Fixed gear bicycles or Fixie bike is a bicycle that has a drivetrain with no freewheel mechanism. Fixie bikes thrive on simplicity. These bikes have a single gear with no associated derailleurs, freehubs and some of them do not even have a brake. Riders just halt by stop pedalling. Italian manufacturer OML, however, has introduced a braking system that may meet the minimalist standards of fixie riders. It’s called Wire Brake, and it replaces two brake levels with a single plastic-housed wire.
The image below shows how you apply brakes
Wire brake is designed to work on bullhorns or drop bars with its braking wire stretching across the gap between the two sides. Any sort of tension on that wire will cause the bike to stop. The wire brake is much lighter and cheaper than dual brake levers.
If you are interested in this new braking system, then OML is currently raising funds on Kickstarter. Pledge levels range from €16 (about US$18) for a 1-brake kit that you add to your own bars, to €133 ($146) for a set of bullhorn bars that are ready to work with two brakes. But if you would like to spend more then complete bikes are available with the brakes already fitted.
The video below explains a little more about the device.
