Re: Urban cycling update

On 9/28/2024 2:52 PM, Shadow wrote:

On Sat, 28 Sep 2024 14:09:33 -0500, Mark J cleary
<mcleary08@comcast.net> wrote:
 

On 9/28/2024 1:44 PM, AMuzi wrote:

On 9/28/2024 1:09 PM, Shadow wrote:

On Sat, 28 Sep 2024 09:34:28 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>

https://nypost.com/2024/09/27/lifestyle/nyc-bike-messengers-reveal-their-surprisingly-busiest-time-of-year/

>
     All bikes shown have thick chains, ***no gears(maybe hub gears on
one) and no apparent brakes. Hub brakes by back pedaling?
>
<https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/victor-ramirez-credit-sammpicnyc-instagram-90397651.jpg>
     []'s

>
Right, primarily fixed gear.
>

>
I crazy dangerous job that I expect some people have no trouble taking.
Not me that would be crazy. Also, having road a bike for most of my life
and many miles I have never road a fixed great bike. Does this mean you
are either pedaling for not? The hub must not be a freehub or cassette.
In my world I have no idea how anyone could ride a bike like that, seems
incredibly dangerous. Do they use cleats and what is basic speed your
are going?

  The way I see it, if the chain breaks you lose both the
ability to accelerate out of trouble (as with most bikes) but also the
ability to brake.
Imagine spinning those pedals down a steep slope then some
debris strikes your chain and "derails" it.
[]'s
  *** by "no gears" I meant no gear changing. Obviously there
must be at least one gear.

In practice fixed gear chain is not only wider and stronger but since it only runs in one path (like a cam chain in an engine) derailment is unheard of.
That said, most urban fixed riders use a front brake, as do I. The younger crowd will comment, "I can stop in three meters!" which is fine until you have two meters between you and the bus.
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971