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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
Unbelievable isn't it?
Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law Sacramento police recently began targeting illegal fixed-gear bikes. But are the brake-free rides really dangerous, or are cops simply going after a counterculture scene? By Nick Miller http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento...nt?oid=1304912 This article was published on 10.22.09. Bicyclists stop their fixed-gear bikes by going against the crank’s rotation (pictured) instead of using a hand brake. PHOTO BY DAVID JAYNE John Cardiel dashed down Ninth Street on his fixed-gear bike, tearing southward in the right-hand lane, when he heard yelling, which grew louder and closer. He looked over his shoulder and saw two Sacramento police officers on bikes trailing him, hollering, “Stop!” Cardiel explains that he “skidded to an immediate stop.” Then, he describes that the cops applied their hand brakes and slid past him. “One guy almost fell over. I had more control than they did,” Cardiel remembers. A professional skateboarder and expert cyclist, Cardiel appears in Colin Arlen and Colby Elrick’s film Macaframa, a documentary showcasing precision tricks and maneuvers by skilled fixed-gear bikers that screened to a sold-out Crest Theatre crowd earlier this year. But mere blocks from the Crest, Sacramento bike police had pulled the accomplished rider over because he didn’t have a hand brake, which is in violation of California Vehicle Code 21201(a). Fixies, whose popularity has blown up in recent years, have no free wheel and cannot coast, so riders come to a stop by going against the crank’s rotation and skidding instead of using a hand brake. This year, however, the city began targeting bikes without hand brakes. And so Cardiel received a $25 fix-it ticket and would have to install a new brake. Other cyclists, though, have had it worse off: City police have confiscated and impounded fixed-gear bikes, costing cyclists hundreds of dollars in fines, repairs and court appearances—and in many cases, their only means of transportation. “It kind of harshed my summer. I really didn’t want to go downtown anymore. It put a fear of police on my back,” Cardiel says of the incident. Sacramento’s lead bike cop, Sgt. David Valdez, however, says the city is just enforcing California law, which states: “No person shall operate a bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with a brake.” Valdez argues that fixed-gear bicyclists riding without hand brakes are breaking this law. “It seems to be a trend, not only here but across the nation,” says Valdez. “These bicycles are a danger and present a clear hazard not only for the cyclist but also pedestrians and people in vehicles.” The city says it has actively been enforcing this law for the past six months. Cardiel calls the rule “terrible.” SN&R art director David Jayne stopped and photographed Jacob Swift (left) and Brian Morrison (right) on 20th Street in Midtown. Both riders told Jayne that they’d been pulled over by Sacramento bike police in recent months. PHOTO BY DAVID JAYNE “I think it’s totally messed up. We’re a society trying to get people out of cars and promote cycling, but on the other hand you’re taking kids’ bikes,” Cardiel says. Other local cycling experts agree. Sage Bauers, a bike mechanic at south Sacramento’s Bicycle Business, calls the no-brake rule “pretty ridiculous.” “There are a lot of people who can effectively control their bikes without brakes,” he argues. The city says that it doesn’t track data on fixed-gear bike violations, but Valdez estimates that he writes at least five citations a week. Both Valdez and Bicycle Business’ Bauers say that fix-it tickets, where the city demands that riders install a hand brake on their fixie, are “common.” Cardiel thinks all this is causing a “stink between the youth and police.” Of course, as a venerable local skater, he has witnessed this befo police regularly confiscating skateboards and targeting skaters in the ’80s and ’90s. “It’s such a cliché [and] easy thing to say—‘they’re targeting us!’— but I do feel this. They see these kids riding around [on fixed gears] and they jump on them,” Cardiel says. What’s more, authorities also have begun seizing and impounding fixed- gear bikes more frequently. This past July, a longstanding fixed-gear rider—he would prefer to remain anonymous, so we’ll call him “Evan”—was heading west on L Street, near 21st Street, when a Sacramento bike cop pulled him over. “I asked him why and he said, ‘No brakes,’” Evan says. Earlier that day, Evan’s car caught on fire; he mentioned this to the officer. “‘Well, your day’s about to get a lot worse, because you’re not leaving with your bicycle,’” the cop said, according to Evan, who pleaded for a fix-it ticket but was denied. Instead, the cop impounded Evan’s bike and sent it to the evidence department off of Richards Boulevard. Evan received a $168 fine, too. It gets worse. A cyclist either has to pay the no-brake fine or wait up to 60 days to contest the citation in Sacramento County’s Carol Miller Justice Center. Evan went without transportation for a few weeks, but eventually coughed up the fee and installed a brake on his fixie. If this fixie bike had a brake, it probably would go here, on the handlebar. Many fixed-gear riders, however, mount their brakes in unconventional locations so as to disguise them. PHOTO BY DAVID JAYNE Of the new brake, he says he’s “never touched it.” “[I’m] pretty confident that the police don’t understand these bikes,” says Evan, who argues that fixies “fall within the law” because they are “capable of coming to a one-wheeled skid stop.” The city police and district attorney’s office both contend, on the other hand, that legs don’t count as a braking mechanism. But Evan points out that there’s no brake in existence that operates without human muscle, whether hands or legs. “I wouldn’t get on a bike without brakes and go down the street. That’s not what [a fixie] is,” he explains. The district attorney’s office says they’ve seized 18 bikes for “evidence” and 19 for “safekeeping” in 2009. To get around the police hand-brake-enforcement campaign, Bicycle Business’ Bauers says that fixie riders are installing hand brakes on their bikes in unconventional—and even dangerous—ways. Typically, hand brakes are fixed on handlebars so that bikers have quick access to them. But because most fixed-gear riders don’t even use hand brakes—and because a fixie’s design aesthetic strives for a minimalist look—Bauers says he’s seen brakes mounted on seat tubes, fork blades (the part of a bike that holds the front wheel) and in places where “it’s totally legal by technicality [but] not useful at all.” He notes that riding your bike but having to reach down below your seat or between your legs to stop can be awkward, or dangerous, even at slow speeds. But Bauers also says he doesn’t think anyone is using these unconventional brakes anyway. Both Cardiel and Bauers suggest that police target out-of-control and unsafe bicyclists instead of focusing on a particular model. “I wouldn’t say it’s an issue of the bike, I would say it’s more an issue with the rider,” Bauers argues. He says some kids will jump onto a brake-free fixed-gear bike and tear around downtown in something “they can’t really control,” and that’s a cause for alarm. Cardiel agrees. “Some of these kids are going kind of nuts,” he says, but concedes that evaluating whether a rider has control of his bike is “a hard thing to gauge.” Ultimately, most fixed-gear riders feel this fixie goose chase needs to come to a halt. Cardiel would like to see more support from the city, like increasing the number of urban bike lanes and more enforcement against red-light violators and sidewalk riders. “I think it’s really hypocritical, because [the city] wants people to be more conscientious, more eco-friendly and support bike riding,” he says. “But in turn, they’re taking kids’ bikes and trying to make money off of it.” |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
For a large wheel bicycle in the UK, the law is that there must be two
independant means of braking of which includes the front wheel. I can't recall whether a hand operated brake has to be fitted to the steering bar, possibly a spoon brake under the fork crown with an attached handle would satisfy But then what of a gloved hand. Isn't that a hand brake? Leg power does for the rear wheel when fitted with a fixed sprocket. If the fixed rider is wearing gloves, he could argue that the glove is his braking 'device', if that is what is required by the technicality of the law. He would likely have to demonstrate this before the court. |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
"Ablang" ? wrote:
Unbelievable isn't it? Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law Sacramento police recently began targeting illegal fixed-gear bikes. But are the brake-free rides really dangerous, or are cops simply going after a counterculture scene?[...] "Counterculture" is really just another strict conformist group. There is no reason not to have a front brake [1] other than wanting to look "hip". I find the whining of these over-grown brats about being ticketed to be amusing. [1] The amount of money spent on these bicycles indicates that poverty is not an excuse. -- Tom Sherman - 42.435731,-83.985007 I am a vehicular cyclist. |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
On Oct 31, 8:37*pm, thirty-six wrote:
If the fixed rider is wearing gloves, he could argue that the glove is his braking 'device', if that is what is required by the technicality of the law. *He would likely have to demonstrate this before the court. Mr. Flintstone, do you honestly expect the court to accept that a hole cut in your floorboards is supposed to be a conforming braking device? Do you take this court for a fool, Mr. Fintstone? |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
On 31 Oct, 21:17, Norman wrote:
On Oct 31, 8:37*pm, thirty-six wrote: If the fixed rider is wearing gloves, he could argue that the glove is his braking 'device', if that is what is required by the technicality of the law. *He would likely have to demonstrate this before the court. Mr. Flintstone, do you honestly expect the court to accept that a hole cut in your floorboards is supposed to be a conforming braking device? *Do you take this court for a fool, Mr. Fintstone? Fred would fail, he didn't wear shoes iirc, so was not equipped. |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
On 2009-10-31, Tom Sherman ?_? wrote:
"Counterculture" is really just another strict conformist group. There is no reason not to have a front brake [1] other than wanting to look "hip". I find the whining of these over-grown brats about being ticketed to be amusing. [1] The amount of money spent on these bicycles indicates that poverty is not an excuse. Oh, come on, Tom. You *know* that if you have to choose between spending $100 on a set of Toshi double straps or $50 on a front brake that the Toshis are the only real choice. -- -John ) |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
Norman wrote:
On Oct 31, 8:37 pm, thirty-six wrote: If the fixed rider is wearing gloves, he could argue that the glove is his braking 'device', if that is what is required by the technicality of the law. He would likely have to demonstrate this before the court. Mr. Flintstone, do you honestly expect the court to accept that a hole cut in your floorboards is supposed to be a conforming braking device? Do you take this court for a fool, Mr. Fintstone? Yes! With shoes on I just jam my shoe (sneaker, not clip) between the rear wheel and seat tube and I don't have to skid but can wear a rut in your shoe. It isn't rocket science. I live just North of Sacramento and haven't heard it on the local news, but our mayor, another wonder boy like Obama, probably never rode bicycles that much. Bill Baka |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
"Norman" wrote: Mr. Flintstone, do you honestly expect the court to accept that a hole cut in your floorboards is supposed to be a conforming braking device? Do you take this court for a fool, Mr. Fintstone? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Your honor, you don't have to be a fool to see that a fixed gear bicycle, hereinafter referred to as a "fixie," is just a simplified version of the traditional and time-honored coaster brake, wherein reverse torque is applied to the pedals in order to produce braking on the rear wheel. |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
On 1 Nov, 07:08, "Leo Lichtman" wrote:
"Norman" wrote: *Mr. Flintstone, do you honestly expect the court to accept that a hole cut in your floorboards is supposed to be a conforming braking device? *Do you take this court for a fool, Mr. Fintstone? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Your honor, you don't have to be a fool to see that a fixed gear bicycle, hereinafter referred to as a "fixie," is just a simplified version of the traditional and time-honored coaster brake, wherein reverse torque is applied to the pedals in order to produce braking on the rear wheel. I think the problem lies in that the pedal crank, chain and sprocket system was not designed as a braking device. Or at least it is not known to have been designed as a braking device. Perhaps if the cranks were emblazoned with "Bill's Brakes" and Bill had submitted an application on his mechanism for patent, then the court could not proceed to judgement without investigation as to the device's efficiency in braking. The pedal crank should be referred to as the wheel control device. Muscles can also resist greater forces than they can provide. So a rider stops much quicker than he can accelerate in even a low speed range. Actually in the wet with smooth high pressure tyres it is easy for an experienced rider to spin the wheel on a fixed gear bicycle with a low gear and so braking efficiency in the wet is purely down to tyre adhesion to the road. I've not heard that any device is required. In the UK, the device for braking the rear wheel is the same as the propulsive components, that of pedals,cranks,chain and sprockets. Another argument may be with reference to a runner. Should he don a special device so as to enable him to stop, a drag anchor? Or is he capable of stopping using his leg muscles? I think he might find it less stressful to stop quickly if he had a bicycle between himself and the ground. With repeatability in the equation,this would mean that the bicycle rider stop in a shorter distance than the runner from the same speed. When a runner is going full pelt, it is difficult for him, and so it takes time, to modify his gait to establish braking. The fixed gear cyclist is at much advantage, for when he decides to brake he has already actioned it. |
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Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law
Tom Sherman °_° wrote:
Sacramento fixed-gear bikes: braking the law Sacramento police recently began targeting illegal fixed-gear bikes. But are the brake-free rides really dangerous, or are cops simply going after a counterculture scene?[...] "Counterculture" is really just another strict conformist group. There is no reason not to have a front brake [1] other than wanting to look "hip". I find the whining of these over-grown brats about being ticketed to be amusing. [1] The amount of money spent on these bicycles indicates that poverty is not an excuse. For some reason, bikes are subject to fads, many of which run counter to efficiency and safety. My very first bike was a hand-me-down that was designed to look as much as possible like a car, right down to the grayhound "hood ornament" on the front fender. Anybody remember "sting ray" bikes, the ones with the undersized frames, banana seats, and high-riser handlebars? And then suddenly, everybody was a racer and had to have a "ten-speed." After that the fad switched to trail bikes. Nowadays there's more variety available in the typical bike shop, but there are still some fads, like the bikes that are designed to look like "chopper" motorcycles, complete with massive, four-inch-wide slick rear tires and extended front forks. Fixies are a fad too. There is no defensible reason why they can't have hand brakes in addition to the back-pressure method of stopping. Bill (Frumious) __o | Conservatism makes no poetry, breathes no prayer, _`\(,_ | has no invention; it is all memory. (_)/ (_) | --Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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