• I've never found standard caliper brakes to be a problem - as long as you haven't got chromed steel rims. Perhaps I just don't go fast enough to need anything better!

    On the other hand there are at least two situations where a back brake does come in handy

    1. Descending at speed - it's difficult to use your fixed to slow down if you're doing 100 rpm, and that's just when you may need good braking.

    2. Failed brake cables. Not that common, but it will happen to you eventually.

    If you're commuting somewhere flat, you don't need to worry about the first point. If you're only riding time trials, you will brake so rarely that point two is irrelevant.

    Otherwise, fixed or not, I like two brakes, but it doesn't really matter what brand they are.

  • The back isnt drilled for a brake so no choice really. Thankfully I barely get fast enough in London traffic for it to matter much generally, as I can generally stop with my legs. I have another fixed bike I have used for rainy commutes (a lovely 70s Holdsworth) that has drilling for ( and is fitted with) two brakes

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