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

A single speed one brake girl bashed into me at the lights at London Bridge yesterday morning. She was a hottie though so I just sheepishly went HUR HUR HUR THATS OK and sped off as quick as poss. I suck.

When I rode fixed I was the same, front brake only, kept it for emergency uses only as the main reason I got into riding fixed was for training. When I start riding fixed again i'll definitely be keeping both brakes after a very close call attempting to freewheel at 40mph near the end of a very hilly 100 mile sportive...

Its scary but funny to watch the shit brakeless riders who look terrified cycling at about 10mph, especially their resigned expression when they see the lights are changing, the brief attempt to unleash the hammer followed by the look of panic as they try to slow down and then stop using their feet.

A single speed one brake girl bashed into me at the lights at London Bridge yesterday morning. She was a hottie though so I just sheepishly went HUR HUR HUR THATS OK and sped off as quick as poss. I suck.

If she was on a Baby Blue Single Speed, I just saw here in the West End. Nice bike,but you do need to get a rear brake on there!

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

shall we ban the deaf from riding*? You can't ban stereos in cars either.

• I'm sure there are many here that would love that to happen.
  

shall we ban the deaf from riding*? You can't ban stereos in cars either.

• I'm sure there are many here that would love that to happen.
  
  

Had this discussion extensively in the past so won't go into it again but these two examples are incomparable with wearing headphones

these two examples are incomparable with wearing headphones

In your opinion.

Now all we need is the helmet thread going again and the forum will have gone full circle (once again).

In your opinion.

No

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37OWL7AzvHo

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.

You're wrong on this. Knowing you have the brake psychologically takes that edge off. It's knowing that YOU are soley responsible for making that bike stop is the awareness thing. Problem is the bellends that ride beyond their means on the UK's densily packed roads having read about fixies on some style guide in the back ID or Wallpaper. The best brakeless fixeh rider is probably the one that has had a crash, the car analogy would be the the spike on the streering wheel instead of ABS/aribags/ALB/SIPS etc.

Now all we need is the helmet thread going again and the forum will have gone full circle (once again).

Hence my tongue in cheek remark about wearing headphones but I should have realised that humour and subtlety is lost on most people here nowadays. Not directed at you btw

As a 14st rider the thought of going downhill towards a busy junction with no brakes is the stuff nightmares are made of.

Also fucked legs don't always want to resist the pedals.

Is there actually any logical reason for riding brakeless?

barspinz innit

You're wrong on this. Knowing you have the brake psychologically takes that edge off. It's knowing that YOU are soley responsible for making that bike stop is the awareness thing. Problem is the bellends that ride beyond their means on the UK's densily packed roads having read about fixies on some style guide in the back ID or Wallpaper. The best brakeless fixeh rider is probably the one that has had a crash, the car analogy would be the the spike on the streering wheel instead of ABS/aribags/ALB/SIPS etc.

Yeah you're right with that actually. I still don't see the point of doing something to your bike which makes you both less able to avoid an accident while making you go slower at the same time.

Its scary but funny to watch the shit brakeless riders who look terrified cycling at about 10mph, especially their resigned expression when they see the lights are changing, the brief attempt to unleash the hammer followed by the look of panic as they try to slow down and then stop using their feet.

as in feet on the floor?! hahaha i haven't seen that yet on a fixeh.

The best brakeless fixeh rider is probably the one that has had a crash

Let's hope that "essential" first crash isn't too serious eh?

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/red/blue_pics/2009/04/14/man-sleeping-at-desk460.gifhttp://http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/red/blue_pics/2009/04/14/man-sleeping-at-desk460.gif

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

ok fanboy lets calm it down to a riot, cunt

Repeat!1!!!1!!1ONEONE!one!

Repeat!1!!!1!!1ONEONE!one!

megalulz but its a pearoast with peadough you repoasting copporn thread muncher LOL LMFAO IDD !!1!!11

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

Utter bullshit isn't it. How can you have "more" awareness? you need to be 100% when riding in traffic so saying that you need more is like footballers and their "110%".

Had this discussion extensively in the past so won't go into it again but these two examples are incomparable with wearing headphones

If you find yourself looking around more when you wear your headphone, it mean you're not looking around enough.

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.

What's the protocol for if someone can't control their bike (brakless or not) and runs into you damaging your bike?

You can hardly swap insurance details. So what do you do?

Shake them until their wallet falls out.