One brake Single-Speed fools

I saw one yesterday.

I saw another today at London Bridge.

WTF is with that?

For avoidance of doubt, I am referring to people who run a freewheel with one brake.

I have seen a load recently too, on some pretty tricked out track bikes - i figure a lot bought fixed, decided it wasnt for them and put a freewheel on.

Or else they just want to look like its fixed

I don't see a problem with it if said person is intelligent enough to put that brake on the back, but freewheel with a front brake only is really fucking stupid, and annoys the hell outta me. Its basically people trying to imitate fixed gear riders who ride with a front brake only, because they think its a "cool/trendy" look, but these people either lack the skills to ride fixed, or are too dumb to realise that fixed gear riders have a rear braking method as well, even if they are only running one visible brake.

Repost

No brake at front.

I dont think it is really a problem, when i stripped the thread on the fixed side of my flip flop, I rode single speed with one brake for about a month with no problems. Only really an issue in the extreme wet. When I am on my road bike, I only really use the fron brake as it is, unless i'm travelling at speeds way above what I can do fixed.

Repost

Prove it.

indeed, someone dig up my old thread I put up, I can't be assed to look for it, i'm blinded by anger at these fools :p.

lack the skills to ride fixed,

Never really understood that.. It's riding a bike, you are just being odd about it. Riding breakless is a skill ;)

There ya go: http://www.londonfgss.com/thread17566.html

I ride brakeless to ;)

Surely it would be ok as long as they are wearing a helmet and really expensive Rapha hi-viz clothing.

Still don't get the point of single speed

Of course, then its perfectly justifiable.

Prove it.

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread6382.html
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread4938.html
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread1194.html
http://www.londonfgss.com/thread1065.html

Still don't get the point of single speed

I ride single speed, but then I live in a place with big hills.

I ride with lots of lights, I look like a floating Chanukah bush......

Still don't get the point of single speed

you see, you get the look but your able to coast down hill and around corners i guess.

you see, you get the look but your able to coast down hill and around corners i guess.

Hahahahaha flippin brilliant!

Don't rule out coaster brakes - you know what happened with justMouse's brake rage.

using the front brake you can get up and kick the ass out and skid stop without it being fixed. its not hard - seen many a courier do it a speed to great effect

but I believe the majority do it to amuse me when their bike handling skills fail as they hit a tight spot too quickly. a magic sight of flying tight jeans, wirling ipod headphones fingers grasping air and ironic cheap looking plimsoles off the pedals and scratching for friction. for everthing else there is mastercard

next year in london fa'reeel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfRekj46Vq8&NR=1

sounds like a unigate milk float though :-)

Im not saying its a good idea, but was reading a bit of sheldon the other day and he writes that the back brake is pretty much redundant in terms of stopping force with a distance 2x that of the front brake. the front is at optimum stopping power when the back wheel is at the point of almost lifting off the ground with minimal traction. The back brake comes in to effect as a stopping force for times when it would induce a front wheel skid such as wet or icey conditions. mainly as you cant recover from front skids. so i suppose for the fair weather cyclist the only front brake option could be argued as sufficient. Also raises the no brake fixed question as most argue the front brake serves as use in the wet or times when rear wheel skid traction is low... im not ready to ditch mine, but its interesting that even in the dry you are accepting the fact that your brake distance is at least double from not riding a front brake.

Awh man..I'm stupid then

Where's Tommy? He likes a good brakes thread...