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Permalink Reply by Smash on July 14, 2009 at 5:01pm

If I recall correctly, the article is too general: the police don't have a problem with fixed gears so much as people riding brakeless. If the police take someone's bike away, the person can generally get it back if they say that they'll put a brake on their bike.

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Permalink Reply by joe on July 14, 2009 at 5:11pm

its cool if u got a front break. its like that in a lot of cities around...most of the time they dont bother fucking with ppl unless your being retarded. but its what ever...cops are as unperdictable as my spelling of brake or any thing else really....

so yeah...get a brake and things are cool with the cops...

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Permalink Reply by DonRay A.K.A. Zesty on July 14, 2009 at 6:08pm

Joes right- BSNYC wrote about it last week- it's a pretty good read.

joe said:

its cool if u got a front break. its like that in a lot of cities around...most of the time they dont bother fucking with ppl unless your being retarded. but its what ever...cops are as unperdictable as my spelling of brake or any thing else really.... so yeah...get a brake and things are cool with the cops...

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Permalink Reply by dav on July 15, 2009 at 12:28am

I still don't completely get the whole fixed gear thing. I'm thinking it has something to do with riding a machine that is distilled down to its most simple form. Or something like that.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 15, 2009 at 2:20am

The Illinois Motor Vehicle Code, which for whatever reason also applies to bicycles, unless bicycles are specifically excluded, reads in pertinent part:

ARTICLE III. BRAKES

(625 ILCS 5/12‑301) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12‑301)
Sec. 12‑301. Brakes.
(a) Brake equipment required.
1. Every motor vehicle, other than a motor‑driven cycle and an antique vehicle displaying an antique plate, when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including 2 separate means of applying the brakes, each of which means shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least one wheel on a motorcycle and at least 2 wheels on all other first division and second division vehicles. If these 2 separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed that failure of any one part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without brakes.
2. Every motor‑driven cycle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with at least one brake which may be operated by hand or foot.

No brakes on a fixie is probably illegal in Illinois...

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Permalink Reply by brandon lee* on July 15, 2009 at 4:41am

I'm confused though. Kevin says that bicycles are included in the code unless specified otherwise. But they make specific mention of motor-driven cycles, why not bicycles? How can bicycles be included without needing to be mentioned at all? It also specifies highway. Is that the term they use for legal purposes to mean all roadways or is it specifying highways. At which point, how many fixed riders are blowin' down a highway?

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Permalink Reply by vxla on July 15, 2009 at 4:51am

A bicycle is considered a vehicle, especially under Chicago municipal code. Thus, you must follow the law, as stated, unless there are specific exceptions in place. Riding brakeless is what some people choose to do (one of my bikes is brakeless). I find it amusing that people worry about brakeless riders more than riders that don't have both front and rear lights. IMHO, riders w/o lights are far more dangerous on the road.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 15, 2009 at 5:01am

Here's the definition of "Highways:" (625 ILCS 5/1‑126) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1‑126)
Sec. 1‑126. Highway. The entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel or located on public school property.
(Source: P.A. 92‑780, eff. 8‑6‑02.)

Here's a more specific reference to requirement of brakes on bikes: (625 ILCS 5/11‑1507) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑1507)
Sec. 11‑1507. Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(c) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will adequately control movement of and stop and hold such bicycle.

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Permalink Reply by Jody on July 15, 2009 at 3:58pm

forget the specifics of the law and think about being in a courtroom after getting hit.

I certainly wouldn't want the drivers attorney knowing if I were riding without brakes!

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Permalink Reply by Brendan Kevenides on July 21, 2009 at 8:33am

Riding fixed without a traditional mechanical brake is illegal in some European cities (London comes to mind), but is probably not illegal in Illinois. I am a lawyer and I ride a fixed gear bike in Chicago (but with a front brake). I have written on this subject. Check it out here: http://thechicagobicycleadvocate.blogspot.com/2009/07/riding-fixed-...

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Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on July 21, 2009 at 6:54pm

That is an excellent article Brendan. I wonder about your conclusion. I think it is based on an argument that the individual could make the bike stop adequately to conform to the definition of the law without brakes, namely skid. Because it is very popular and fashionable, there are quite a lot of fixed gear brakeless riders that are not very good or safe. Many are accidents in waiting with poor control, and many can not make their bike skid into a stop and certainly not so in an emergency with no time to spare.

Therefore would they not be breaking the law if they could not operate their bike that way? Again, they aren't about to start doing skid tests in court I don't imagine, but i think the argument invites the scrutiny.

I also agree about your liabilty assumption and feel it would be very hard on the cyclist in court if they don't do everything right. I have always had a front brake on my fixed gear and i use it whenever i need to, not only in emergencies. Thanks for sharing that article.

Lee Diamond

Brendan said:

Riding fixed without a traditional mechanical brake is illegal in some European cities (London comes to mind), but is probably not illegal in Illinois. I am a lawyer and I ride a fixed gear bike in Chicago (but with a front brake). I have written on this subject. Check it out here: http://thechicagobicycleadvocate.blogspot.com/2009/07/riding-fixed-...

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