Is it illegal to ride a bmx/bike with no brakes?

Question

in stoke-on-trent, england.

my parents say it is but im not sure.

iv been riding with no brake for ages and i do

know alot of people who don't have brakes.

Answer 1

If a motor vehicle must have brakes then a bicycle must have brake, because bicycles must obey the same laws as motor vehicles.  Just because a law isn't enforced doesn't mean it is not on the books.

     In the state of Illinois, USA, bicycles must have brakes. You should always check local laws for yourself.

Answer 2

i would say no and if you have been doing it for years whats the risk

Answer 3

Yes. The law makes it an offence to ride on a public highway on any form of transport that would be dangerous to other members of the public and a bike without brakes obviously is.

Answer 4

I just have another question for you, how do you slow down or stop normally without brakes?

Answer 5

who cares, up teh punx!

Answer 6

My ordinary, hi-wheeler, doesn't have brakes.

Since it's a fixed gear bike, backwards pressure is how I maintain control.

And having brakes doesn't mean you have any more control, if that was the case, there wouldn't be so many accidents, not having brakes prob'ly makes him more attuned to his situation then someone with brakes. . .

Get out and ride.

Answer 7

It is illegal to ride any bicycle, off of your own property and in a public place anywhere in Britain without brakes, unless you are riding a track bike on an enclosed race track or velodrome.

Simple as that !

Edit : even a fixed wheel bicycle must have at least one brake, for safe riding it is normally the front brake only.

Construction & Use Regulations

This Statutory Instrument (1983 No. 1176) is part of the Road Traffic Acts. Accordingly it is illegal to ride a pedal cycle, including an electrically-assisted pedal cycle, on a public road unless it meets the appropriate requirements.  Specifically: the brakes must be as described below – except in the case of a pedal cycle that is sold for off-road racing on enclosed tracks. .

In the case of a pure pedal cycle (no electrical assistance) these regulations are simply and entirely concerned with the brakes.

Most sorts of cycle are required to have at least two efficient braking systems, by which the front wheel (or wheels) can be braked independently of the rear wheel (or wheels). This means that if there are two wheels at the front or rear, the relevant system must act on the pair. It also means that the combined operation of front and rear brakes from one lever is not allowed except as an extra braking system: additional to the two independent front and rear braking systems required by this law..... a fixed wheel drive counts as a braking system – on that wheel only.