Should Fixed-Gear Bikes Be Allowed on the Road?

Before you read this, you should know that I write for this site, and that Lloyd is a good guy. Please don't slate him in the comments.

I do think, though, that some of us should get involved in the survey and maybe leave some comments defending ourselves.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/survey_should_f.php

ummmm

who says they're dangerous? I think careering down a hill on a freewheel with just brakes (rim brakes in the wet anyone?) is wayy more dangerous, imho

Idiotic article. Demagoguery plus factual error tends not to make great writing.

tosh

retard, is just trying to create a stir.

when i read the title of this discussion i was going to write something really abusive....but after reading the article i found that its not even worth touching the keys on my keyboard.....

don't most people actually run a front brake though?

It's probabaly generating a large number of hits & increasing their ad revenue too.

This article won't make a dent in overall traffic, don't be so cynical! We run surveys all the time.

I agree that it's a little one-sided, which is why I thought you might want to have your say.

a little one-sided and complete bollocks.

lawl

If the answers would include an option saying something like "they do come with brakes, and are safe as long as you have common sense just as all other bikes" I'd tick that. Now though, no option there for me

ok, it's missing the 'I ride fixed but with a front brake' option...

For the love of fuck sake. I used to get less hassle riding everywhere on a brakeless BMX, save for the occasional, "Your bikes too small for you" comments, than we receive as a cycling niche.

I love how retarded the media can actually be. Sorry Sparky, I'm not criticising the treehugger site, so please do not take offence at this. I'm just criticising this type of article, which must be about the 10 such example that I've read in the last few days.

Everything is dangerous. There's always some cunt that does things badly, or is out of their depth, or hurts someone else in some way &c.
Living involves, much to many peoples hatred, dealing with the consequence of other peoples actions as well as our own.
One person's actions does not dictate that every other person included in a similar demographic will act the same way.
Believe it or not free choice exists and some people know how to exercise it without having to look to others to be told what they should be doing.

How can someone tell any of us what is right for us as human beings with generalisations. I'll admit some things make sense. Laws against Rape, Murder &c. But telling me what type of bike I can ride just because someone else says it may be unsafe, without them having made any effort to understand is a fucking joke.

What happened to common sense?

I cannot believe the most popular answer is "Fixed gears are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed on the road" Nuts!

I love being ranty :]

I've been doing it for 27 years.. fact is it's illegal unless you have a brake on the front.. and the plod dont like it when you ride on the path either.

** treehugger** has gone down in my esteem for publishing online such a inaccurate and pointless single sided view of an area that they know little about.

Object17 I love being ranty :]

Good rant.

Tynan, 'they' include around 30 writers, at least one of which rides a fixed.

New survey:

Should idiots be allowed on the internet?

It's better than average. Unless 200,000,000 people worldwide ride fixed?

My point was just that not everyone is an expert on everything. I posted the link so that you could, if you wanted, drop a comment on the article, or take part in the survey, to educate people who don't know about fixed gear bikes.

Sparky Tynan, 'they' include around 30 writers, at least one of which rides a fixed.

That's great, how does it relate to my comments ?

I think it is fairly uncontroversial to call the writer of the article and the editors / administrator who commission / publish they piece 'they'.

I am surprised they did not ask the fixed gear cyclist in their midsts for his or her input.

The article could have come from the pages of the Daily Mail.

seriously. it's like i'm a bored journalist, how can i get the most attention. idea, how about i write the most rubbish one-sided article. upgraded from retard to fucktard!!

Sparky . . . My point was just that not everyone is an expert on everything. . .

This is an excuse for poor writing ?

Thanks Tynan.