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

goolies

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Haven't heard that word in ages!

I am glad someone started a thread about this. I thought I was the only one getting a little annoyed - and that's because I don't want them injuring themselves or other people.

I personally ride SS with two brakes. SS because I love to coast, 2 brakes because in my opinion, anything else on such a set-up is stupid and dangerous.

On my BMX on the other hand, I have been riding no brakes for about 8-10 years without incident. BMX is a totally different ball game and not really comparable - that bike is not for the road as such and is much, much slower than any other "big" bike.

So I think you can't really compare brakeless BMX with brakeless/SS 1 brake road bikes.

However, problems are there in both worlds. Hipsters and newbies tend to go for the cool look (I see 12 year old kids on brakeless BMX' killing themselves but also fixed-gear riders without brakes going mental).

Does not bother me in the slightest - it's entirely rider-dependent. I rode SS/one brake for about six months and did not at any point ride stupidly or dangerously, nor did I put anyone else in danger. Wasn't stupid enough to brake hard while turning fast and maintained my bike, just like any sensible person would. You compensate for your setup, whatever it is, if you're a good rider.

I think SS riders come in for a hard time on here, because I guess they're assumed to have less skill than a fixed rider. But I've never seen a SS rider, even one with only one front brake, smash into someone at a set of traffic lights because they can't stop in time. I've seen several Vice-reading hipster douchebags do that. It doesn't mean I'm going to judge fixed-gear riders by the idiots, and I'd hope for the same respect if I were to be riding SS.

It's all rider-dependent. SS one brake is arguably safer than fixed-gear no brakes, but I don't think I've ever seen a thread on here be so vitriolic towards the brakeless massive. I see this debate happen every month or so and it never seems to go anywhere.

If you're going to ride SS with just one brake, it should go on the back, a bit less braking power yes, but easier to avoid situations, braking in the wet is far less dangerous, emergency stops are easier mid-turn etc, and you can still stop quickly.
The only reason people stick it on the front is for looks, because they are so desperate to look trendy.
The majority of Dirtjumpers, bmxers,mtb and generall SS riders that I have met using a single brake, stick it on the back, because that is the most sensible place for it.

It's not the inability to break with one break that is the problem, it's when your break cable snaps/jams and you've got no back up.

Much in the same way that if you are breakless and your chain comes off you are going to loose shoe leather... if you are in a dangerous position you could loose a whole lot more...

Indeed, I would have thought the possibility of a cable failing compared to a chain is much higher though.
But having not ridden a bike with brakes regularly for about 12 years or so i'm maybe not best informed to comment.

Do you really think the "ted shred" is a feasible emergency stopping option? I reckon if I was left with no brake/broken chain, I'd be crashing into something.

I've never snapped a brake or gear cable in 29yrs of cycling. The only time cables tend to snap is when they've been badly fitted or maintained.

If you're going to ride SS with just one brake, it should go on the back, a bit less braking power yes, but easier to avoid situations, braking in the wet is far less dangerous, emergency stops are easier mid-turn etc, and you can still stop quickly.
The only reason people stick it on the front is for looks, because they are so desperate to look trendy.
The majority of Dirtjumpers, bmxers,mtb and generall SS riders that I have met using a single brake, stick it on the back, because that is the most sensible place for it.

Man, I used to ride with a single brake on the back of my BMX so I could do skids, nothing to do with being sensible. Everyone knows a front brake is more efficient at stopping, but I wanted to slide around a lot - since I don't want to do that on a FG/SS (I'd rather be able to stop quickly) the brake goes on the front. Nothing to do with aesthetics.

Do you really think the "ted shred" is a feasible emergency stopping option? I reckon if I was left with no brake/broken chain, I'd be crashing into something.

I rode brakeless bmx for around 10 years and only ever had one crash on the roads, rode in central London a lot as well as around where I lived, and my one and only crash was more down to my own stupidity than anything, I thought it'd be fun to hop onto the pavement and bunnyhop over a few of these small walls on peoples driveways......I didn't allow for someone reversing out of one of these driveways at speed as I was on the pavement part....that hurt a little bit.
Have had 2 chains snap on my fixed as well, and had to resort to some footjamming action, no dramas, bizarrely both chains snapped in the middle of bridges, whilst going downhill, what are the odds eh! One snapped on London Bridge, and one on Tower bridge lol.

if uv got a single speed u need 2 brakes,u do not have the same control with just a front brake, end of

Do you really think the "ted shred" is a feasible emergency stopping option? I reckon if I was left with no brake/broken chain, I'd be crashing into something.

Yep, done it myself, whilst brakless my chain came off going down clapham hill, luckily I was in the bus lane with no major traffic around me, foot on back wheel. Stopped no problem. Had I been going down a larger hill and it happened while a car turned across my path though, the result wouldn't have been the same.

It was my polo bike (brakless because i smashed the brake the night before at polo) which now has two friction brakes as well as the drivetrain.

As scott says though chains are a lot less likely to break than other brakes, as long as you aren't a mechanical numpty... like me!

If you're going to ride SS with just one brake, it should go on the back, a bit less braking power yes, but easier to avoid situations, braking in the wet is far less dangerous, emergency stops are easier mid-turn etc, and you can still stop quickly.
The only reason people stick it on the front is for looks, because they are so desperate to look trendy.
The majority of Dirtjumpers, bmxers,mtb and generall SS riders that I have met using a single brake, stick it on the back, because that is the most sensible place for it.

+1

If you're going to ride SS with just one brake, it should go on the back, a bit less braking power yes, but easier to avoid situations, braking in the wet is far less dangerous, emergency stops are easier mid-turn etc, and you can still stop quickly.
The only reason people stick it on the front is for looks, because they are so desperate to look trendy.
The majority of Dirtjumpers, bmxers,mtb and generall SS riders that I have met using a single brake, stick it on the back, because that is the most sensible place for it.

Its surface dependant.

Front = best stopping power, but front wheel skid = ouch
Back = less stopping power (possible ouch), but rear wheel skid = put foot down.

I commute, most of the time, on a geared bike. During summer I barely touch my rear brake, and during the winter I barely touch the front. Those examples above are from people who ride on potientially slippy surfaces, hence the rear brake.

PS. Yawn

I've never snapped a brake or gear cable in 29yrs of cycling. The only time cables tend to snap is when they've been badly fitted or maintained.

I snapped a front brake cable demonstrating an emergency stop on my geared bike. First time in 20-odd years. Was correctly fitted, set up and maintained. 9 months old. It broke right at the 'nodule' end, where it fits into the lever.

If I had been on road, would have been very glad of the second brake!

I personally ride SS with two brakes. SS because I love to coast, 2 brakes because in my opinion, anything else on such a set-up is stupid and dangerous.

On my BMX on the other hand, I have been riding no brakes for about 8-10 years without incident. BMX is a totally different ball game and not really comparable - that bike is not for the road as such and is much, much slower than any other "big" bike.

So I think you can't really compare brakeless BMX with brakeless/SS 1 brake road bikes.

However, problems are there in both worlds. Hipsters and newbies tend to go for the cool look (I see 12 year old kids on brakeless BMX' killing themselves but also fixed-gear riders without brakes going mental).

you have a stupid, stupid name

Its surface dependant.

Front = best stopping power, but front wheel skid = ouch
Back = less stopping power (possible ouch), but rear wheel skid = put foot down.

I commute, most of the time, on a geared bike. During summer I barely touch my rear brake, and during the winter I barely touch the front. Those examples above are from people who ride on potientially slippy surfaces, hence the rear brake.

PS. Yawn

Yup, you just repeated what has been said in this same thread several times already, then again this thread is simply repeating what lots of other people have repeated already, so I might as well repeat myself yet again.....
Surface dependent or not I can pretty much guarantee you that these people are not switching their brake front to back according to weather conditions, and by the way since when did mtb riders and bmx riders cycle exclusively in slippy conditions? Plenty of these guys ride on the streets and the road as well, the safest place for your brake if you are dead set on just having one for ALL weather conditions is at the back.

I've never snapped a brake or gear cable in 29yrs of cycling. The only time cables tend to snap is when they've been badly fitted or maintained.

You think the sort of people riding these machines are all that good with maintenance?
I think not.

Yup, you just repeated what has been said in this same thread several times already, then again this thread is simply repeating what lots of other people have repeated already, so I might as well repeat myself yet again.....
Surface dependent or not I can pretty much guarantee you that these people are not switching their brake front to back according to weather conditions, and by the way since when did mtb riders and bmx riders cycle exclusively in slippy conditions? Plenty of these guys ride on the streets and the road as well, the safest place for your brake if you are dead set on just having one for ALL weather conditions is at the back.

TBH I've just reposted my own comments for I think the fith time.

I'm not disagreeing. If your are after All conditions then combine and solve the equations in my post :)

possible ouch > ouch

You think the sort of people riding these machines are all that good with maintenance?
I think not.

I've left for work having forgot to connect my v-brakes before.

Totally fecked my cleats trying to stop on my steep driveway.

TBH I've just reposted my own comments for I think the fith time.

I'm not disagreeing. If your are after All conditions then combine and solve the equations in my post :)

possible ouch > ouch

Indeed lol, i'm actually getting bored of my own thread now, this whole thing is getting almost as repetitive as helmet and RLJ threads were.
From now on i'm just going to respond with a simple: read the whole thread!

new accronym

RTWT

I've left for work having forgot to connect my v-brakes before.

Totally fecked my cleats trying to stop on my steep driveway.

Not far off your avatar then :)

you have a stupid, stupid name

I find that highly insulting, how dare you!