Why not post a picture of your Fixed/Singlespeed bike

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

i agree the bike looks great.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

As for the front wheel slipping out from under you and needing the rear brake, well you should get pretty good feedback of your traction via the drivetrain in order to make some educated speed modifications before putting yourself in a situation where the front end is likely to go.

Rear traction may not always be a good indicator of whether the front wheel will slip; the rear wheel is not able to turn. So locking up or resisting the motion will only result in a skid, which can be easily controlled and rolled out of. If the front wheel locks up under braking or slides due to lateral movement it can mean the bike slides out from under you.

 

[Rob3rt]

Rear traction may not always be a good indicator of whether the front wheel will slip; the rear wheel is not able to turn. So locking up or resisting the motion will only result in a skid, which can be easily controlled and rolled out of. If the front wheel locks up under braking or slides due to lateral movement it can mean the bike slides out from under you.

Are you arguing for or against a rear brake caliper here? I cant tell because anything you say above is just as applicable to leg braking as it is braking via a rim brake, so I really cant tell what your argument is.

You can primarily control speed via pedalling rate hence avoiding the need to directly brake at all, and in the case you do need to brake, you still have the choice to use the front brake or brake via your legs (i.e. through the back wheel) when its too sketchy to use a front brake. So even in odd occassion where the front brake is the bad choice, you still have a perfectly adequite braking mechanism without the need for additional components.

Like I said, riders should ride whatever they are comfortable with, but there is no NEED for a rear brake at all.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

I'm not arguing at all.

Conditions can quickly change or be misread, especially if you are a novice, as I am.

Experience and hindsight are wonderful things.

Ride with both brakes if you must.

Ride with one brake if you like.

Ride with none if you want to.

I really don't mind.

Use a stick to brake with if you feel you have to.

Whatever you feel comfortable with.

 

[Rob3rt]

I didnt mean argument in a confrontational way I just meant I couldnt tell exactly what the point/opinion/argument you were expressing meant in context.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

When it comes to how many brakes on a fixed gear bike, I'm Switzerland. And by that I don't mean red and cross. I am neutral.

On one country ride with my gf (which does not happen very often at all) on a hill decent the road swept round a corner dropping quickly and becoming increasingly and unexpectedly tight, and the ground became gravelly and dusty. At the cadence I was going at I didn't feel I could adequately resist the pedals to take the corner safely and was wary of using the front brake (which works very well) on what was obviously a potentially slippy surface. I did take the corner safely, but had wished for a second that I had a rear brake to help take a little speed off that corner. This may have less to do with traction and more to do with confidence on unfamilar roads and conditions tho.

In everyday commute, I know every part of the route inside out so don't get any surprises in the terrain, just from the other people using it sometimes, so the front brake is all I need.

 

[Christopher]

Now that's extreme on a new level

Well spotted! They were having their weekly clean!

To add to the brake debate, I did take the rear brake off but found there just wasn't enough stopping power - perhaps I use the rear brake too much.

 

[colinr]

Front brake only, don't want cables messing up my clean lines

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Well spotted! They were having their weekly clean!

To add to the brake debate, I did take the rear brake off but found there just wasn't enough stopping power - perhaps I use the rear brake too much.

Sounds like you need to adjust your brakes to me. Does a weekly clean help??

 

[Christopher]

The weekly clean is more to stop the rims getting too ground down by muck in the brake blocks. I used to have a bad problem with metal shavings getting into the blocks and eroding the rim a bit faster than I liked.

 

[Ibbots]

Here's my glow in the dark Pompino all weather commuter, or "the lump" as I like to call it, now finally finished with new rack and back brake removed - kept the cable in place in case I have a whim to go single speed for a while. Not sure about glowing in the dark yet but does catch the eye in daylight and helped convince my wife that I should be allowed yet another bike. All the moving bits came off my Langster, rest were resting in the shed.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

I thing we need to see a picture of that frame after dark...

 

[henryst]

Will do!
As for the bar tape - its from fixit I think, not that padded but I like the sleek white.

Nice ride, now turn it around and take a proper pic please

 

[Ibbots]

I thing we need to see a picture of that frame after dark...

Been for a ride in the dark tonight and, whilst can't say it glowed, the frame had a certain ethereal quality to it.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Get some UV lights on booms attached to the bike somehow - insta-glow