No brakes advice and anti-theives too!

hi folks, I am back in London in 2 weeks. It will be the first time on the roads in London on a fixed, my first build. I am cycling at the moment fixed no brakes gearing 49T/16T
I have good strong legs though I am a girl, but they are way stronger than my boyfriends who also rides fixed. I can control most hills but some are pretty hard. How do I improve this? Is my gear ratio too high? I will be cycling from Hackney Downs using pentonville road. That I am dreading. I have read how to do skids incase of emergency stop, but in practice I just can't figure it out. Any tips.
Also, after a bad accident on my first fixed bike I had so much time off from cycling that I got carried away on my first build and now have a Nagasawa. The whole build for complete bike is around £1000. But I used to be a BMX freestyler and realised after moving to London and seeing fixed riders that I again so wanted to do ride a bike. I thought sure why not, people spend tons a money on cars and such. I am worried that now I will experience the bike getting stole, or have to fend off gangs of kids. I am hearing all sorts of bad stories and my boyfriend was attacked several times for his bike (a poo very old mountain bike) in Hackney Central a good few times. As I am a girl I dont want to get in trouble that way, any advice on security or should I just sell the bike and get something crap instead. But the ride on this is so beautiful and it is built to my own spec as cheap as i could get it. Can you get a bike insured and is there any point to that if it does get stolen? rarararara..a bit long sorry xxxxxxxxxxxxx see you all very soon

best to change the gear ratio to 49x18, about 70 gear inches, right now you'll be riding about 80 gear inches, others ride that size, but it kind of takes the fun out of it, spin to win, if you lower the gearing you'll be able to learn to skid easier as well.
Other than that put on a front brake, means you won't get the fear coming down the pentonville road, and you can always get a clamp on brake if the fork isn't drilled to take one.

i'm amazed you can even stop on 49x16...do you ride at 5mph everywhere you go?.
pentonville road-rather you then me.

I'm also fairly new to fixed, but have brakes. I couldn't skid stop the bike but a couple of weeks ago I rode out with the guys on this forum and afterwards managed to pull it off, still keeping brakes though. I'd have at least a front bike to preserve tyre's if nothing else.

Sorry, is this thread a wind up?

no thread not a wind up? WHY?
I have got a clamp on brake, no lever yet though but soon in post. I will try the ratio 48x18. I have been surviving so far ok on the cuurent 49x16. Told you my legs are kick ass to die for. Will include pics next time.

funniest thing for a while.

is your bike to die for?

leg pics please!

Hussy, if this is not a wind-up I imagine people are thinking that it's rather dangerous for you and other roadusers for you to ride brakeless if you don't know how to skid.

You should maybe come to Trixie Chix (search for the thread).

Sexcase! ;-)

At Provenrad

Your legs will wither-up a treat when you spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair.
Gear down.

that's a massive ratio for in town, especially with no brakes. you can't stop suddenly from any sort of speed with that ratio, surely.

thats the ratio i'm on at the moment...its heavy.i can barely skid on it.

but, but, but... pistanator your honour - she promised!

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no thread not a wind up? WHY?
I have got a clamp on brake, no lever yet though but soon in post. I will try the ratio 48x18. I have been surviving so far ok on the cuurent 49x16. Told you my legs are kick ass to die for. Will include pics next time.

I think I need to thoroughly examine the problem area to provide appropriate advice... hehe

Skidding and stopping are two entireley different things.

On any bike braking with just the rear gives a pretty long stopping distance if your going at any speed. The most efficently way of stopping using just a rear brake being to feather it and smoothly apply pressure to avoid locking up your wheel.

With the skinny tyres of a road bike, even having two brakes doesnt give you particularly great stoppage unless you do it skill fully.

The idea of riding brakeless, pelting down hills at full speed, and relying on lunging your head foward to help you "intentionally" lock up the rear wheel is a pretty illlogical idea.

I cannot see how it relates to wanting to stop. Yet so many people seem to rely on this methodology.

I am a lazy, oversleeping, unfit lay about, yet I can pull into a skid at any speed, and with any reasonable gear ratio. I probably dont have as "kick ass" legs as you either!

You could do the same easily, but I would whole heartedlty reccommend avoiding doing so as means of "collission prevention"

Put on your brake already, but if you must skid in the means time - swerve at the same time to avoid face-planting into a bus.

@aidannnnnnnnn YouTube - Harry J All Stars - Liquidator - Trojan Reggae

leg pics please!

can we have a pic of your boyfriend's legs?

if this is not a wind up post nOOdz!

can we have a pic of your boyfriend's legs?

Which one? Object, dogsballs, and shinscar are all hotties, believe.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9_MIKP0EF3o

Yes Aidan!!!! cheered my afternoon up no end!! Tune for the rudes!!

YouTube - Judge Dread - Big Six
:D

Ruddy Nora.

Ruddy Nora.

You can see those ladies bits and everything. I think I need a lay down.