Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - rear brake for the flop?

I'm in the midst of putting together my first fixed gear. Have a wheel from Harris Cyclerly with the Suzue flip-flop hub. On the flip, I'll start out with a 16 tooth DA cog. On the flop, I am considering putting on a ss freewheel, mostly as a safety net for some pretty mountainous terrain out here.

I was planning on running only a front brake. Will I die if I only have a front brake while I am running the ss freewheel? Thanks.

Will you die? Only if the front brake fails... even then you probably won't die, but you will find yourself wishing you had put a rear brake on.

I have postponed putting a freewheel on my flop for these very same reasons.

Nope. Only have a front brake on my single speed and don't have any problems. Just remember in a panic braking situation to pump the brakes, otherwise you'll take a nice dip over the front of your bike.

I've seen several ss bikes around my area with only a front brake. Never really thought of it as a big decision. But I ride brakeless fixed myself.

If I was riding SS I would want a rear brake to help bring the rear around when cornering. On fixed I have panicked going into a corner to hard, quit pedaling momentarily, locking the wheel and it swung the tail around keeping me from pedaling down or smacking into the curb. I still needed fresh drawers tho.

i love that move rev...it's like a powerslide or something.

i love skidding around a corner, and just when the rear end is about to come out from under me, causing a crash, i just start pedalling again, and SHA-BAM! i don't crash.

i love having that kind of control.