Fixies and Rear Brakes
#27
Veteran Racer
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Posts: 11,757
Bikes: 32 frames + 80 wheels
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1331 Post(s)
Liked 762 Times
in
431 Posts
Hey muckymucky, the rear brake is just to keep the cops away, right? And you'd use a front brake if the fork was drilled, right? Is the Leader your GF's? Just wondering.
#28
The bus, Gus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Posts: 976
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
lmao, are you serious? It's muckymucky, if he had his way, none of his bikes would have ever touched brakes of any kind.
#29
on Baby Charlie Concept~
yea defintely tejano~ if i ever get a factory drilled concept fork~ i think i'd get some mavics with machine surfaces and finally own a front brake setup. so fingers crossed for some future concept/super pista forks that are pre-drilled~
and nah leader is some kid's new bike i tested at Apex Cycles (our local LBS). gf has no bike yet, iro heidi soon is the plan.
and nah leader is some kid's new bike i tested at Apex Cycles (our local LBS). gf has no bike yet, iro heidi soon is the plan.
Last edited by muckymucky; 03-17-10 at 05:44 PM.
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: OR
Posts: 159
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This struck me as a very witty response to an unnecessarily dismissive and condescending remark.
#32
car dodger
My commuter is a '76 fuji track, undrilled so I run a front kierin brake. My "cafe" bike is a '79 raleigh track, on which I run a rear kierin brake. I wanted to keep the front clean looking, but still have some sort of brake option. The rear brake is useful as I can stop quicker using it + my legs than with my legs alone. Though not as quick as with a front brake. It is also useful on steep descents when I don't feel like fighting to stay in control the whole way down with my legs alone.
__________________
1989 Schwinn Paramount OS
1980 Mclean/Silk Hope Sport Touring
1983 Bianchi pista
1976 Fuji Feather track
1979 raleigh track
"I've consulted my sources and I'm pretty sure your derailleur does not exist"
1989 Schwinn Paramount OS
1980 Mclean/Silk Hope Sport Touring
1983 Bianchi pista
1976 Fuji Feather track
1979 raleigh track
"I've consulted my sources and I'm pretty sure your derailleur does not exist"
#33
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
norskagent - Those are some beautiful bikes.
I only have one fg with a rear brake (it also has a front brake) and as a long distance bike that rear brake is great for bleeding off speed and keeping my front wheel from melting on descents.
I only have one fg with a rear brake (it also has a front brake) and as a long distance bike that rear brake is great for bleeding off speed and keeping my front wheel from melting on descents.
#34
Banned.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 87
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
All in all that's neither here nor there, and I honestly feel a bit silly even continuing this tangential discussion considering this is a bike forum, and not some bulletin board set up to facilitate petty squabbles between anonymous internet subscribers.
EDIT: Shinyandfree - if you were referring to my comment as witty and I misunderstood, please disregard the precipitous post!
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 330
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
If you have a good front brake, the rear brake (no matter what type) is basically useless for an emergency stop. A rear brake is more useful for modulating speed or when conditions render use the front brake dangerous (loose gravel). I've ridden fixies with a front and rear brake and with only a front brake. I don't find the rear brake to be of much use. Backpedaling on a fixed gear is basically an appropriate surrogate for a rear caliper. I'll use the rear brake from time to time if I'm being lazy and don't feel like backpedaling to modulate speed, but I really don't feel that its necessary.
#36
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: LA
Posts: 30
Bikes: 78 Raleigh Rampar
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It was only 30 stitches mucky. And yea some of us use rear brakes because we don't feel like drilling holes in our carbon forks.
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Posts: 12,258
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
just because you can hammer in a screw with a wrench, doesn't mean you should.
__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
#38
The bus, Gus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Posts: 976
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#39
on Baby Charlie Concept~
#40
Member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 25
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Front and rear brakes work for me. It's nice to be able to give my hands a break on long downhills and I use the tops of my break levers alot. My rides are pretty long.
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Montreal Quebec, Plateau
Posts: 360
Bikes: 91 bridgestone rb-2, Univega viva sport, 04 masi Nouva Strada,Dave Scott Ironman, Changes like every month
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My post count now reflects how many miles I used to ride in a year.
#42
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
When I stopped driving and went car free I rode as much as I used to drive and just invested in more food to keep my engine running smoothly.
Now that my commute is 30 steps from my back door I ride for fun and utilitarian purposes.
#43
Banned.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 87
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
With payments, insurance, and upkeep running my newish van used to run me $8000.00 a year and even the old Nissan Sentra had to burn a little fuel.
When I stopped driving and went car free I rode as much as I used to drive and just invested in more food to keep my engine running smoothly.
Now that my commute is 30 steps from my back door I ride for fun and utilitarian purposes.
When I stopped driving and went car free I rode as much as I used to drive and just invested in more food to keep my engine running smoothly.
Now that my commute is 30 steps from my back door I ride for fun and utilitarian purposes.
: )
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: perth
Posts: 116
Bikes: pake, surly pacer
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
one thing that hasn't been mentioned is what happens in emergency situations when instinct kicks in.
i have had a couple of freak near misses, dogs suddenly in front of me with no warning, and in each instant i grabbed both brakes. and in both instances i know (well I strongly assume) i would have endoed without the back brake. i was very thankful for both brakes. most riders might have better instincts than me, but i feel the body memory of years of two brakes riding comes back to me despite four odd years of leg stopping. something happens in freak situations that takes us back to what our body kinda does on auto pilot...that's why i never feel quite right with just the front.
i have had a couple of freak near misses, dogs suddenly in front of me with no warning, and in each instant i grabbed both brakes. and in both instances i know (well I strongly assume) i would have endoed without the back brake. i was very thankful for both brakes. most riders might have better instincts than me, but i feel the body memory of years of two brakes riding comes back to me despite four odd years of leg stopping. something happens in freak situations that takes us back to what our body kinda does on auto pilot...that's why i never feel quite right with just the front.
#48
Veteran Racer
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
Posts: 11,757
Bikes: 32 frames + 80 wheels
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1331 Post(s)
Liked 762 Times
in
431 Posts
one thing that hasn't been mentioned is what happens in emergency situations when instinct kicks in.
i have had a couple of freak near misses, dogs suddenly in front of me with no warning, and in each instant i grabbed both brakes. and in both instances i know (well I strongly assume) i would have endoed without the back brake. i was very thankful for both brakes. most riders might have better instincts than me, but i feel the body memory of years of two brakes riding comes back to me despite four odd years of leg stopping. something happens in freak situations that takes us back to what our body kinda does on auto pilot...that's why i never feel quite right with just the front.
i have had a couple of freak near misses, dogs suddenly in front of me with no warning, and in each instant i grabbed both brakes. and in both instances i know (well I strongly assume) i would have endoed without the back brake. i was very thankful for both brakes. most riders might have better instincts than me, but i feel the body memory of years of two brakes riding comes back to me despite four odd years of leg stopping. something happens in freak situations that takes us back to what our body kinda does on auto pilot...that's why i never feel quite right with just the front.
Concerning dogs. It's my experience that dogs will typically not run in front of your front wheel, and will instead let you pass by and then chase after you either from behind or alongside. So the best tactic is to slow down but not stop and simply hold your line and ride by. If the dog is initially in your path, it will simply move aside and then chase. Most dogs just want to chase and won't get aggressive and start biting unless you start kicking at them or spray them. The faster you go the faster they'll go and vice versa, so there's no point in speeding up.
#50
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I live on a busy and well traveled bike route...
Used to ride 30 km a day just to commute and would tack on another 20 for fun and utilitarian purposes.