Saw a preview for the movie Premium Rush

[TheMightyFavog]

I have one question: What kind of a fucking idiot willingly decides to ride around a crowded city on a bicycle with NO BRAKES? I was under the impression that those kind of bikes were for riding on tracks only and were illegal to ride on the roads.

[alfredo]

1. Fix gear bikes are hip macho.

They are a pure expression of the bicycle. Simple, light, responsive, demanding, and dangerous. I used to ride a Fuji track bike.

[TheMightyFavog]

2. But don't pretty well much all cities require bikes to have brakes these days?

One would think these kinds of bikes would be a public safety concern...

[alfredo]

4. Not sure about other cities, ours is unconcerned about

Such things. I had some scary moments.

I used my hand on the rear wheel as a brake. Only once did I get my hand wedged between the tire and frame. Not recommended.

[LeftyMom]

3. Do they not have hipsters where you live?

Fixies were the hipster thing like five years ago. They were all rocking messenger bags too and generally trying to look like bike messengers, which confused the hell out of me because the business district in this town is a few blocks wide and not particularly traffic-prone, so there's not exactly a thriving community of actual bike messengers.

[Blue Owl]

5. Yer legs are the brake

You can control the speed by how fast you pedal, and lock the crank by pushing the pedals backwards and skidding. Not easy on a steep hill, and most fixed riders use a front brake for emergency stops.

No brakes on a freewheel bike would be insane -- but an experienced fixed rider can control a bike effectively using just leg strength.

[alfredo]

6. This video will show how it is done.

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