fixed in the USA...

Quoted message said:

Anyway, here's a generally well written article
about the new fashion for fixed gear bikes in Portland,
Oregon.

" Early racers rode them at tracks known as velodromes ..."

I know there are fixie weirdos out there, but I don't quite get it
myself... who cares whether it's cool or not anyway??

<puts fingers in ears and waits for fixie / bent / unicycle
enthusiasts to explain why there way is better>

silangdon said:

I know there are fixie weirdos out there, but I don't quite get it
myself... who cares whether it's cool or not anyway??

<puts fingers in ears and waits for fixie / bent / unicycle
enthusiasts to explain why there way is better>

It's all been said...

http://www.fixedwheel.co.uk/

is interesting reading

BugBear

Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as bugbear
<bugbear@trim_papermule.co.uk_trim> gently breathed:

Quoted message said:

silangdon said:

I know there are fixie weirdos out there, but I don't quite get it
myself... who cares whether it's cool or not anyway?? <puts fingers
in ears and waits for fixie / bent / unicycle
enthusiasts to explain why there way is better>

It's all been said...

http://www.fixedwheel.co.uk/

is interesting reading

This reminds me of a question which occured to me in an earlier thread
but I never got round to asking - I gather that in some part of Canada
the local "bike safety rules" have clearly been written by non-cyclists
and insist on all kinds of nonsense like helmets, etc - but also that
there is a requirement for all bikes to have a rear brake, and that this
somehow made fixed gear bikes illegal.

Why couldn't someone simply fit a rear brake to a fixie? I don't
suppose the local plod can rally force you to use it, as long as you can
stop the bike?

--
- Pyromancer Stormshadow.
http://www.inkubus-sukkubus.co.uk <-- Pagan Gothic Rock!
http://www.littlematchgirl.co.uk <-- Electronic Metal!
http://www.revival.stormshadow.com <-- The Gothic Revival.

"Pyromancer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

This reminds me of a question which occured to me in an earlier thread
but I never got round to asking - I gather that in some part of Canada
the local "bike safety rules" have clearly been written by non-cyclists
and insist on all kinds of nonsense like helmets, etc

True.

Quoted message said:

- but also that
there is a requirement for all bikes to have a rear brake, and that this
somehow made fixed gear bikes illegal.

Not exactly true - see below...

Quoted message said:

Why couldn't someone simply fit a rear brake to a fixie? I don't
suppose the local plod can rally force you to use it, as long as you can
stop the bike?

The requirement (in British Columbia) is that a bicycle have at least one
brake capable of skidding the braked wheel, and I believe this is on level
dry pavement.

No unicycles either, obviously...

jtaylor said:

The requirement (in British Columbia) is that a bicycle have at least one
brake capable of skidding the braked wheel, and I believe this is on level
dry pavement.

That actually sort of makes sense. If you have a brake that can cause a
skid, then it presumably can supply the maximum stopping power. The fact
is that with a little practice and a front brake to help the initial
unweighting, I can skid the rear wheel on the fixer. Once the tyre has
begun to melt the force required to keep it locked lowers.

I strongly suspect that that is not what they had in mind though!

Jon

Jon Senior said:

jtaylor said:

The requirement (in British Columbia) is that a bicycle have at least one
brake capable of skidding the braked wheel, and I believe this is on
level
dry pavement.

That actually sort of makes sense. If you have a brake that can cause a
skid, then it presumably can supply the maximum stopping power. The fact
is that with a little practice and a front brake to help the initial
unweighting, I can skid the rear wheel on the fixer. Once the tyre has
begun to melt the force required to keep it locked lowers.

I strongly suspect that that is not what they had in mind though!

I don't see why a brake fitted to the rear wheel of a fixer would not be
capable of skidding it. The rider simply has to stop pedalling. Actually
the front brake could also skid the wheel of a fixer on level pavement
providing the rider is skilled enough to ride backwards.

--
Dave...

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells

Dave Kahn said:

I don't see why a brake fitted to the rear wheel of a fixer would not be
capable of skidding it. The rider simply has to stop pedalling. Actually
the front brake could also skid the wheel of a fixer on level pavement
providing the rider is skilled enough to ride backwards.

The reason that my fixer doesn't have a rear brake is exactly that. I
couldn't modulate it well enough to not just skid the rear wheel. While
this was sort of fun, it did mean that my cheap hack bike was going to
cost a fortune in tyres!

Jon

jtaylor said:

The requirement (in British Columbia) is that a bicycle have at least

one

Quoted message said:

brake capable of skidding the braked wheel, and I believe this is on

level

Quoted message said:

dry pavement.

Presumably the front brake wouldn't qualify then? I've never been able
to skid my front wheel in the dry on good traction, the rear always
lifts first.