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@Object
I wouldn't consider riding with a brake on my surly anymore. But that's surely the point, I rode that bike (My first fixie) for a year with a brake so I could get used to every aspect of it before venturing into brakeless (I've ridden BMX and mountain bikes seriously for over a decade, I know how to control a bike regarding spatial awareness, positioning, etc so it's not like I don't understand how to control a bike).
I'm quite scared of the concept of a total newbie riding brakeless. Most of them will undoubtedly ride slower and be a little more sensible about it, likely adding a brake when they realise it is difficult to slow down or stop. But, it's the minority that don't do this that will cause any problems, I've had a brakeless chav looking guy hit my back wheel because he couldn't stop in time (Hopefully his new bike rather than his newly "acquired" bike). It's only going to take one or two nasty incidents/pedestrian deaths or whatever to fuck it up for the rest of us.
/rant