quick question: imperative to have brakes on playa bike?

joya · Post by **joya** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:25 am

I have a beater that we fixed the chain on, but it doesn't have brakes.

Not sure if I should find an alternative bike or ride the one I have.

I can't recall how important it would be to have brakes, since I never thought twice about it before. And I need to figure this out ASAP!!!

So... I thought I'd put the question out there to see if it is a necessary component for a bike.

Yeah, I know... I'd have to go extra slow and be extra aware... that's no problem, but I don't want to endanger anyone else or myself.

THANKS!!!

velocirafter · Post by **velocirafter** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:32 am

are you aware of the technique of throwing your foot over on to the back wheel to slow the bike down???

its not as effective as actual brakes but it served me well as a child.... dont expect much rubber left on the sole of your shoe afterwards

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:33 am

I can't recall ever needed to brake - don't really get going all that fast, and the ground often acts as a brake without you wanting it to.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:42 am

no need for brakes, unless you want to stop fast, and, depending on the ground in that exact spot, you could coast a long way, or, sink immediatly.......

or, that "rare

" occasion when some stoned out hippy steps right in front of you, or rides their bike in front or stops right in front.

I'd say, brakes are a good thing.
Usually, going is not so important as stopping.

jpstiffin · Post by **jpstiffin** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:46 am

You will be fine.
In five years I have never used my brakes. But I am slow.

That being said - people do tend to cut in front of you at the intersections at night when the roads tend to be bike congested - there are so many blinkies, bike lights and e-wire that it would be nice to have some brakes in case someone were to unexpectedly swerve in front of you.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:46 am

ygmir wrote:or, that "rare " occasion when some stoned out hippy steps right in front of you, or rides their bike in front or stops right in front.

No, that's when NOT having brakes is a good thing/excuse.

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:50 am

I respectfully insist that a bicycle must have a brake that works. Even on the Playa. Plenty of opportunity for crashing into somebody.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:52 am

C.f.M. wrote:
ygmir wrote:or, that "rare " occasion when some stoned out hippy steps right in front of you, or rides their bike in front or stops right in front.

No, that's when NOT having brakes is a good thing/excuse.

well, there is that.......

but then again, all of us don't have our unicorn horn mounted on the handlebars

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:55 am

Yeah, I can't imagine not having brakes. Do you plan to ride in the City, too? not just the playa? The City is far too congested not to have brakes. I have used them at intersections, especially.

Have brakes.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:32 am

Only a weapons-grade moron would have a bike in a crowded city without breaks.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:32 am

Only a weapons-grade moron would have a bike in a crowded city without breaks.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:39 am

Last year I was at a dead stop standing on my well lit up bike, messing with my camera. Some darktard came shooting out of nowhere and T-boned me. Please....get some brakes...and for god sakes. LIGHT UP YOUR BIKE!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:46 am

LostinReno wrote:Last year I was at a dead stop standing on my well lit up bike, messing with my camera. Some darktard came shooting out of nowhere and T-boned me. Please....get some brakes...and for god sakes. LIGHT UP YOUR BIKE!

haha, and, I bet they called you the ass for standing right where they were riding, not watching where they were going?

CaptainNemoOfTheNautilusX · Post by **CaptainNemoOfTheNautilusX** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:48 am

Seems like a simple enough formula to figure out:

$30 brakes - Health Insurance x Number of times brakes would have helped avoid injuries + the time spent at Ranger medical and not enjoying the burns due to injuries from not stopping + Potential scars and permanent injuries (foot injuries) + Cost to replace shoes used as brakes = Maybe you can figure it out what is the best course of action.

Please dont ride your bike near any art car mutants.
Try to stay safe.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:59 am

ygmir wrote:
LostinReno wrote:Last year I was at a dead stop standing on my well lit up bike, messing with my camera. Some darktard came shooting out of nowhere and T-boned me. Please....get some brakes...and for god sakes. LIGHT UP YOUR BIKE!
haha, and, I bet they called you the ass for standing right where they were riding, not watching where they were going?

Actually after he clipped my back tire, it threw his balance off and he crashed into the bank of porta potties I was standing next too. heehee! Karma won!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:27 am

Breaks. You may not need them, but if you do you're really going to wish you had had them.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:28 am

And may I just say that this is the sort of question that strikes me as so stupid that the asker must have been under some sort of brain-clouding. Looking at the calendar, I'm guess it's pre-playa add.

joya · Post by **joya** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:31 am

alright... seems brakes are the concensus...

thanks! now gotta figure this out. *sigh* one more thing to add to the list, on top of coming down with a cold and having an out-of-town guest staying with us for the next four days. (sorry, that was my mini pity rant)

Okay, now back to business! Thanks for all the prompt responses -- both snarky and non.

cheerio

joya · Post by **joya** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:33 am

theCryptofishist wrote:And may I just say that this is the sort of question that strikes me as so stupid that the asker must have been under some sort of brain-clouding. Looking at the calendar, I'm guess it's pre-playa add.

thanks.

actually I am in a brain cloud. Been sick for the past 8 days and struggling to get shit done here.

I don't remember ever using my brakes on the playa. so there! *sticks tongue out*

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:41 am

Well, I did say brain cloud. Perhaps you didn't remember because it was so natural.
Anyway, I'm sorry I ruffled your feathers.

trystanthegypsy · Post by **trystanthegypsy** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:27 am

My back brakes came loose the latter half of the week last year, and I kept forgetting to fix them until I was bombing across the open playa... oops.

This year I have a new bike, but it is quite heavy and I dont think i'll be doing any bombing given the apparent conditions..

but you should have at least one set of brakes if you dont want to use your feet or your face to stop your bike

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:58 pm

I can't tell you _how_ many jerkoff darkwads have darted in front of me or cut right in front of me on their unlighted bikes at night. I know of only one jerkoff darkwad that I managed to avoid by emergency braking because he was dressed in black and unlighted in the middle of the playa at night. I've seen hippie speed bumps passed out on the playa at night because I have good headlights, so no emergency braking required.

I'm with Elliot. Kindly have working brakes, even on the playa. You never know when some drug-addled hippie is going to make a sharp right turn into your path for no reason what so ever.

quick question: imperative to have brakes on playa bike?

quick question: imperative to have brakes on playa bike?

No brakes needed unless you get stopped by tribal police