Oh decisions decisions. Once again practicality and asthetics collide. I'm building up my first fixie and I've run into the problem of putting on a front brake and getting machined rims, or running brakeless and getting non machined rims. This isn't a brake vs brakeless argument. I was just curious as to how many people actually went brakeless for their first fixie instead of easing into it and are still alive to talk about it. Cheers.

you know there's no "one millionth customer" prize for this topic, right?

definitely put a brake on if it's your first fixed gear.
if you really want to get into the aesthetics, you could get non-machined rims, run a brake for the first little bit until you get the hang of it, and then take the brake off. that probably wouldn't screw the finish up too much.
or you could get a machined rim in the front and a nonmachined in the back
either way, definitely learn how to skip, skid, stop quickly, and that sort of thing before going balls out and brakeless.

I was asking who actually went brakeless out of the box, not which is better. Chill buddy. I'm gonna put my bike together the way I want regardless of who thinks what is better.

get machined and get two brakes!

Your opinion will be quickly disregarded. Thanks for playing. =)

screw that. go bionic and get three.

The coolest technique is to have brakes and yet never use them so the rubber pads remain in pristine, like-new condition.

way to post hipster bingo for no reason.

awesome thread.

Shhhh. Ugly people arent allowed to speak. Seriously, when did the internets go so serious. Alright time to lock the thread. I should have known better. My bad. Can-o-worms closed.

in....after the lock?


waaaait...this thread's not locked!!!

if you're willing to bet your life that you can hop on a fixie for the first time and be able to skid/skip to save yourself then go for it.

otherwise put a brake on. it's that simple.

worry about the aesthetics once you get the basics down. it's like making running shoes for toddlers who can't even walk--dumb.

don't rock the brake, so you can spare us more of this bull**** when you kill yourself in traffic.

Don't be dumb. Just put a brake on it and use the front wheel from your Giant for a while. Once you get the hang of things, see how long you can go without reaching for that lever. Once you find you have the skills to keep yourself alive, remove your brake and a put your non machined front wheel on. Aesthetics, pffft, what a stupid reason to be dead.

Yeah thats actually the best idea yet. Didnt think of that. I wasn't gonna go brakeless straight from the beginning. I was actually going to buy non machined rims and just get a cheap front wheel off of craigslist while I learned. Hehe I'm not quite that stupid to think I can skid without any practice. I was just seeing how many people actually tried it. I'll def end up just doing what you recommended and save myself 20 bucks... but going bionic is a close second =).


Pirate: Relax man, I was just joking around. No need to wish death upon me. Lets hug it out. *hi five*

I'll answer your original question, even though I know I will have to incur lots of meanness and no friendly high-fives (or hugs).

I did learn to ride a fixed gear brakeless. I have not been killed... yet.

Yea yea, same here. Didn't have a front brake to put on it when i first built it up and well nobody wants to sit around and look at their new fixie without riding it so i just learned sans brake. My roomate just got a fixie with a brake though and its pretty cool being able to stop on a dime.

I have a front brake on mine, and it's saved my a** a couple times, as I'm not the best at skipping/skidding yet.

Is that really a class? Oh god, schools suck.

I went brakeless with my first fixie, and I'm still alive. If you want to go brakeless eventually, why not do it now. Just take it easy for a while until you feel comfortable with it. You will become a bicycle ninja much faster than if you had a break.

clearly if you ride constantly you will improve your skills faster. A much better way to become a better cyclist then doing something dumb like making your bike less capable of stopping.

if you have to ask- put on a brake.

the sheriff is back in town



whereve you been
?