The Ultimate Brakeless/Front/Rear/How many brakes? thread

I have attached a brake for the first time in a year, mainly cos I want to run tri bars.

Gentlemen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH5W1Z23wPg

Yawn^

I've taken the brakes off my car. I use the gears to slow down, plus it helps me to flow with the traffic.I went for my MOT last week and they said it was ok because I've got a dog guard up in the boot, a pine fresh magic tree and a full tin of travel sweets. I've seen alot of people driving Honda's over in Shoreditch with only a handbrake, apparently thats how they do for in the NJS.

Alot of people think its dangerous but I've been driving like this for ages and Ive like only killed 2 people up. And one of them was addicted to internet. You do occasionally get less skilled drivers though like Brian Harvey who try and drive brakless but end up falling out of there cars. Well lo-res man...

I need to rep this.

How do you +1 again?

Found it. Done it.

Anyone got a clamp-on front brake they want to get rid of?

2 brakes + fixed wheel = brakeful.

two word; fucking underrated.

+1 Ed

having as many brakes as possible is the new brakeless, everyone just shut up with your fashion

having as many brakes as possible is the new brakeless, everyone just shut up with your fashion

I've got four ;)

fixed, front, rear and your head?

Bike 1: Fixed and front brake.

Bike 2: Fixed and front brake.

Bike 3: Fixed, front and rear brake.

I like being properly in control and, more importantly, I like my life. I've had a couple of near misses where having a front brake has definitely saved me and one where a five or six year old girl ran out in front of me from behind a bush. Not hitting her (which I would definitely have done had I not had a brake) has made having a front brake totally worthwhile.

Regarding the guy who rear-ended me on Pentonville Road this morning on what I believe was a brakeless bike, I can see why people don't like the idea; you physically can't slow down as fast as I can, and as a result, you left me with a ripped tyre, ripped tube, and damaged rim, not to mention the fact I could have been hurt. Plus, I was left 8 miles from work with a fucked bike.

I can see this working if you rode slower, but it's still difficult to guarantee your distance from leading traffic due to its nature.

The same has happened to my girlfriend and another friend, and these are the only incidents of people I know cycling getting hit by other cyclists.

I'm sure it's fine for some, in the right hands, but FFS, I'm just trying to get to work, as I guess most of you are too. Don't ride like a reckless cock, please.

The same has happened to my girlfriend and another friend, and these are the only incidents of people I know cycling getting hit by other cyclists.

If it helps your survey, I got hit by a fully brakked Brompton and broke my collarbone.

And I was ridden into the other week by a girl riding a lo pro, single speed with only a front brake.
That really got my goat!

Were they wearing headphones. I think listening to music whilst cycling is quite dangerous too

I her defence I don't think she could see properly due to her prescription glasses having no lenses...

im only riding a fixie without brakes about 6 months now,and for some reason i love it.ive had near misses(on account of me tryin to make it for the lights)yet havent actually been hit yet,i like the feeling of knowing i can stop at a decent rate with my legs and knowing i dont need a brake...im not gonna go full speed in a small estate with children running around and on the road so far ive always been able to stop when i need to,i dont like the look of brakes on them either.if i felt personally i needed brakes,lookwise or not,i would use them

I almost got taken out by some tragic 30+ blonde-bobbed, RayBan wearing female hipster on Clerkenwell Road yesterday, was going up the inside of traffic on my polo bike and she decides to overtake me just as I'm passing a lorry... No space left for me at all so I slammed on the anchors and missed her by about an inch... I tore a strip off her, felt a bit sorry for her in the end... She apologised profusely... She left me no way out tho', it was either kerb or the back of a lorry at nearly 20mph*... :[

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repost to the power of pucking on cock and setting it on fire

I almost got taken out by some tragic 30+ blonde-bobbed, RayBan wearing female hipster on Clerkenwell Road yesterday, was going up the inside of traffic on my polo bike and she decides to overtake me just as I'm passing a lorry... No space left for me at all so I slammed on the anchors and missed her by about an inch... I tore a strip off her, felt a bit sorry for her in the end... She apologised profusely... She left me no way out tho', it was either kerb or the back of a lorry at nearly 20mph*... :[

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Fucking hell! I didn't know you could walk that fast!

im only riding a fixie without brakes about 6 months now

you get a special prize if you make it to 1 year without eating tarmac

i like the feeling of knowing i can stop at a decent rate with my legs and knowing i dont need a brake

i dont like the look of brakes on them either.

if i felt personally i needed brakes,lookwise or not,i would use them

You can stop at a much more decent rate with a brake. Unlike your legs, brakes won't be next to useless after a long ride. I'm sure you won't like the feeling of ploughing into the back of a car that's slammed on the brakes in front of you when you're not expecting it.

You state that "lookwise or not" you'd use brakes if you felt you needed them, so why do you feel the need to give aesthetics as a reason for not having them?

You do need brakes, at the minute your legs are your brakes, why not have more stopping power if it's as easy and cheap as sticking (at least) a front brake on?

Is there actually any logical reason for riding brakeless? Some people say it looks nice fair enough, not exactly that great a reason though is it? Others say it makes you ride with more awareness, i'd disagree with that, ride with brakes and primarily use your legs to slow and stop. That way you get the "awareness" of riding brakeless but know that you can actually stop when (not if) someone pulls out in front of you/slams on his brakes.

Also, people riding SS with only a front brake, fucking hell...

Fixed with front brake, I barely use the brake but it definitely helps me stop much much quicker so it's reassuring to have it if I need it. I did have a back brake attached as well but as far as I could tell it made more or less no difference so I ditched it.