With spring around the corner, the University community can expect to see more students taking their bicycles out for a spin – even without brakes.

Riding a fixed-gear bike is a new trend nationally and locally.

“It’s hard to get used to at first,” said Jake Jackson, a junior from Atlanta who rides a fixed-gear bike, “but it’s a time-effective and cost-efficient way to get around.”

In fixed-gear bikes, the sprocket – a toothed gear-like center of the back wheel – is attached directly to the bike’s hub, disabling the freewheel mechanism that allows coasting.

Jackson said in a telephone interview that despite not having a formal braking system, riders can stop the bike by gradually decreasing pedaling speed.

“People are looking for something to ride in the city,” said Ryan King, who works at Sunshine Cycles bike shop in Athens, in a telephone interview. “They want a bike that is more functional, fun, fast, cheap and is easy to manage.”

King said he has seen an increase in the amount of people looking to build these types of bikes.

Since the fixed-gear is the most basic form of bicycle, many people build them because of their affordability and easy maintenance.

Ironically, a “brakeless” type of fixed-gear bike called a track bike is used for safety reasons in arena cycling where stopping abruptly would cause accidents and pile-ups on the track.

On the other hand, most University students build their bikes because of financial limitations, Jackson said.

“I didn’t have a car at the time, so a friend of mine helped me put my bike together,” he said. “I picked up random parts from garage sales and various shops almost for free.”

Though constructing fixed-gear bikes may be simple, successfully maneuvering through traffic is a skill that requires focus and practice, especially in highly congested areas on campus, Jackson said.

Students also need to be careful about other safety matters such as wearing a helmet, using reflectors or lights at night and reducing distractions such as listening to music through headphones.

“We recommend people use anything to make bike riding safer, especially helmets,” said University Police Lt. Eric Dellinger in a telephone interview.

Dellinger said there aren’t many bike-related incidents on campus, but that riders and other drivers should follow traffic laws and use any means possible to protect themselves.

According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Georgia’s bicycle laws require that individuals younger than 16 years must wear a helmet, whereas people older than 16 can choose whether or not to wear one.

Helmet regulations vary by state, ranging from requiring helmets for all riders to only requiring helmets for riders younger than 5 years old.

Jackson said he wishes he wore a helmet more often, but said the expense of high quality well-fitted helmets limits most college students from purchasing them.

Ultimately, taking cost and safety into consideration, many students choose to ride bikes because they provide faster forms of transportation amidst rush hour.

“In a town [such as Athens] where everything is centrally located, riding a bike is practical because you not only save money and gas, but often get to your destination faster than most car traffic,” Jackson said.