The 5 Best Fixed Gear Bike Brakes You Can Buy

Are you looking for the best fixie brakes? Look no further. In this article, we will guide you through the different types of brakes and their features.

If you’re in the market for an efficient, reliable brake system for your fixed-gear bicycle, you’ll want to consider investing in a good set of brakes. But how do you choose a good brake? And what are the best fixie bike brakes on the market?

This article will give you my top five picks for the best fixed-gear bike brakes. I’ll also show you how to choose the right one for your needs so you can enjoy riding your bike safely.

Below are just three of my featured favorites. Scroll further down to see my full roundup, or click here.

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What is a fixed gear bike brake?

I fixed your bike brake refers to a brake system on, you guessed it, fixed gear bike. You may have heard that fixies bikes don’t have brakes. While this may be true to some degree, it’s never a good idea to ride completely breakless. As a matter of fact, some, if not all, bike manufacturers ship out their bikes with at least one break by law.

Thumbnail for a blog post tittled the 5 best fixed gear brakes you can buy
Thumbnail for a blog post tittled the 5 best fixed gear brakes you can buy
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My favorite bike (at the moment):

State Bicycle Co. Black Label 6061

Best overall fixed gear bike state bicycle co 6061 black label v2
My favorite bike (at the moment):

State Bicycle Co. Black Label 6061

This is my daily ride, my trusty Black Label It’s lightweight and beautifully crafted. It looks like a beast and rides like one too. I upgraded the saddle, but everything else is pretty much as it was out of the box. I highly recommend it.

What are the benefits of fixed-gear bike brakes? (advantages)

Upgrading to a high-quality fixed gear bike brake can be an easy way to enhance your cycling experience. And there are numerous advantages and benefits to using fixed-gear bike brakes, but some of the most frequent are as follows:

1. It makes the bike easier to stop or slow down

They’re easier to stop. Fixed gear bikes have a single front brake that applies pressure to the wheel in front rather than the back wheel. This means the rider has better braking control, which is especially crucial while descending steep hills or traveling slowly on curvy routes. And, of course, this makes it a lot safer as well.

3. Brakes make your bike more dependable

Fixed-gear bikes have a single gear ratio, making them more dependable than derailleur bikes with many gears. This is because there is less chance of the chain becoming entangled on the sprocket and causing a derailment.

4. Required by law

Most cities, states, and municipalities have laws preventing bicycles from riding on public roads without breaks. Does it need to be two brakes? No, but do you need at least one of them? So, having a good set of brakes on your bike will ensure that you are on the right side of the lot.

Image of a bicycle repair man installing bicycle brakes. Source: adobe stock
Image of a bicycle repair man installing bicycle brakes. Source: adobe stock

What are the different types of fixed-gear bike brakes?

Brakes are classified into three types:

Rim Brakes

Rim brakes work by pushing two opposed brake pads on the rim of the bike wheel to stop the bike. The braking mechanisms are located on the frame towards the top of the wheels.

Disc Brakes

Disc brakes, on the other hand, are located in the middle of each wheel and stop the bike by pushing a brake pad against a rotor placed around the hub. They have higher stopping power, particularly in wet situations. Previously exclusively featured on mountain bikes and a few road bikes, disc brakes are now present on all types of bicycles.

Coaster Brakes

These brakes are on the bike’s back wheel and work with a spring system. Because they don’t require much effort from your hand to activate, they’re ideal for easy, low-intensity riding.

If you want even more tips, check out this video called “Front brake install | Fixed Gear” from the Edafe Omosowofa YouTube Channel.

A video called “Front brake install | Fixed Gear” from the Edafe Omosowofa YouTube Channel.

The five best fixed-gear bike brakes of 2022

Below are the best fixed-gear bike brakes that you can buy right now.

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Shimano R451 Rear Road Caliper

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Shimano is a fantastic brand that produces high-quality equipment; these brakes are no exception. They are both lightweight and well-designed. Power and adjustability are also excellent. The calipers are made of lightweight metal and are black. And you can install them very quickly and easily. I suggest them because of their low price and superb quality. These brakes are fantastic! They have very light movement, and the toe-in adjustment makes a great difference.

Sunlite MX Fixie Brake Set

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The Sunlite MX brakes are the whole shebang. Each item includes brake levers, calipers, and wires. To install them, you only need a few tools. This saves you the hassle of purchasing separate brake calipers, levers, and wires.

While reducing weight, aluminum construction gives a strong, responsive feel. They aren’t as light as anything from SRAM, but the convenience of an all-in-one solution for under $50 is hard to pass up, especially if your brakes are a supplement to your skid control.

With a reach range of 69mm-96mm, these brakes will fit almost any model of fixie. That is the distance between the brake and the vehicle.

SRAM Rival Fixie Caliper Brakes

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Although these calipers do not have brake lines or levers, they are high quality. In addition, SRAM, second only to Shimano in terms of popularity, manufactures numerous classic track bike components such as chainrings and cranksets.

This product comes with only the front brake caliper, but a rear brake on a fixie is not always unnecessary (but it is recommended). Skidding takes care of rear-wheel brakes. Running just a front brake looks slicker and simpler, and it fits well with the minimalist fixie design.

These brakes are unrivaled in terms of quality. Their forged arms and stainless steel pivot bolt give the stiffness and durability required for an aggressive fixie rider to stop safely in urban situations.

The dual pivot feature of these brakes allows for more uniform braking, which is critical for avoiding a handlebar flip.

Shimano 105 Fixie Brakes

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Even though they are designed for use on road bikes, they work well on fixies. And you get a pair, one for the front and one for the rear!

Most fixie riders will choose these aluminum brake calipers because of their outstanding performance. The Shimano 105 brake system is a great choice for performance-minded cyclists, weighing in at less than 400 grams for the pair.

These brakes have unrivaled stopping ability. The only upside to spending more is reduced weight. As a result of the low weight of a fixed-gear bicycle, that investment won’t go very far.

Leipupa Fixie Bike Brake Kit

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Make no mistake. These are not high-quality brakes. They are on this list because they are certainly the best budget brakes. If you are in an absolute pinch and you need a brake system for the cheapest price. We would go for this one, but do not expect this one to be long-lasting or very powerful. Again. It’s only on this list because it is the best for one thing: your wallet.


Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do you still have questions? Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about fixie bike brakes.

Should I equip my fixie with brakes?

We strongly urge that you always use brakes on your fixed-gear bicycle, whether you are a rookie or an expert rider. Several fixie brake sets include coaster, bullhorn, and drop-bar brakes. However, we recommend obtaining some calipers or V-brakes.

Which bicycle braking system is the best?

Disc brakes are among the most powerful forms of bike brakes available. Despite being invented after the rim brake, they are frequently regarded as the greatest bicycle brakes due to their increased responsiveness and consistent performance in all weather conditions.

Which is superior, drum or disc brakes?

Because of its design and functioning mechanism, a disc brake is significantly superior to a drum brake. However, it operates on the same idea of reducing vehicle speed through friction. A disc brake’s essential components are a disc rotor, a caliper, and brake pads.

What are the best brakes?

CERAMIC. Ceramic brake pads provide the exceptional stopping power and effectively dissipate heat. They are ideal for most conventional driving applications, producing very little dust or noise and lasting a long time

Do all fixed gear riders ride brakeless?

Many states and nations require brakes to be provided with any bike sold; thus, not all fixed-gear riders ride without them. Of course, fixie purists will get the front brake (at their peril), but many riders still like having a backup brake.

Why do you need a front brake on a fixie?

Most experienced fixie riders will tell you that decent fixed-gear riding skills require strong braking power. Unfortunately, while the back brake is more than adequate for managing your speed downhill, it cannot be adequately slow or stop you on an uphill climb.

A front brake is essential because it slows you down by applying pressure to the tires, preventing them from rotating. It also allows you to maintain control of your bike. You may, however, make your bike safer by installing a second brake.

This is a supplementary handlebar lever that slows the back wheel. It’s crucial because it allows you to come to a safe stop. It also keeps accidents from happening. You have the option of installing only the back brake. Alternatively, acquire both brakes for an even more stable ride.

How I chose these fixed bike brakes (ranking criteria and methodology)

I studied hundreds of reviews from real buyers and testers to determine which fixed-gear bike brakes performed best and were dependable. Then, I selected fixed bike brakes at various price ranges to ensure that everyone can find fixed bike brakes that suit their needs. I judged these bike brakes by the following criteria:

Average price (10%)

While this article covers fixed gear bike brakes with varying price ranges, bike brakes should be affordable. Thus, I highlight affordability and price as prime benefits.

Features (35%)

Every fixed-gear bike brake has a unique set of features. Some are better than others. I considered their unique features when evaluating these fixed bike brakes. 

Functionality (25%)

I selected these based on how durable and functional they are. I used real customer reviews and my experience to evaluate their advertised functionality and durability.

Style (10%)

Because let’s face it—we all want good-looking fixed bike brakes. 

Reviews (20%)

I considered positive and negative reviews when evaluating these fixed bike brakes.

Conclusion

Now that you know all about the best fixed-gear bicycle brakes, it’s time to pick one for your bike! Shaping up good brakes can turn a regular commute into an amazing adventure. All you need now is some practice and proper judgment before hitting the streets!

This article covered my top five picks for the best fixed-gear bike brakes and how to choose one that’s best for you. Here are some key takeaways:

Key takeaways

  • The best fixie bike brakes are:
    1. Shimano R451 Rear Road Caliper
    2. Sunlite MX Fixie Brake Set
    3. SRAM Rival Fixie Caliper Brakes
    4. Shimano 105 Fixie Brakes
    5. Leipupa Fixie Bike Brake Kit
  • The “fixed-gear” bicycle is the oldest and most basic sort of bicycle. 
  • There are various advantages to installing a front brake on a fixed-gear bike.
  • Rim brakes use pads to clamp down on the wheel.
  • Road bike brakes are relatively expensive and heavy.
  • The Fixie rear wheel is best for rear braking as it does not require any other brake system on the rear wheel.
  • The hub is a small bulwark in the rear wheel hub that controls the rotation.

So, which fixie bike brakes do you prefer to use? Did I cover everything you wanted to know? And what do you think of my list of the best fixed-gear bike brakes? Let us know in the comments section below (I read and reply to every comment). If you found this article helpful, check out my full blog for more tips and tricks on fixed-gear bikes. Thanks for reading, and stay fixed.

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Bradley Knight Image
Written by Bradley Knight, Staff Writer

Hey there! My name is Bradley, and I've been riding fixed for years. I love all the joy and pain that comes with this unique style of cycling and the passionate community that drives it. If you love fixed-gear bikes, this is the place for you.

Nick eggert.
Edited by Nick Eggert, Staff Editor

Nick is our staff editor and co-founder. He has a passion for writing, editing, and website development. His expertise lies in shaping content with precision and managing digital spaces with a keen eye for detail.

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