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Couldn't find this information anywhere, I've seen the dozen posts stating that riding brakeless is illegal (Pedal Cycle Construction and Use Regulations 1983 etc) but even Google doesn't help when trying to determine the consequence of breaking these regulations and how the process will go about if police wanted to stop and pursue you for it.

I can only take a wild stab in the dark and assume it wouldn't be an on the spot fine type of incident like jumping a red light but rather a court summons and then a fine??? I only assume that because I don't know anyone that's ever had to deal with facing the legal ramifications of this issue but know many that have had the red light fine so it makes me think it's not on the spot.

The regulation itself is written in the oddest fashion. If someone could take a few seconds to interprete the regulation for us common folk that would be brilliant because after looking at it I'm completely confused. I know it's most likely section 7 subsection c ii but that has a clause that states it only applies to "bicycles with a saddle height 635mm or more". So would fixed gear bmx riders be legal in that regards because they'd be classed into subsection a which states only one brake is needed? That and section 9 a states section 7 and 8 do not apply to bicycles where the Pedals act on any wheel or axle on a wheel. But is that not what a fixed gear bike does so would it still apply. It's very confusing in how it's written.

Why not ask the Police?

No get catched .. simples.

The guilty are rounded up and sent to the gallows at the Tower of London every day at dusk.

-Fit brakes if you want to be able to stop easily and not get nicked/be held liable if anything bad happens to you or anyone else.
-Learn to ride your bike well. This is probably the most important bit.

If you don’t fit brakes then don’t be a crybaby if it all goes wrong and a media witch hunt is started against you if/when it goes pear shaped.

Surely common sense trumps specific wording of the law.

Tried the local police station at Brixton and talked to a lady in the front desk to the right of the lobby but they gave me a phone number for the British transport police saying they'd be the ones to go to for such an issue. Called them up and was put through to several departments till the last just referred me to a link for the actual regulation saying it would be on there. But it's definitely not.

So I figured best thing to do would be to see if any rider has had to experience facing this on here. This has to be the best place to get a consensus for fixies without a front brake and dealing with its legal consequences.

prison

This has to be the best place to get a consensus for fixies without a front brake crashing with its legal consequences.

🙄

I got a £30 fine. I paid it. I learnt my lesson.

Don’t be a twat. Ride a safe bike safely, which includes having two working brakes.

where the Pedals act on any wheel or axle on a wheel. But is that not what a fixed gear bike does

Yes it does

Yes it does

No it doesn't, because a fixie biek has a chain, not pedals acting directly on the wheel axle. That regulation applies to things like Ordinaries which use the wheel axle as the crank shaft.

Are you a reporter/Matthew Briggs?

But you're adding the word directly to make it so. The pedals do act on the wheel via the chain.
Without context, I can't tell what the particular subsection is about so no doubt you're right. I'm not going to spend/waste a minute of my life looking it up, I don't fixie these days

Back in the days of regular SPFG rides, one of us got stopped in the evening with no brakes. I believe he was given a "telling off" and sent on his way. I know who this is, but it might not be his wish to have this info on a public forum.

The consequences of riding brakeless are pretty far reaching. Anything can happen which could be attributed to riding without brakes (there are recent news events that can be referenced to this).

If you want to find out about legal consequences I'd suggest you speak with someone who would be applying that law - not a forum of cyclists.

I think the general consensus on here is that you should ride a bike safely and sensibly with respect for other people - so if that means to you that you put a brake on your bike, then do it.

And, yes you sound like a reporter.

Ask @CharlieFxckingA

they gave me a phone number for the British transport police saying they'd be the ones to go to for such an issue

Fucking civvie staff.

no doubt you're right

There's always room for doubt 🙂 If you want a different opinion, ask a lawyer, but we've been through C&U in the context of RTTC (now CTT) regulations, and the only full sized pedal cycle which can be legally used on the road without brakes is an Ordinary.

The consequences of riding brakeless are pretty far reaching

Only if you injure somebody. We all know you can go to gaol for that, but the OP is asking a different question; what is the legal consequence of getting caught riding brakeless if that's all they've got on you?

only if you injure somebody

I feel like that's a dangerous thing to presume. What about damage to property/cars, injuring animals.

Shirley it depends in the circumstances you get caught riding brakeless.

Just put a fucking brake on your bike.

I fell off my brakless tarck bike, drunk, on Vauxhall bridge in front of two coppers and nothing was done. Maybe the geriatric 50:14 helping me to my feet smoothed them over?

plus you are white

This sounds entirely made up. Why would the Police direct you to BTP whose remit is solely railways?

Either you're confused and have completely mis-understood the person on the front desk, or this didn't happen. I won't proffer who they might have given you a number for because you'll just say, "oh that's what I meant."