{"id":2794,"date":"2022-06-16T08:47:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-16T12:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/?p=2794"},"modified":"2024-02-05T22:41:31","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T03:41:31","slug":"how-to-stop-a-fixie-bike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklynfixedgear.com\/bikes-and-parts\/how-to-stop-a-fixie-bike\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stop A Fixed Gear Bike (Easily & Safely)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you are new to the fixie game, you may have heard that stopping can be difficult, and it is. If you don’t know how to stop properly, you can seriously damage your bike and, most importantly, yourself. So, let’s take a moment and answer the question: how do you stop on a fixed-gear bike?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To stop on a fixed-gear bike, slow down your pedaling cadence and slowly apply pressure to your front brake. If you squeeze too hard, you risk locking the front wheel and flying over the handlebars. If you don’t use brakes, you will need to slow your cadence to slow down.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there’s a lot<\/em> more to it than that. So, in this article, you will learn how to stop a fixed-gear bike with and without brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editor’s note: This article was updated on June 16, 2022<\/strong>, to include more information about single-speed and fixed-gear bikes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we learn how to stop a fixed-gear bike, we should first choose whether we should ride with or without brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you ride with or without brakes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I recognize that some fixed gear purists argue that brakeless is the way to go.<\/strong> However, there is undoubtedly a pleasure provided by a brakeless bike, and some riders have perfected this riding style and are very capable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, since brakeless bikes are illegal in several cities worldwide, I always recommend having at least one brake<\/a> on your bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can remove it later if you want to go brakeless for whatever reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to stop a fixed-gear bike with brakes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To slow down or stop on a fixed gear bike with front or rear brakes, pull on the hand brakes<\/a> slowly. Do not abruptly stop pedaling; you must continue to pedal in a fixed-gear bike even as you brake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Press back slightly on the pedals to provide a slight resistance while squeezing the front brake<\/strong>. Back-pedaling pressure should be supplementary; the primary stopping power should come from the hand brakes. Be ready to take your legs out of your toe cages or pedal straps<\/a> to stay upright when coming to a complete stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t have pedal straps, below are a few great options worth considering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[azonpress template=”grid” asin=”B00UGR9CYC,B08L47BZL9,B00UGR8UT0″]\n\n\n\n

Most fixed-gear bikes use one front brake located on the front wheel, which is a legal requirement in most counties and municipalities<\/a>. You can also install a back brake to improve stopping power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stopping a fixed-gear without brakes is a little more complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image
An image of a bike’s rear wheel and rear brake. Source: viktor bystrov, unsplash.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to stop on a fixie without brakes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you want to ride your fixie on a public road, ensure it has a front-wheel hand brake. You’ll have trouble defending yourself if you cause an accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way to stop a fixed gear bike without a hand brake is by locking out the back wheel and going into a skid<\/a>. Slow the bike down using your legs<\/strong>, then abruptly reverse direction and grind your rear tire to get the desired effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bike will slow down more quickly before getting into a skid if you lean forward a little while doing this. So I don’t recommend it for safety reasons (but it does look cool AF<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stopping with your foot on the front wheel or between the rear wheel and seat tube is a method some people use to stop, but I don’t recommend this. It will ruin your shoes, and (it does not look cool AF<\/em>). Also, if you apply too much pressure, you might lock the front wheel, your shoelace might get caught in there, and you’ll fly over the bars. Ouch. Please don’t do this, please.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it hard to stop on a fixed-gear bike?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stopping on a fixed-gear bike might be challenging<\/strong>, especially if you’re not used to it, but it gets easier with experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to stop on a track bike<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A track bike is like a fixed gear bike<\/a>, without brakes, not even the front one. Instead, the locking mechanism on the rear wheel is usually the only braking system on a track bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When riding in a velodrome, you won’t have to worry about traffic lights or automobiles since you’ll be going around in circles at high speed. However, this also means that it’s not safe to make sudden stops. So, to stop, gradually reduce your speed to avoid losing control of the bike<\/strong>. Then, continue pedaling, but as your cadence drops, the bike will eventually stop on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you do if your bike brakes fail downhill?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your bike brakes fail downhill, slow down your cadence to bring the bike to a complete stop as soon as feasible.<\/strong> Attempting to completely stop the bike may be riskier than slowing down. If that does not work, try riding in a zig-zag pattern until you slow down enough to get off the bike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you looking for more advice? Watch this video called “How to Stop Your Fixie”<\/em> from the Pure Cycles YouTube Channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n