Fixie Bikes Update: Ever since the handbrake rule went into effect in September 2021, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been very careful with fixie bikes that don’t have brakes. Let’s look at the most recent events to see what’s going on.
Fixie Bikes Update: Getting the Criminals
In the first round of prosecution, the LTA found 473 cases, but no one went to court. A small group instead got composition sums, which kept the judicial system out of it. Now it’s 2023, and LTA has found 102 cases in the first six months. This is a big drop from the 223 cases they found in 2022 and the 148 cases they found in 2021.
Fixie Bikes Update: The Price of Riding Without Brakes
LTA takes the problem seriously and seizes bikes on public roads that don’t have brakes. People who own bikes will then have to pay a fee to get them back, which is different from any compensation. The exact amount of these fines and fees has not been made public.
What You Can Do
If someone rides their bike on a public road without brakes, they could get a $10,000 fine or even six months in jail. Anybody caught on public roads can get a $1,000 fine, three months in jail, or both.
The Problem with Fixie
The handbrake rule is for fixed-gear bikes, also called “fixies,” which slow down by putting pressure on the pedals. This rule was made after a terrible accident in 2020, in which a 13-year-old girl died while riding a fixie bike without brakes.
What the Rebels and the Compliers Did
Some riders still break the rules because they like the way brakeless fixies look. Richard, a software worker, says the rule is a “knee-jerk reaction” and suggests making bike lanes separate to make things safer.
Some people, like Zavier Lim and Mohd Lutfi Fuadi, followed the rule and stressed how important safety was. Zavier even thinks that beginners should use handbrakes.
Fixie Bikes Update: Effects on the Fixie Style
The fixie bike scene has been hurt. After the rule was put into place, dealers say demand has dropped by 20 to 30 percent. Many riders have changed, adding brakes to keep going, and some have even switched to road bikes.
The Dealers’ Point of View
Roy Tan, the owner of Fishtail Cyclery, thinks that the drop in fixie sales isn’t just because of the new rule, but also because more people are traveling abroad. Wayne Ong, co-founder of NiceBikes.co, has seen a rise in the number of people who buy road bikes.
LTA’s efforts to reach out
The LTA has worked with schools, bike shops, and groups of people who like riding to teach the public. The goal is to get people to know about the handbrake rule and urge them to ride safely.
Fixie Bikes Update: In conclusion
As the stop rule continues to shape the fixie scene, riders have to decide whether to follow it for safety reasons or not because they like the way it looks. The numbers show how tastes are changing and how rules have affected a society that used to be very successful. There is still discussion about whether or not fixie bikes should have brakes, whether you like them or want to ride safely.
