1speed rages against idiocy
20.09.08 by Buffalo Bill
A fixed gear means your pedals are always moving with the rear wheel, i.e. if you are flying down a hill, your feet will be spinning like a frog in a blender. You can use your legs to slow the bike, stop, and do wacky tricks like a track skid. Track racers skip the brakes altogether, and some hardcore messenger types and idiotic trendsters do so in traffic, though it has been scientifically proven that you are a moron if you don’t put at least a front brake on your ride (unless it’s only for the track). If you master the decelerating nose wheelie, you don’t need a rear brake at all, fixed or otherwise, though if you need to do a bmx-style side-skid in the rain, a rear brake is indispensable, as the front wheel will wash out more catastrophically.
My old mate Avi, over at 1speed is at it again. The guy was one of a handful riding a single at the very first messenger champs in 1993, and knows his shit. I like his style. Here’s some more:
Not to get into this flamewar again, but a book called “Bicycling Science” mathematically proves that a front brake alone will stop your bike in at least half the time and half the distance (as a back brake). I’ve seen this discussed here before, so I expect this post will be followed by a flurry of CLers casting dissenting opinions, but you can either trust an MIT professor or a bunch of lurkers arguing about “breaks.”
Amen.
BAD MAN NUH NEED BREAKS. IN FACT BAD MAN RIDE A BLOODCLAAT FREEWHEEL!!!! WITHOUT BREAKS. ANY TIME BAD MAN NEED TO STOP, DE LAWS OF PHYSICS JUST CHANGE AND ALLOW HIM TO STOP IMMEDIATELY, CAUSE DEM SO AFRAID OF WHAT BAD MAN WILL DO TO IT IF IT DONT MEK HIM STOP.
— Bad Man Sep 20, 10:33 PM #
Bill… it took you over 2 years to find that blog post????
— Iron Eye Sep 20, 10:37 PM #
Ha! Got it off a trackback, and didn’t notice a date… so when did you find it then?
— Bill Sep 21, 09:38 AM #
Well… It took me a few hours longer than it took you. This is the first time I’ve seen it.
— Iron Eye Sep 21, 10:49 AM #
If you would spend a little less time playing pocket billiards, and little more time doing constructive stuff…
— Bill Sep 21, 11:30 AM #
my middle name is Unconstructive
— Iron Eye Sep 21, 06:19 PM #