Braking vs Skidding
Thread started by
gregb at 01.31.09 - 6:00 pm
Pop quiz--
Which stops you in less distance, skidding to a stop or slowing to a stop?
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I would be interested in which can be done safely when riding in a pack of a hundred or more ridazz.
X-Large01.31.09 - 6:05 pm
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how fast are you going? is this on a brakeless track bike or with a road bike with brakes or a bmx bike with a coaster brake, or better yet, a brakeless singlespeed which seems to be the most popular bike on midnight ridazz now.
ruinedbyidiots01.31.09 - 6:10 pm
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Having no brakes on a fixie is a fad. All the hipsters are doing it. I prefer brakes.
Alexcantsee01.31.09 - 6:15 pm
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Skidding slows you down less then braking. I took a defensive driving course at sears (not kidding) when I was younger and they taught us to brake as hard as possible without making the car skid.
That's why ABS brakes stop faster than non ABS brakes in cars. A computer can get a lot closer to that almost skid point.
stillline01.31.09 - 6:15 pm
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a fad? really? the first bikes were brakeless fixed gears.
ruinedbyidiots01.31.09 - 6:20 pm
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After trucking school, I've become used to the concept of "stab-braking".
Essentially, lock the brakes, skid, let 'em go, repeat until you're stable.
This works wonders when I've got the stereo attached.
bentstrider01.31.09 - 6:28 pm
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braking will slow you faster and with more control than skidding.
static friction (what you have when rolling and braking) is greater than kinetic friction (what you have when skidding and sliding).
there weren't buses rolling across intersections at the first bikes that didn't have brakes.
bitingduck01.31.09 - 6:29 pm
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@gregb - Well maintained brakes will stop you faster every time.
@ rbi - The first bikes were not fixed and brakeless by choice.
420LaHaRR01.31.09 - 6:29 pm
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i know, its because freewheels werent invented.
check out this hipster mobile, complete with spoke card.
ruinedbyidiots01.31.09 - 6:31 pm
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Stabbing and skipping is pretty efficient when riding fixed.
BMX and downhillers do it all the time.
Skidding is less efficient,
Brakes for a better world.
70% comes from the front.
lymbzero01.31.09 - 6:35 pm
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Due to the higher coefficient of static friction compared to dynamic friction you can come to a much faster stop without skidding.
toweliesbong01.31.09 - 6:46 pm
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ruinedbyidiots -
the first bikes were brakeless fixed gears.
Me -
The first bikes were push bikes. So following your logic, we'll be seeing push bikes this year?
User101.31.09 - 7:01 pm
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Slowing to a stop how? Brakeless or with a brake? Slowing to a stop without a brake may take more distance than a skid, but slowing to a stop with a brake won't take as much distance.
Am I right?
What do I win?
imachynna01.31.09 - 7:02 pm
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Why stop when you can keep rolling?
marino01.31.09 - 7:22 pm
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How many of these threads do we need? Seriously there's a new thread about this shit every week. get over it.
People hit stuff cause they are not looking... not because they have brakes or not. Watch out for stupid people.
I'm gonna take the brakes off my Toyota Camry and bring it on the ride some night.
stillline01.31.09 - 7:25 pm
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So, the quickest way to stop on a fixie is to have and use both front and rear brakes, second quickest is to have and use only the front break, third quickest is to have and use only the rear break, and the slowest way to stop on a fixie is to skid to a stop using the fixie skid stop.
I would have to assume that most fixie riders without brakes think that skidding to a stop is fastest. Otherwise I don't understand why anyone would ride one.
gregb01.31.09 - 7:31 pm
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I do skid stops cause I look cool doing it!
It's by far the coolest way to stop!
User101.31.09 - 7:42 pm
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Fixie skiding is ok till you cause a crash or pop a tire at speed and wind up on your ass.
If you where racing at the track you would be DQed asap.
When I was racing DH, I would glue my tires with fast tack weather
adheasive to keep them from rotating and ripping the valves off upon skiding.
Dedicated81801.31.09 - 7:51 pm
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An interesting stop I want to see is where one bunnyhops the bike in a 180, and simply uses reverse-direction to slow/stop.
bentstrider01.31.09 - 7:55 pm
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brakeless vs brake is the new blacks vs whites. what side are you on in this race war?
i mean, hahah, you drive a camry.
ruinedbyidiots01.31.09 - 7:58 pm
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It seems alot of the brake less riders do so because ther unable to handle the installation and adjustments of caliper brakes.
or there riding some sort of hodge podge junk bike with bent rims, or weird center bolt spacing.
Dedicated81801.31.09 - 8:07 pm
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Brake pads are much cheaper to replace than shoes (stopping your single speed with your foot). Brake pads are also much cheaper to replace than tires, or knees (skidding on a fixed gear).
Just like my car, I'd rather apply the breaks to slow rather than throwing my transmission from 5th to 1st gear on the freeway.
But hey, to each their own.
sciencefriction01.31.09 - 10:48 pm
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Converse are cheap and they never fail like an old brake cable.
stillline01.31.09 - 11:14 pm
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i hit a curb one time and stopped on my face
Dust Mason02.1.09 - 12:49 am
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The only reason I have and will always use brakes is because I don't want to hurt anyone and have the extra security in knowing that I can stop at any given moment.
I honestly think that those who ride brakeless fixies have suicidal tendencies. Hey, if they get hurt and die, at least they'll have the security in knowing they went out looking "cool" on their brakeless bike.
Alexcantsee02.1.09 - 4:53 am
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you can skid with brakes, but you can't brake with skids...?
doesn't make much sense huh
onelessfixie is back!
_iJunes02.1.09 - 8:26 am
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alex, your opinions about people who can control their bikes arent facts. you are extremely misinformed. believe it or not there are people out there who actually know what they are doing.
moral of the story is quit living in fear.
ruinedbyidiots02.1.09 - 9:42 am
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ugh for those that don't know which is fastest for stopping let me esplane,
From slowest to fastest and assuming a sudden unforeseen event occurring.
- skidding by locking the back wheel (fixie)
- back brake only skidding (what most call a regular bike)
- controlled braking using just a fixed back wheel (fixie)
- controlled braking using just back brake (what most call a regular bike)
- stopping with only the front brake (could be a fixie, or a regular bike)
- stopping with both a front brake and a back brake (could be a fixie, or a regular bike)
I know there's alot of variables to this, like the guy was lighting a cigarette on the road bike, so therefore the fixie rider stopped faster. Or the guy was riding with no hands and therefore for the fixie rider stopped faster, etc etc etc. I am just quoting and leaving out as many other variables as possible. And yes that includes a poorly adjusted brake.
User102.1.09 - 12:27 pm
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WRONG AGAIN USER1!
The fastest way to stop is to just find user1 and ram into him sideways.
Make sure to fall on top of him or you might get a scrape.
stillline02.1.09 - 12:29 pm
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hah, always love how far it strays away from the original question/topic at hand and a vs. thread begins brew.
I will admit +90% of my stopping/slowing is from skidding/skipping, but I still run a front break for piece of mind and that slight advantage of having one if that rare occasion may happen. It also allows me to go down some pretty sketchy downhills that normally brake equipped bikes could only take down safely (accounting traffic as well)
Personally, I have always tried to comprehend the meaning behind reading without a front brake. I do not "hate" nor would I push my own feelings regarding this manner onto someone else because to each his own.. but the only reasons I have come up with..
-the cable limits what "tricks" can be done.
-(for some, not all) do not run one for "cool points, street cred, peer pressure to fit in, etc."
-it adds a sense of danger/challenge that some are just addicted to and is almost the sole reason why they ride in the first place
That can totally flow into a whole other tangent/topic... but bottom line for this thread: for GENERAL safety for the GENERAL cyclists out there... brakes +1. I don't see how one can continue to argue that if you remove the exceptions. (There are always exceptions to everything in life, so that's not really a strong basis, IMO i guess. Meh... or they could just be some "elitist" of some sort... iono, har har~!)
roughdraftx0102.1.09 - 12:41 pm
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oh, does anyone else find it funny that the starter of this "pop quiz" gregb answered his own question WRONG. greg, learn to ride your fucking bike! if your using your front brake properly your rear brake is USELESS. to slow down the quickest you have to lean back and be on your front brake so hard that your rear wheel is on the verge of lifting off the ground. which mean it would have no traction and using your rear brake would do nothing.
larsenf02.1.09 - 12:51 pm
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I really do not get why people think you need to use both brakes
its not like your front tire is ever going to skid...
The rear brake is more of a failsafe
robin swabin02.1.09 - 2:27 pm
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When I get my desert fixed-gear setup, I'm putting brakes on both ends until I get a handle on how to control that thing.
Right now, I seem to be having the worst of luck running into any "junkers" to rebuild.
And the jackasses at the local bike shop seem to be hard-pressed to help me in any form as they only cater to the Lycra Legion and the Weekend Warriors that strive to be them.
Apparently, fixed-hubs were alien to them until I showed them a movie on my camera.
bentstrider02.1.09 - 2:42 pm
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roadies vs hipsters/fixies ... down old topanga rd. lets see who makes it to the bottom
sancho102.1.09 - 3:13 pm
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@sancho
Don't really have to face that up here much.
During the weekdays, all the roadies retreat to their cars during work-hours, or if it begins to get dark, they'll frantically race home before the Sun dips behind the horizon.
Training for a race my ass, if you could afford a $1000+ bike, then yo' cheap ass could afford some $20 lights.
For me, Hell is a solo-ride.
bentstrider02.1.09 - 3:17 pm
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with a mentality like that, you have to sort of wonder why you think everyone is against you.
ruinedbyidiots02.1.09 - 3:26 pm
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Neither the steelers nor the cardinals are running front brakes today.
stillline02.1.09 - 3:37 pm
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Do I ever question yours?; No
So, why go defending an area you probably won't ever step foot in?
bentstrider02.1.09 - 3:38 pm
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No, just the general lack of an "all-inclusive" cycling scene in the desert.
I tried to start one a few times, but there are too many, strict-authoritarian, "we'll-follow-the-rules-to-the-last-bite" types around here.
bentstrider02.1.09 - 4:02 pm
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fuck everyone else, quit complaining, and be your own all inclusive cycling scene! youll feel much better in the long run.
this thread is now about breakfast burritos.
ruinedbyidiots02.1.09 - 4:32 pm
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That's a nice burrito. Does it have brakes?
stillline02.1.09 - 4:34 pm
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Well, in that case I'm buying a megaphone and some fireworks.
Thanks for the tip.
bentstrider02.1.09 - 4:40 pm
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bravo! now youre on the right foot. as an added bonus, fireworks and other incendiaries are legal where you live.
ruinedbyidiots02.1.09 - 4:41 pm
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Call that a breakfast burrito? What's that in the first pic? Where's the green peppers, onions and salsa?
geezzz
User102.1.09 - 5:02 pm
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Only in Adelanto, they used to be legal in Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, but those OC-transplants I consistently bitch about got those banned as well.
The only other bad thing about this area is low-to-no evasion option.
On the East and Westsides, you could usually evade from small-city jurisdiction into LAPD/SD jurisdiction and be somewhat scott-free.
If I blow off rounds up here, I better have a hiding place to scamper off to, the sheriffs department is contracted to all the cities out here, and the sheriffs chopper seems to get into the air within 5 minutes of the slightest shit going down.
I already got shined by that damned thing on three occasions!!!
bentstrider02.1.09 - 5:06 pm
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this thread went from fail to win in one post. breakfast burrito ride in the desert anyone? brakes optional.
larsenf02.1.09 - 6:18 pm
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@ bentsrider
? what about moving to civilisation ?
Seems you complain about where you live alot.
Dedicated81802.1.09 - 6:53 pm
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@818
It's not exactly the fact that it's "small" out here.
If it was a small town, people would be a little more, easier going and not act much like jackasses all the time.
My reasons for complaining is how this place has evolved from an average, not-so-bad, small-town, to a product of auto-traffic inspired, Sprawl-burb.
Hell, riding my bike in an actual, small town or large city would be safer and more enjoyable than this piece of work.
But, as for your original question, I'll leave permanently once I get into a better job, education, whatever's necessary to ensure that I never have to return here for sustenance-reasons.
As to what city, see my other thread
bentstrider02.1.09 - 7:00 pm
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@Bentsrider
Ya I now what you mean, I use to drive through there quite a bit when I would go to Big Bear. The back way use to be faster
when was able to haul ass. Now it takes forever to go that way.
To many lights and traffic.
I began to notice on phenomnom every mall has a check cashing place, a payless shoes, and a dentist ?
I attribute it to tweekers get ther assistance check, then they go to buy new shoes regularly due to pacing back and forth. Then finally wind up at the dentist to get what ever teeth they have left pulled.
Dedicated81802.1.09 - 7:26 pm
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I've been riding a brakeless fixie for about five months now. I took the brake off when I changed frames because my caliper didn't fit the new frame and I figured I'd just see how it was.
I learned to trackstand and skid due to resisting the rear wheel so much going down hills to and from work, and I can honestly say I feel like I'm a MUCH safer rider because riding without a front brake FORCES you to become much more aware.
So it's not like riding a brakeless bike doesn't teach you a thing or to about riding in traffic. You learn to pace yourself because you can't come to a quick, front brake induced stop.
That being said, I'm putting together yet another fixie in a couple weeks and plan on putting on the front brake again, as the brake fits this new frame. This is simply because I'd like to be able to bomb hills without my inner voice saying, "YEEEAAAH, WE'RE GONNA DIE!! WOOOOOO!"
So there's my two sense on the whole deal.
infiniteawesome02.1.09 - 8:48 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
EVOLUTION.
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!