Rear Brake Only?

[Splitlink]

Hi, I have a Cannondale M1000 which I'm converting to singlespeed, I am considering having a rigid carbon fork and having just a single rear brake ...does anyone just run a rear brake? Or have you done so and found it too dangerous. The bike will be used only on urban routes and not at high speed.

Cheers
Steve

 

[GT-Steve]

I ran a rear-only brake on one of my hack builds earlier this year, and it took a little while to get used to. I did find myself grabbing just air infront of the handlebars to start with...

So long and you're not planning fast, complicated downhill stuff you should be fine.

 

[MADJEZ]

Quite often used to just have a back brake on BMX BITD so don't see why not.

 

[Dave_Mars]

I did this once, I would counsel strongly against it.

If you need to stop in a hurry - you will simply skid (perhaps into a car as I did)

You would have more braking power on a brakeless fixie

 

[Tazio]

I ran with one for a while last year but only for nipping around on canal paths etc. Pretty useless if you need to stop in a hurry.


And of course it is illegal.

 

[xerxes]

If you must have just one brake, why not the front one.

 

[Tazio]

If you must have just one brake, why not the front one.

Cos you can't do massive skids to amuse yourself?

 

[JamesM]

If you must have just one brake, why not the front one.

Having just a front brake is a bad idea too unless it's on a fixie.

Is the bike for road or off road use. On road you want braking on both wheels, off road though why not give it a go and see. Off road you don't usually need to stop in a hurry and when you do a hand full of front brake usually makes you crash anyway

 

[frantik]

If you must have just one brake, why not the front one.

cos he's going to get a carbon fork that doesn't have brake bosses..?

 

[Rampage]

Moving your weight back over the rear wheel should lessen skidding (if you can do it in time).