Are you street legal?

First, no, I'm not a cop ;). That said, how many of you ride without at least one brake? I ask because I would never ride brakeless, just in case of emergency. I've known too many people that have crashed and burned (in an ugly way) because of a chain coming off, breaking, etc. To me the benefits of brakeless are outweighed by the cost.
Is it a conscience choice to "live on the edge"?
If you go brakeless, Why?

Curious about the logic and reasoning behind this choice...

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Permalink Reply by girlmeetsbike on October 28, 2008 at 2:18pm
http://www.amazon.com/Cane-Creek-Crosstop-CycloCross-Bicycle/dp/B00...
The thing I like about this lever is that it's hinged, so you can pop it on or off, as you like (no messing with bar tape of grips). The whole set up is about 60 bucks, including brake lever, cable & housing, and brake.
It's one thing to choose to go brakeless, but even if you have great insurance, the benefits really will outweigh the cost.
Just a suggestion.
Permalink Reply by tyson on October 28, 2008 at 11:52pm
there are shops and co-ops around seattle where there are used parts bins. i picked up a brake and lever for $5.
i rode brakeless tonight for the first time (i switched forks and my long reach brake didnt fit on the new no clearance fork) and i am picking up a brake that fits first thing in the morning. it was fun and looked way cool and i aint gonna lie, i felt like the shit. but i did bomb a hill and scare the crap outta myself. i have people that count on me coming home, im gonna ride a brake.
Permalink Reply by Rossin Addict on October 30, 2008 at 2:57pm
I have 2 fixies. My first one (the one I learned on) is a NJS Track Bike...no drilling for brakes. I have had one close call, but was able to ride out of the situation with out hurting myself or the idiot that pulled out in front of me. I built a fixie from an old road bike and I might put a front brake on it because of the # of miles I ride on it compared to the track bike. I do like the adrenalin factor of riding brakeless and how much more you have to plan ahead and pay attention. I think it all depends on your skill level and how often you replace your chain. Proper maintainence should keep your bike safe in all aspects of riding. I am a total idiot however, because I don't even wear a helmet...
No matter how you ride...the fact that you are on a bicycle should be respected.
Permalink Reply by joe r on July 15, 2010 at 5:05pm
thats so true, we may brake the rules of the road but cars can still kill us and all they get is a few dents
Permalink Reply by Rossin Addict on October 30, 2008 at 3:03pm
I use CST rear tires. I buy them 6 at a time and I have a connection at a bike shop so they are about $10 a piece. I ride my fixies a lot and I usually get about a month out of a back tire.

girlmeetsbike said:
I'm surprised to see that attitudes have changed about front brakes (since the 1980s). I think it's a smart thing for most, though I'd never try to convince an experienced and capable rider, if that's their choice. I do however, strongly recommend a good strong chain, like Wipperman, to keep chain breakage down to a minimum.
There's another thing about brakeless, and that's tire expense; doesn't brakeless wear out your tires more often, via skidding?
Permalink Reply by Fixed Gear Republic on October 30, 2008 at 11:45pm
i'm convinced - i'm gonna put a brake on the front.

Greg said:
Really like this discussion, good question to bring up.

I'm currently riding brakeless and have done so since I got into fixed gears. For me it's not a pride thing, its really just stupidity. I went to go get the brake stuff and just did not want to spend the money to put one on, so I decided not to get a brake (i know, a life is work putting a brake on a spending a few bucks). The fact of the matter is, I've been riding for a decent amount of time now and I don't have a brake - not too smart in my opinion. Maybe this discussion will actually force me to go get one.
Permalink Reply by fixie fag on November 12, 2008 at 4:27pm
i have a front brake. i've only been riding for about 2 months and i hate cages. i rode brakeless to learn a bar spin.. but they're back on now.

my brakes have helped alot but also have thrown me over me bars. which i guess is better then hitting the car..


what ev.
Permalink Reply by bike on November 12, 2008 at 6:05pm
It has nothing to do with living on the edge. If you don't use something 99.4% of the time you're doing something, one questions why.

I used to use my brake constantly when I first fixed. In an emergency just as you put it, I used my break. I flew over my bars and my freewheel left a 2 inch long and half inch deep love mark above my eyebrow. My freewheel still has blood on it, where it sits safely next to the break in my closet.

You can argue whatever, use your break constantly, be used to how the resistance will feel, or you could just pay attention to what you're doing.
Permalink Reply by OEOsm on November 16, 2008 at 6:42am
I rode brakeless for a while, but there are to many hills were I live, so I had to get my selv a frontbrake.
I ride a 17-48 so I have thougt about going for a lighter gear to make it easier to do skid stops, but I like the speed my gear gives me...
Permalink Reply by fixie fag on November 16, 2008 at 3:10pm
tyson said:
there are shops and co-ops around seattle where there are used parts bins. i picked up a brake and lever for $5.
i rode brakeless tonight for the first time (i switched forks and my long reach brake didnt fit on the new no clearance fork) and i am picking up a brake that fits first thing in the morning. it was fun and looked way cool and i aint gonna lie, i felt like the shit. but i did bomb a hill and scare the crap outta myself. i have people that count on me coming home, im gonna ride a brake.

there were a few co-ops in Denver. that's where my girl friend and my sister got their bikes fixed up.

but now i'm back in IL and we've started a small one out of our garage. we've fixed a few bikes. have some spares. it's alot of fun.

..there's a local shop in town that throws away a plethora of perfectly good tires...and tubes that are fine when patched.

i'll still get a brand new tire everyonce in a while..or atleast rotate them.
Permalink Reply by SingletrackMind on November 16, 2008 at 7:09pm
bike said:
It has nothing to do with living on the edge. If you don't use something 99.4% of the time you're doing something, one questions why.

I used to use my brake constantly when I first fixed. In an emergency just as you put it, I used my break. I flew over my bars and my freewheel left a 2 inch long and half inch deep love mark above my eyebrow. My freewheel still has blood on it, where it sits safely next to the break in my closet.

You can argue whatever, use your break constantly, be used to how the resistance will feel, or you could just pay attention to what you're doing.

Simple physics, 70-80% of your braking power comes from the front brake. Brakes or not, the fixie skid is only slowing the rear wheel, ergo slowing you much more slowly than a front brake. Saying you're better off w/o a front brake because you might hit it too hard in a sudden stop, and therefore hurt yourself worse than getting hit by an SUV, is like saying you shouldn't wear a seat belt because of the 0.5% of people who survived a car accident b/c they were ejected from the vehicle.

I agree with you about the freewheel though, what was that doing on your bike in the first place? :)

Use a front brake people. Fashion is not a good reason to compromise your safety.
Permalink Reply by joe r on July 15, 2010 at 5:12pm
if the brake is so good it bucks you off just get cheeper harder pads, what i did... i can pull it hard as possible and it just slows me enough, legs do the rest...

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