A work colleague of mine has purchased a Fuji Track 2.0 which as far as I can see is a fixed wheel track bike and he intends to use it for his commute to work.
How long before;
a) he is involved in a nasty accident
b) he breaks his legs
c) decides fixed wheel was a bad idea?
d) starts wearing his sister's jeans
e) stops washing
I have done (with front brake added - don't be a fixie fashionista muppet and ride brakeless) and it was fine.
f) overtakes you whenever you go riding together?
g) gets snogged all the time as he's "cool"?
h) Rides on the pavement?
i) Runs every red light?
h) decides to ride it on a track
i) becomes a stronger rider than you
j) turns you purple with jealous rage
k) sells it for a more nichetastic singlespeed cross bike
people have been riding fixed on the road for years.
before the freewheel was invented there wasn't an alternative.
the frame/forks are Drilled for Brakes
it's not really a track bike then 
people have been riding fixed on the road for years.
before pedals were invented there wasn't an alternative.
TFIF
the law calls for two separate means of braking, front brake and fixed back wheel is legal. anything more is ok but less is not.
Sounds like he'll be fine then, the only time I have ridden a fixed wheel was on a velodrome track and though the idea of riding that bike on the road was horrifying!
don't confuse a fixed wheel bike with a track bike.
the tight angles, low bars, pedal overlap and big gear of a track bike will be ghetto to ride on the road, front brake attched or not.
as mrsmith says, people have been riding fixed fine for years. however, they weren't attempting to ride modern track bikes around shoreditch...
If it's the steel Fuji like one I had, the geometry is a compromise between road and pure track. I did centuries on mine no problem.
I ride my bike on road and track (different wheels however).
Gearing 49x16 which is a smidge low for the track club, but perfect for the commute (theres only 350ft climbing over 9miles).
Great for sprinting.
Front brake on also for roads, or if I'm lazy I'll use a freewheel and both brakes.
I Have a Langster that I ride Fixed, it has cross top levers on it though, as I still need to be able to stop in a hurry
Its a lovely thing to ride, and it does help technique, I really need to ride it more often though......
and it does help technique
I have found that, while riding fixed makes you good at riding fixed (which is perfect for efficient riding on the track), it is of no benefit to riding with a freewheel.
i found it good for upping cadence and for climbing (HTFU or get off)
good for getting more of a workout on shorter winter rides.
too much fixed riding made me a bit lazy at the top of my pedal stroke.
I found it improved my pedalling technique, making it smoother,improved spinning technique and cadence.
Its the concentrating on turning "full circles" with the cranks rather than pushing down/pulling up on pedals.
I found it helps a lot with maintaining traction on tricky climbs, slippery conditions etc.
Just my experience and it taught me skills I didnt have before I started riding fixed, which did prove useful in other types of riding.
That wasnt the reason for going fixed, merely a surprising added bonus 
I wouldn't ride fixed on the road because I like going round corners.
Not all road corners have banking.
Yeah because I'll bet you're cranked over enough to strike pedals all the time 
I never once hit my pedals on the road on a fixie. Besides a 'proper' track frame will have a higher BB to give more clearance.
I found it improved my pedalling technique, making it smoother,improved spinning technique and cadence.
i find it's not good for this. if i ride fixed for a while i find there are dead spots where i don't push the pedals just coast, singlespeed (ie freewheel) helps you push all the way round.
IME.
my niche is better than your niche, eh
I wouldn't ride fixed on the road because I like going round corners
I can get round corners perfectly well on my 3 fixies (bar a bit of overlap on the Pompino), but none of those are track bikes... I imagine a track bike on the road would have appalling geometry/weight distribution for steering duties and possibly unworkable toe overlap. It wouldn't be comfortable for a longer journey either.
don't confuse a fixed wheel bike with a track bike+1
I commuted on a track frame for over a year when I was riding between Croydon and Redhill. Never had any problems with it. Then again it was a real ghetto special. A very old and battered steel frame, odd wheels and a MTB seat post and stem to get the fit right.
I use a trek track bike for commuting. No problem for longer rides. Toe overlaps a chunk. But you can adjust for that. I can't corner hard like on a road bike. But its fine for running round town.
There's no problem using a track bike for long rides.
Yeah because I'll bet you're cranked over enough to strike pedals all the time
Not all the time but when the roads and cycle paths I ride on are dry pedal strikes would definitely be a problem in places. I've spent many years riding motorbikes on the road and corners are a large part of the fun of that.
Yeah because I'll bet you're cranked over enough to strike pedals all the timeNot all the time but when the roads and cycle paths I ride on are dry pedal strikes would definitely be a problem in places. I've spent many years riding motorbikes on the road and corners are a large part of the fun of that.
On a Fixed wheel, One is a problem, the other much less so
The more interesting question is whether you could ride one of the bikes taken straight from the velodrome from under Chris Hoy on a road. With the silk tyres and everything. Could you make it home without it falling apart?
I rode totally brakeless for years and was fine. You just have to go slower. That's why I stopped.
I wouldn't ride fixed on the road because I like going round corners.
you should try off road fixed. makes for lovely swoopy corners whilst you try and avoid striking pedals on treestumps. etc.
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