Current Projects chat and miscellany

I remember the argument, you won't stop as quickly with a rear brake, but you won't get says, a front wheel skid for example.

i'm used to old dutch bike with singlespeed rear brake and of course the typical brakeless fixie skidder (which now have two brakes).

I still stand that two brakes is far better than just the one on a singlespeed mind.

You're still wrong.

The only time I use a rear brake is if I'm going so fast down a hill that pulling the front brake alone is going to scare the bejesus out of me (for fear of flipping).

In all other cases the front brake alone is the best thing to do.

Shit, Sheldon even wrote a whole page on this very topic:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

And says:

The rear brake is O.K. for situations where traction is poor, or for when your front tire blows, but for stopping on dry pavement, the front brake alone provides the maximum stopping power, both in theory and in practice.

If you take the time to learn to use the front brake correctly, you will be a safer cyclist.

Many cyclists shy away from using the front brake, due to fear of flying over the handlebars. This does happen, but mainly to people who have not learned to modulate the front brake.

The cyclist who relies on the rear brake for general stopping can get by until an emergency arises, and, in a panic, he or she grabs the unfamiliar front brake as well as the rear, for extra stopping power. This can cause the classic "over the bars" crash.