Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - single speed with front brake only?

good idea or bad?

i'm thinking about getting a flip flop. most of the time i'll be fixed and would like to avoid adding another brake just for those few times when i'm going SS. i think front only should be ok but i remember someone here saying it's not a good idea.

I would say bad idea. It's too easy to get going faster with a freewheel (no back pedal on the downhills) especially since for me personally it's easier to run a higher gear ratio freewheel... I find I need the extra stopping power. Especially in winter.

I've seen a few people around town doing this and
yeah, I have to say it's probably not a very good
idea, although maybe no smarter than running
brakeless and fixed.

I used to run a front brake only on my single speed MTB. I run front and back now, and couldn't be happier.

yeah, you're safe riding fixed i think than riding ss with just a front. you can very easily over hit the front and fly over.. not to mention it'd be harder to stop with the front rather than a rear.

who cares? whatever makes you happy.

Actually, the front brake alone if appropriately configured applies all the stopping power you can use. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

The only use of the rear brake (if you're on the road, with reasonable traction, and not braking into turns) is with a light application - most of your braking is with the front brake. The rear wheel skidding (owing to the rear wheel braking) is the sign that you're unweighting the rear wheel too much and are about to go over. But really, that's the only purpose of the rear brake. This situation is why you shouldn't rotate tires on a bicycle, since you need the tread on the front wheel to be good because you can't recover easily from a front wheel skid.

From my personal SS'ing.. I'd go with a full brake set, I like the control. But that's just me, do what makes you smile.

If you read Sheldon's article (linked above) he makes a pretty good list of instances where the rear brake is good to have... among them, failure of the front brake or its cable, wet weather conditions, road surface, etc.

..and when you want/need to break the arse end out to carve around something.

I rode a SS front brake only for about 3.5 years and counting as a messenger off and on mixed with fixed gear riding too. I had the brake cable snap while I was riding twice, both times I wasnt going very fast and managed ok. Now I change that thing at regular intervals, problem fixed.

As far as slick conditions, dont jam on the brake when in a turn, but hey, when its slick going round turns real fast is a good way to do a pavement density test anyway isnt it?

I only ever used my front brake when riding a geared bike. I would occasionally use my rear, but only for fun (skidding or goofing off).

yeah..for singlespeed i would have to say bad idea. ive seen people do it, but they just look like they dont know what they are doing. rear brake helps just so you have braking control over both wheels. plus its more symetrical and takes less getting used to.

SS is gonna make you want to see how fast you can really go, flat-out, teeth gritted, no other thought. Especially since slowing/stopping is not an issue. Unless your single break fails, then issue. Get both, it's a nice symmetry. Kind of like the human face, prior to being made one with the back of a truck.

Go 70's. Banana seat, front brake and rear coaster. Don't forget the sissy bar.

you only need one. prefferably the front. there's a lot of safety weenies on this list. they'd run a third if there was room. i ran only a front of 3 or so years with no issue, and that was on a total scrap bike i never once took a wrench to. maintain your **** and one is fine. if it fails ****ing jump off or run into something that won't kill you for ****s sake.

ps- of course, i don't ride like a complete ******. if you have a propensity too, by all means use two brakes and may god have mercy on your soul.

I do it but I wouldn't say it is safe

Never mind the idea of a "backup" brake (if all else fails there's always the ol' shoejam), the possibility of losing the front wheel in bad traction braking is the best reason for running some kind of back brake. Going down lowside on your hip is a relatively mellow way to crash but it still hurts.

Front only with a freewheel is fine.

Are you sure most of the time you will ride fixed? Are you sure your SS activity will only be those few times. Otherwise is unacceptable you know. You flip that hub and you might ruin everything. Another brake and you're lost. Please think about this. We are here to help.

Heel of your foot makes a good rear brake.... don't do it too much or you'll get hot foot.

I'd go for it. No real need for a rear as long as you know what you're doing.

You'll be fine. I did this for longer that I'd care to admit and I'm still here. DO WHATCHA WANT

Just make sure your break pads aren't ass-old. That screwed me over once.

the front break has something like 75% of the bikes stoping power. in a bad jam you could throw your foot on to the rear wheel and slow it down that way. but on the other hand iv seen a few bad crashes with guys who were just rocking the front break. look inside yourself and ask and feel out what your more comfy with.

Get a rear brake for God's sake. You're not any less of a man if you do, I promise.

I ride brakeless and a gloved hand has saved my butt plenty a time or just jumping of a moving bike and grabbing the saddle

You'll probably be fine, but it's not the safest plan. I'd put a rear brake in there, just so I could skid/fishtail. That's where it's at. I also second the coaster brake idea.

Triathlete.com. Sturmey Archer SS coaster brake hub: $9.00:

http://www.triathlete.com/store/product.php?id=42008

that **** is dumb and pisses me off. read that sheldon brown page again. rear brake helps. yes. do it or i will hit you with a drive side crank arm. cottered. heavy as hell, eh? **** the style points, just do it. do it.

angry much?




(psssst... one's enough)

On dry pavement, it works OK...as long as you have a good well maintained reliable front brake. A rear brake is really nice on slippery surfaces. I'd rather skid a rear wheel than a front wheel. I could maybe see just the front brake in winter if you had a studded tire in front.

Simple physics...for the best braking use two.

I don't really see the upside in not running a rear brake if your frame will accommodate it.

It's a whole slave to sub culture thang. :lol:

the only thing a back brake is good for is fishtail skids. that being said, fishtail skids are pretty awesome, but no one neeeeds them.

It's like riding a fixie, you just have to think more about how far it's going to take you to stop. Done it with no problems.

I did it for awhile after putting a freewheel on my fix. I've always been a big fan of front brake usage though. When used properly* it is all you need.


*Bike must be properly maintained with regular inspection, rider must know how to use a front brake. rider must be able to acclimate methods to road conditions present, my standards are pretty ****ing strict in all these cases, don't try this at home, because? because you had to ask. You'll know when it's okay for You to do it. all offense taken is hereby the responsibility of someone else due to a vexing lack of interest in most things you do that I do that this disclaimer applies to.

Dude. You'd have to be ****** to have a single brake freewheel bike. Though not as ridiculous as this kid I knew who only used a rear brake. It should not take you more than three minutes to take off a rear brake. Maybe more if you use quick ties.

I hope we all agree that front brake+freewheel is "safer" than brakeless fixed gear.
So I guess this argument ends here.

ill stay off the soapbox but please people, if you are riding anywhere besides a velodrome, have some sort of redundant braking.

its only a matter of time before only having one brake will bite you, and i wouldnt consider the "flintstone" method as being brakes.

I used to do it and I don't recommend it. Probably one of the dumbest things I did. If you go with just one front brake I'd recommend at least going dual-pivot, but don't do it.

I hope we all agree that front brake+freewheel is "safer" than brakeless fixed gear.
So I guess this argument ends here.

Actually, I don't think so. I've ridden both and can stop way faster with my fixed.

Dude. You'd have to be ****** to have a single brake freewheel bike. Though not as ridiculous as this kid I knew who only used a rear brake. It should not take you more than three minutes to take off a rear brake. Maybe more if you use quick ties.

Bah I say, with care & consideration it's perfectly doable/acceptable. Don't make me remind you that damn near every child in North America for 6 generations and many other places is not a ******.

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50453906/Children_s_Bicycle.jpg

Actually, I don't think so. I've ridden both and can stop way faster with my fixed.


With a front brake, right? Me too, I can stop very quickly on a fixed with front brake, faster than a "hockey stop" widely debated as the fastest brakeless stop. With a front brake I'll take on any brakeless & win a quickstop at equal speeds.

Bike must be properly maintained with regular inspection, rider must know how to use a front brake. rider must be able to acclimate methods to road conditions present, my standards are pretty ****ing strict in all these cases, don't try this at home, because? because you had to ask. You'll know when it's okay for You to do it. all offense taken is hereby the responsibility of someone else due to a vexing lack of interest in most things you do that I do that this disclaimer applies to.

precisely!

Rear wheel control is key in the winter and in areas with hilly terrain. Try turning while going downhill in the snow while riding on the front brake :)

good idea or bad?

i'm thinking about getting a flip flop. most of the time i'll be fixed and would like to avoid adding another brake just for those few times when i'm going SS. i think front only should be ok but i remember someone here saying it's not a good idea.

go for it - my ss hillbrick only had a front brake and i experienced no issues what so ever - people were like are you nuts? i did not get it...

have fun - also it is nice to slow your riding down and enjoy the trip...

Actually, I don't think so. I've ridden both and can stop way faster with my fixed.
So you have a useless front brake or fail at bike riding 1.1... how does that concern us? ;)

I hope we all agree that front brake+freewheel is "safer" than brakeless fixed gear.
So I guess this argument ends here.

I don't agree. I would never run a freewheel with only one brake. More importantly, whether it's that option or the brakeless fixed, who cares? Ride accordingly with what you have.

I just built up this bare frame (old Litespeed Classic) I had sitting around with an old set of Spinergies singlespeed just yesterday, and took it out on a hilly ride. I still need to replace that Campy cogset with just a single cog, perhaps 2 cogs for quick gear ratio changes (frame has semi-horizontal dropouts..:D)
Anyway, after some fast descents, I decided I need to install a rear brake as well.......


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/ClassicSSMedium.jpg