There are obviously lots of techniques for riding fixed gear without brakes, but IMHO all of them are dangerous. UK and evidently a number of European nations had/have laws requiring bicycle brakes, in the case of fixed gear generally requiring a front brake, as well as laws requiring lights for night riding. These laws are both sensible and fair. And in UK, at least, it seems these laws are enforced, or at least were In The Day.
I'd hestitate to advocate similar laws in the US only because I know full well they would virtually never be enforced here. Most of the American public, including most police officers, still do not take cycling seriously as an important means of transportation. Thus the only way most policemen will ticket a cyclist for riding without brakes or lights would be if the cyclist annoyed the policeman by cutting in front of his squad car. Plus, many US states, including Texas where I live, have even repealed laws which once required motorcycle helmets, even more essential than bicycle helmets due to the higher speeds. So when it comes to safety for any vehicle with less than four wheels, we evidently are determined to remain a lawless society. But that doesn't make our attitude intelligent or reasonable. You won't catch me riding without brakes, or at night without lights.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Blake Godwin <saveyourgeneration@gmail.com>
\r?\n> Subject: Re: [CR] Classicrendezvous Digest, Vol 82, Issue 156
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 9:53 AM
\r?\n> Dear Tom,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> A trick that I learned very early is attributed to a local
\r?\n> named Ted Shred.
\r?\n> He simply lifts his foot off the pedal and places it on
\r?\n> the top of the back
\r?\n> tire. Did I mention that he rides a single speed
\r?\n> freewheel, brakeless?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> You can check out a clip of him and his method here:
\r?\n> http://www.youtube.com/
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I'm sure this will draw many cries of foolishness amongst
\r?\n> the members of
\r?\n> this list(many of whom seem to have quite an issue with
\r?\n> riding fixed and
\r?\n> brakeless), and in no way do I myself condone riding like
\r?\n> this, however it
\r?\n> is an effective way to stop should your chain break.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Sincerely,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Blake Godwin
\r?\n> San Francisco, CA USA
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Message: 9
\r?\n> > Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:35:36 -0400
\r?\n> > From: Tom Sanders <tom@orderandchaos.com>
\r?\n> > Subject: [CR] Safety on brakeless bikes
\r?\n> > To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
\r?\n> > Message-ID:
\r?\n> <002d01ca57d3$88b6ae70$9a240b50$@com>
\r?\n> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > My good friend Gabriel Romeu in an off line
\r?\n> communicated raised an issue I
\r?\n> > haven't thought of about brakeless bikes and I thought
\r?\n> I'd bring it up
\r?\n> > here.
\r?\n> > He suggests that a rider skidding his rear wheel might
\r?\n> have a chain brake
\r?\n> > and go sailing through a busy intersection and may not
\r?\n> be willing to do
\r?\n> > very
\r?\n> > much such skidding anyway because of the likelyhood of
\r?\n> ruining an expensive
\r?\n> > tire. I have never had a chain fail and I am
\r?\n> wondering on just how likely
\r?\n> > this might be. I feel it is really a powerful
\r?\n> argument for having brakes
\r?\n> > on
\r?\n> > a fixed gear bike (Mine has two). If this is all
\r?\n> too off topic for
\r?\n> > discussion, I'm sure Dale will let me know.he is not
\r?\n> shy, I find.
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Tom Sanders
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Lansing, MI USA