots of folks forgot the first time they tried to get strapped in on a fixed wheel...People have to start somewhere and build up to foot retention and brakeless. Just a thought...

You should try putting your ass over your rear wheel

That and feathering, which if you're used to doing you use even in panic situations.

the problem was I was coming down a slope which exasperated the flip. The situation itself happened fast because I was going fast, and the driver was turning slowly into my path

I actually know these two guys who started out brakeless and didn't even know how to skip/skid. I had to teach them immediately because I thought they were crazy for not learning at least those two basics

You from Montgomery County? (610)? I used to live in Lafayette Hill.


Anyway, OP, and whoever...I've ridden clipless for years now so I don't have much of an opinion. But...I did ride a century for charity when I first got my fg bike and didn't have the straps on. It was plenty fine for me. I don't really see the necessity when it comes to regular around town riding or commuting. In fact I've seen people fall more from being clipped in because they forget to take their foot off properly when stopped and they fall like timber.

honestly, without straps on a fg, you should know how to do the underside of the pedal skid if you go that route. it takes a lot of timing and practice, but I don't recommend riding without straps to a beginner because there needs to be some kind of foot retention while riding before they get used to not coasting.

the other important thing to try and master is trackstanding. Those who you saw fall, probably haven't learned how to do it. Whenever I say trackstanding I mean knowing how to do it in all 4, yup that's right, 4 positions (both the regular version, with the wheel turned in the direction of your forward foot, and "irregular" version, where the wheel is turned toward the foot that is in the back.

Failing that, powergrips will accept some big ass footwear

Why is foot retention such a big deal. I'm sure it's perfectly possible with a decent pair of platform pedals.

Ladies and gentlemen,
brakeless and no foot retention jackass #1

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...93148_7793.jpg

Toss one small rock or pothole plus a bit of speed into the equation and your point is moot.

yahnming:

Also, as for brakeless being safer? Your argument makes no sense. Kind of like how cars are safer without airbags and seatbelts?

I mountain bike most of the time with platforms and go over much bigger stuff than a small pebble or pothole. So why is it any different for fixed?

I'm not just being a troll, I'm actually curious because I'm building a fg/ss soon and wasn't planning on using any foot retention.

well, say you take your foot slides off the pedal for a fraction of a second. Since you are moving, the pedal comes around and gets ya. Add in some gnarly pins/steel cages and you will now have a nice open wound ;)