My skyway wheels used to have a coaster brake. Back pedal and it would come on. You could also roll without back pedaling. Fact.

I use a brake on my bmx now.

I think its funny we are all saying riding brake less is dangerous, in such a “safe” sport.

I ride a fair bit of bmx, although nearly all the time racing now. I do head to the trails or skateparks, I see a lot of bmxers on brakeless bikes. Most riders won’t cause any problems, think ahead etc and respectful of others. Then there will be the odd few who are just ****ts.

So what brake do you have fitted to your skateboard?

Aside from various ways of braking on a skateboard, you can just jump off, so it’s essentially the equivalent of running. Stopping is easy when you’re running, is it not?

well that’s a load of bollox.

Not all skateparks necesarilly enforce it. Outdoor parks for example rarely have supervision, and indoor parks are desperate for your money to pay the insurance that would have a fit if they seen all these brakeless bikes. If you ride any good mixture of the above I’d be very surprised if you’ve not came across any reluctance to allow brakeless bikes to ride, whether it be directly from the staff or in the small print of the disclaimers you sign. Personally I’ve seen a whole bunch of BMXers turned away at the door and told to come back with brakes.

I do use a brake and I’ve had collisions with skaters and inliners in parks, each time it was 100% their fault.

Unfortunately you can’t legislate for stupidity, and collisions happen. But blame is irrelevent here, and accidents would happen less when everyone has the ability to stop. Given that bikes generally travel at a faster pace around parks, without even the ability to slow down never mind stop, it makes collisions with them potentially more serious, no matter how rare.

Aside from various ways of braking on a skateboard, you can just jump off,

same with a BMX 🙄

so it’s essentially the equivalent of running.

other than leaving a wheeled projectile to cause carnage, a BMX bigger, granted, but less likely to keep going straight through the park.

Stopping is easy when you’re running, is it not?

not instantly, no, and it get’s even more dificult if you add in a slope.

Not all skateparks necesarilly enforce it….blah, blah..

– “Yes, sorry I was talking bollox” “sorry, some skateparks don’t allow brakeless BMXs” would have been far quicker to type and a more honest reply.

without even the ability to slow down never mind stop

this is simply not true! you’ve never paid attention to a good brakeless BMX rider or ridden brakeless yourself, have you?

I absolutely love watching a good brakeless rider properly scrub (without using their shoe) off speed in indoor parks. Done well it’s such a committed, fluid and controlled manouver.

Oh.. and blame is relevant, poor skate park etiquette, is more of a problem than lack of brakes.. personally I blame the parents!

From my lunchtime haunt…

I have a rear brake as I don’t have the skillz… but I can appreciate those that do. Problem is the kids without the skillz want to look like those that have the skillz, so off come the brakes 🙄

^^ Common sense prevails

Good to see in these days of blind H&S bullshit

OK, so we’ve confirmed that it’s difficult to stop without brakes, and that it takes years of experience to do so effectively.