retroguybilly wrote:

In this picture of the starting field of the
1947 Bob Brown road race on Shattuck Ave.
in Berkeley, CA:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wrnfqhjgu3..._Race.jpg?dl=0

Can you guys tell if the riders having no
brake levers on their bars are riding track
bikes? Thanks.

To the best of my knowledge, road bikes
have brakes.

Here is what Wikipedia says:

Unlike road bicycles, the track bike is
a fixed-gear bicycle; thus, it has only
a single gear ratio and has neither
a freewheel nor brakes. Tires are narrow
and inflated to high pressure to reduce
rolling resistance. Tubular tires are most
often used in track racing and training,
though advances in clincher tire design
have seen them being used somewhat more
often. [1]

BTW I've heard that narrow tires don't
necessarily have "reduce[d] rolling
resistance". They are lighter (rotating mass)
and more aero tho which I suppose actually does
matter when you get up to the speeds those
guys ride.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_bicycle

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