It’s National Bike Month, which advocates safety among other things, according to the League of American Bicyclists. In light of the safety-minded month, there is no better time to bring up a recent trend in cycling and point out just how unsafe it is.
Many students on campus have been riding what is called a “fixie,” or fixed-gear bicycle. They have no freewheel, meaning the pedals are always in motion when they are moving, and riders also have the ability to ride in reverse.
Fixie bikes have risen in popularity because of their rebellious appeal, simple appearance, and their ability to do tricks that can’t be performed on regular bikes. There are countless YouTube videos in which riders perform unbelievable acts, which seem to require a lot of practice and skill to complete. Riders put their knees over the handle bars, gracefully fly down hills with their feet rotating at nearly 170 rpm, and even ride backwards in circles right before transitioning into a 360-degree spinning wheelie.
But, despite all the moves and their hip image, there is something that makes these bikes unsafe: They don’t have brakes.
Riders must either pedal in the opposite direction, jam something into the rungs of the wheel (stick stopping), or dismount from the bike to stop. Clearly, this is a hazard that directly contradicts the notion of bike safety.
Brakes are the most important thing a biker can have to protect him or herself from injury. In a city with unpredictable traffic and often poorly maintained roads, riding a bike with no brakes is a danger to not only the rider, but to everyone on the road. Bikes unable to quickly stop can drift into oncoming traffic and instantly make a casual ride a life-or-death situation.
Many students have been hit by cars while riding fixies or bikes with bad brakes, and a lot of those accidents could’ve been prevented if they just had a functioning hand brake.
This is a nightmare trend for insured drivers: It is unfair to someone following all the laws and precautions to drive to be hit with raised insurance rates because a biker chose to put him or herself in the questionable position of being unable to stop quickly when needed.
If a driver can be penalized for not having the appropriate safety mechanisms, then bikers should be held to the same standard and do their part to ensure their bike is safe and has the appropriate safety equipment (brakes, helmets, lights at night, etc.) to keep the streets as safe as possible.
Whether it is a fixie or not, National Bike Month promotes riding — as well as safety — and serves to remind people they need to make sure their bikes are safe to operate — brakes included.
Let’s hope National Bike Month reminds people to be careful, because riding a bike without the proper safety precautions is a tragedy waiting to happen.
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