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Well living in a really hilly area of LA I've learned when you're going downhill you check your speed by skipping. Also if you're giong to go brakeless you should do so with a gear that you can easily control. Last Friday I did Critcal Mass brakeless and we went down quite a few pretty gnarly hills, I felt fine, at no point did I spin so fast I couldn't bring myself under control, then again I run 41x14. If you're having probs and you're spinning out of control you might want to look into dropping your gearing.

Then again if you don't usually hit hills, I guess the point is moot. *shrugs*

granted i dont live in san fran but gainesville has some decent hills and from my experience there are no hills that you cant manage as long as you ****** your cadence. (yeah, thats funny sounding) but, if you let yourself get out of control on a downhill, then yeah, you're Fed... but if you exercise judgement (which should be always!) then you should never have a problem with any downhills. riding brakeless is interesting in the fact that your decisions take time to come to term. your attitude riding must be focused on what's ahead of whats ahead.... thats twice over. never look down and always perceive the concenquences of your actions. ok, peace and hair grease, i'm out.

learn to slalom...then you could even do the steepest moguls and triple black diamonds.

Do other people a favour and get yourself a brake. You said it yourself, what do you think would've happened had a pedestrian or some kid get in the way and you couldn't do jack about it.

you just gotta push them out of the way. Its not so hard once you get the hang of it!

I've seen videos of a fixie rider about to get doored, but he reaches over the handlebars and slams the door before he hits it. You should do that with the children. Slam them i mean.

The key to big hills (I have some very extended hills, though not terribly steep) is to keep your speed under control from the beginning. If you go fast at the top, then try to slow, you can be in big trouble. By staying mellow from the top, there's never a problem. However, fast dips and hills on a fixie feels fantastic. A good way to really experience the fixie flow.

PS. I ride with an emergency brake, but try to avoid using it, even on the steepest hills.

some people know how to do it. others know how and don't want to. most of us pretend to know how and don't...

riding monstertrack this year, the light turned red on lexington, and a guy in front of me swung his bike around, going from at least 15 mph to stopped in a fraction of a second. if i knew how to do that, i'd have left my brake off.

The debate makes it even to this thread. Folks, just because riding brakless isn't for you please stop berating and proselytizing. Some of us ride brakeless and most of us that do know what we're doing. Some of us ride with brakes and that's fine too, we're all the same here, now lets get back to making fun of roadies and recumbant riders...dang!

you can't make fun of bent riders... they are just too eccentric

A number of years ago I foolishly came out of my pedals down a steep hill and the hill flattened out enough where I could get back into my pedals and regain control. I did have a brake but if I would have made one wrong move during that dive bomb I would've been toast!

Last Oct. I did an alleycat and one guy riding a brakeless fixie did the same thing coming out of his pedals down a long hill in the left-hand lane in heavy traffic. Nothing bad happened thankfully but these guys are taking chances! I was scared ****less for him!

One footed skids aren't just for show

(First post here, i think)

1. Make sure you never go down any hills you'd have trouble going up.

2. If as I do, you live in SF, use a less macho gear ratio.

3. Keep an "oh ****!" lever on your handlebars until you've gone at least three months without an "oh ****!" moment!

hey, I'd like to see that video of the guy slamming the car door before while riding. and links?

and when you do a 1 footed skid, where does your other foot go? just dangling out there or do you do that thing where you drag it along the tire?

That sounds freeaaking scary! Good thing you made it!

i was thinking about mounting a brake lever on my top tube right in front of my junk for long rides with hills.

I've heard of something like that in the "anti-Fahrenheit 9/11" movie "America's Heart and Soul." Imdb says that guy would be John 'Yac' Yacobellis. Never heard of him.

What happens when you snap a chain?

Kevin Bacon rear dismounts aren't just for show

Well I just threw a chain going downhill today and I'm alive to tell about it. It's really not that big a deal. I just put my feet down and let the sparks fly.

am i right in remembering you posting that you did this recently? it happened again?

Last time I unthreaded my cog, today I threw my chain. I have bad bike karma.

for a brakeless-hill-bombing emergency (if you're wearing gloves or if your hands don't feel pain) you can brake with your hand on the front wheel (in front of the fork!) or take your feet out of the pedals, place them on the fork crown and brake with your heels on the tire …both methods require a fine touch. othewise …face on ground.

Best advice for brakeless hill bombing: Turn right!!! I have always been brakeless but i normally keep my gear ratio in check. 42-14, then 46-15, then 48-17. BUt because of new cranks im pushing 53-17 untill i can get like a 50 or 51t chainring. If it gets hairy at the bottom of a hill just turn right.





Unless all the lanes are going left.