Quote:
Originally Posted by pdonk
Think I may add a front brake and cheap tires to the bike next year for outdoor riding.
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As others noted, it is ill-advised, and in fact can be quite dangerous, to ride a fixed gear bike on the road without a brake. You never know when a car will put out in front of you, or a child or dog will run out in the road, or even just heading down a hill that is too steep to control your speed.
In addition, riding a fixed gear on the road can even be illegal. According to CPSC regulations, all bikes sold in the US except track bikes (riding in competition on velodromes) must have brakes; so riding a track bike on the road is a bit of a grey area. But local laws may also apply - here in Massachusetts, all bikes ridden on the the must have brakes. One could argue that back pedaling a fixed gear bike is a form of braking, but the braking distance requirements (stop in 30 feet from a speed of 15 mph, an average deceleration rate of 0.25g) may be difficult if not not impossible for a fixed gear bike to meet.