Bikes without brakes

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Originally Posted By: tom slick
you're not part of the fixie revolution?


I am but at least I'm smart enough to have a front brake. I don't have a back one.

I love my Fixie!!
 
Oh great, another fad to endure!!

The first post reminds me of when my buddy and I went skiing and some yahoo was yelling "I'm out of control". We were stopped. I stuck out my pole uphill and told him he better get under control. I wasn't going to the hospital because some out-of-control jerk decides to be reckless around me.
 
I commute 5 days/week on my Bianchi Pista Fixed Gear which does not have any kind of braking system on it whatsoever other than the reverse power of my legs. :) I love it, brakes are overrated.
 
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Flatlander!


Well this is TX.. but I still have some pretty decent hills to climb on my way to work. Running 48:17 it's harder getting up them then slowing going down them. :D
 
It was a Buick -- something broke every day, but I made it through Texas in one piece,
 
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Muscular regenerative braking?


Actually, it can't be good for the knees.
 
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Muscular regenerative braking?


Actually, it can't be good for the knees.


The irony is that for competitive cycling training at the beginning of the season, it is actually suggested by most coaches to use a fixed gear.
This is done to train the muscles to spin in a complete smooth circle, instead of a choppy vertical motion or 'pedalling squares' like my old coaches used to say back in the day. This is also why it is done with small gear ratios, to train the muscles to move smoothly at high revolutions per minute.
None but the craziest of us would ever go out on training rides without at least a front brake, though.
 
Hi,
dailydriver - The coaches are learning from the past!
I spent well over a decade on the World velodrome cycle racing scene including two World Championships (Liege and Milan). I rode on velodromes from NZ to East Germany (Leizig,Chemnitz,Berlin) and via OZ, England, Japan, and many other places in between. I equalled the World Record for the 200m sprint in Copenhagen in 1963! I held more NZ records than anybody else for many years - one still stands 44 years later.
I rode mainly sprints and 1km Time Trials amongst other events

I also raced on the road but always under contract. I finished 6th in the Pre Olympic 200km road race in Tokyo after puncturing about 6km from the finish. The race was won by Lucien Aimar (French) who later won the Tour de France

I always trained on geared freewheelers but at the start of a summer track season I would ride on the road a few times to re-educate the mind and my reaction time!

Cycling is a great sport (I still ride to the Gym) but it is sad that drugs have overwhelmed the reality of it all. Drugs were also present when I raced too!

At nearly 70 I can tell you my knees are still fine!!

Fixed wheelers for ever!!

Regards
Doug
 
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When I was buzzing around NYC in a van fixing generators, I noticed quite a few bike messengers riding fixes. I thought they were nuts. A guy that worked for me was from Antigua and he pointed out to me that all the guys riding fixes were from the Caribbean. I'll say this: I never saw one fall or get hit or anything, but they were a little aggressive with pedestrians.
 
Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
Hi,
dailydriver - The coaches are learning from the past!
I spent well over a decade on the World velodrome cycle racing scene including two World Championships (Liege and Milan). I rode on velodromes from NZ to East Germany (Leizig,Chemnitz,Berlin) and via OZ, England, Japan, and many other places in between. I equalled the World Record for the 200m sprint in Copenhagen in 1963! I held more NZ records than anybody else for many years - one still stands 44 years later.
I rode mainly sprints and 1km Time Trials amongst other events

I also raced on the road but always under contract. I finished 6th in the Pre Olympic 200km road race in Tokyo after puncturing about 6km from the finish. The race was won by Lucien Aimar (French) who later won the Tour de France

I always trained on geared freewheelers but at the start of a summer track season I would ride on the road a few times to re-educate the mind and my reaction time!

Cycling is a great sport (I still ride to the Gym) but it is sad that drugs have overwhelmed the reality of it all. Drugs were also present when I raced too!

At nearly 70 I can tell you my knees are still fine!!

Fixed wheelers for ever!!

Regards
Doug


That is TOO COOL!!! We actually have someone on here of this stature from the international cycling community. WOW!
I thought the name looked familiar.
So, what was your win/loss record against the likes of Pierre Trentin and Danny Morelon??
Was Reggie (Harris) still competing during your time?
 
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Hi,
Reg Harris was a Mentor of mine. My Father took me to meet him (he visited NZ in 1953-4) and Reg showed be how to train correctly. I spent some time on road and track training in his company. I was 14 years old. He suggested I do weight training (which I still do) and how to do it correctly. He taught me Sprint training techniques and especially how this could be done when no Velodrome was available

Reg was a fixed wheel expert and trained on a fixed wheel Raleigh (he was their Pro) but he had brakes on it!!!!!

He smoked a pipe too!!

I rode against Trentin a couple of times but never beat him. Morelon had just arrived on the scene when I left Europe - I predicted he would be great after he rode as a young bloke at Liege - he was a smooth pedaller and a cool tactician. I trained with the Italian sprinters; Gaiardoni, Bianchetto, Beghetto, Damiano, Pettenella - I shared the same Coach as these guys, the great Guido Costa. He was based in Denmark and he became a great friend and my greatest Mentor

My two best friends were the World Champion pursuiters Mogens Frey (Denmark) (he also won a Tour stage) and Hugh Porter (England)

In the early 1960s the East Germans had the fastest sprinters who were on all sorts of "funny stuff" They could not compete in the West so we went there!

A great time. Thanks for your interest
Regards
Doug
 
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Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
My two best friends were the World Champion pursuiters Mogens Frey (Denmark) (he also won a Tour stage) and Hugh Porter (England)

In the early 1960s the East Germans had the fastest sprinters who were on all sorts of "funny stuff" They could not compete in the West so we went there!

A great time. Thanks for your interest
Regards
Doug


I remember those two from that time frame. Hugh was actually a 'hero' of mine in my early cycling career. I was a frustrated 'wannabe' pursuiter, since it was the only track event that was even remotely like a time trial on the road, albeit MUCH shorter in distance/duration.
But alas, I just did NOT have the fast twitch muscle mass to generate the power needed to turn those 48x14 gears over at the speeds needed to be competitive. So I just stuck to points races and madisons on the track, and 100 mile road races.
It's still my favorite track event though. I follow the careers of the now pro road racing Aussie/NZ pursuiters intently.
I guess the 'fast twitch' theory is proven out by the fact that THEY are the designated sprinters at the end of a long, flat road stage.
Was there ever another pure match sprinter (besides Urs Freuler) who could last and finish pro road races with lightning speed???
 
Hi,
dailydriver - I loved Points races, Madisons and Teams Pursuits too. I "suffered" quite well in road races but just loved the finishes - rough, tough and full of knees and elbows!!

Hugh had a great sense of humour and we had a lot of laughs. We shared tactics, wheels, food etc. in road races and we just loved punishing the French "stars" together.

Australia and NZ do have a great cycling heritage - well over one hundred years in the making. Of the OZ riders in my era Sid Patterson was very good to me and I was great mates with Lionel Cox, Ian Browne, Peter Bartels, Ron Baensch, Gary Sutton and etc. I still see them (remaining) from time to time

Kind regards
Doug
PS. I'm so pleased to have shared these things with you - another cyclist and a member of a great sport's fraternity
 
You guys please continue. I'll pick my jaw up off the floor (in awe of course) later!

Man, oh man. None of the names ring any bells as you guys are discussing a period of time long before I was even a twinkle in my parents eyes (sorry) but it is awesome none the less. Thank you both for sharing.
 
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