Pist Bicycles

[dimwit]

I saw one of these parked on the streets of Matsuyama sporting a nice big red traffic violation ticket. Can someone please explain the moth-to-a-bug zipper attraction these things have to people in this land. I get the idea of riding a racing bike because it is light, but what advantage do people see in having a bike with no brakes?

[Coligny]

It's a fixie... it's for them douchebag hipsterz... and actually illegal for use in public space in japan because of said lack of brakes and the road and traffic law requirement for bicyculz to come to a full stop in around 3-5 meters (don't remember, the rulebook is in the car... and i'm a bit anal retentive with bike maintenance especially for wear and tear parts that deteriorate by themselves without use -dry rubber rot- so... it's always in near factory mint condition and can't be really improved)

http://www.trafikpictures.com/2011/10/18/japanese-crackdown-on-fixies/

As usual... people cry for their 'frreeee333333eeedom' when those turds are banned... but operating a vehicule purposefully deprived of brakes seems like Sir Charles Darwin wet dream... Those guys will tell you that they can brake as efficiently with the pedals... except when they actually need to stop quick... then it's Allah admiral Ouackbar... At first I thought the lack of 'engine braking' was making downhill drive dreadfull on bicycles... then I discovered drum brakes... (and you can even cook some bacon on them after a long ride)

[GomiGirl]

I know somebody who bought one and added brakes so he can ride it around town - bike nut.

Fixies are circuit training bikes and come without brakes. But the messenger guys decided they were cool so it has been a bit of a trend lately.

[Coligny]

[dimwit]

I know somebody who bought one and added brakes so he can ride it around town - bike nut.

Look I have no problem with racers, althought I think that they can have serious sewer grate problems if the wheels too thin, but not having brakes seems to be a way -stupider than most, to get yourself expired.

[Doctor Stop]

Pist Bicycles

I thought it was illegal to ride when pist.

[maraboutslim]

I think the word you are looking for (Italian) is Pista. And technically they have a brake, of sorts, since the rear wheel is "fixed" to the cranks and operates similar to a "coaster" brake. Here's a comparison of stopping distance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYWhJCzOh7Y

[IparryU]

I think the word you are looking for (Italian) is Pista. And technically they have a brake, of sorts, since the rear wheel is "fixed" to the cranks and operates similar to a "coaster" brake. Here's a comparison of stopping distance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYWhJCzOh7Y

is that a drag queen/tranny?

[Dreamy_Peach]

[sublight]

Stopping quickly without hand brakes *might* be possible (with a great deal of practice) only if you have pedals and shoes that lock together, so you can apply pressure with both feet all the way around. If you're in your street shoes with flat pedals (as most of the piste riders are), then at best you can only brake with one foot at a time. And if your pedals happen to be vertical when you need to stop, you've got no leverage and are more likely to have your feet fly off the pedals completely.

It's an interesting comparison, though: among cycling club riders and at amateur racing events, 95-99% of riders use locking shoes. Among commuters riding piste bikes, I think I've yet to see one.

Personally, when I see one of these guys on my way to work (I ride a racing bike), I like to coast past them and then shift into a higher gear to blast off into the distance.

[maraboutslim]

If you see a "track" bike without pedal staps or modern clipless pedals, I suspect it has a freewheel and not a fixed gear (and thus it better have rim brakes!). It'd be really hard to ride a fixed gear without one's feet firmly attached to the pedals as the pedals never stop moving...

[Coligny]

If you see a "track" bike without pedal staps or modern clipless pedals, I suspect it has a freewheel and not a fixed gear (and thus it better have rim brakes!). It'd be really hard to ride a fixed gear without one's feet firmly attached to the pedals as the pedals never stop moving...

I suspect you never saw a hipster IRL...

[sublight]

If you see a "track" bike without pedal staps or modern clipless pedals, I suspect it has a freewheel and not a fixed gear (and thus it better have rim brakes!). It'd be really hard to ride a fixed gear without one's feet firmly attached to the pedals as the pedals never stop moving...

That's exactly the problem, these are fixed gear bikes, and the rider aren't using straps, clipless pedals or rim brakes. Add in the ones who haven't even ridden a drop-handle bike before, and they're a disaster waiting to happen.

Still, I agree with Dreamy that the mamachari riders are the biggest hazard. Between the drunks weaving around at night and the idiots riding in the street against the traffic flow, they're much more likely to cause an accident. My favorite was the guy I saw weaving along the street at night (no lights, of course) who was using one hand to hold a cigarette to his mouth and the other hand to hold a crutch in his bike basket because he was riding with one foot in a cast.

[GomiGirl]

My favorite was the guy I saw weaving along the street at night (no lights, of course) who was using one hand to hold a cigarette to his mouth and the other hand to hold a crutch in his bike basket because he was riding with one foot in a cast.

No umbrella or keitai too? Amateur...

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

Sorry to be a little vague on this post, I've a couple under the belt.

One of the six o'clock news programs in Tokyo was showing a segment tonight on the police cracking down on these bike. Will try and track this on youtube if it pops up.

As Spotlight noted, a lot of poseurs run fixed geared bikes with big honking BMX cage pedals. I can't see any advantage for any serious rider in this. A mechanically simple, light weight bike with a shitty power distribution system. Well done tossers.
A fixed geared bike "pist" and a single speed bike are two different monsters.

Me vs mamichari. I back me. Hip and shoulder vs bad centre of gravity and a doddering mind at low speed. If a guy is riding with a cigarette in one hand he could at least have the courtesy of having 24 cans of beer on the shoulder.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

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[Coligny]

The moar I look into it, the moar ah think the level of douchebagerie displayed by fixies rider is just amazing since nothing prevent them from having a fixed gear at the same time as regular brakes and use whatever they want. In fine they don't insist on having a fixed gear braking system. They just use it as an excuse for NOT having a legal braking system...

I propose the Soylent Green solution...