Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Single Speed - Front Brake Only

I'm putting together a single speed. Being a newbie, is it ok to build it with front brake only. This is not a fixed speed.

Two brakes. Front brake isn't enough if you're freewheeling. What if it fails?

Well some people will say one is enough. I personally would go with two, just for that extra safety and stopping power. But I hate dealing with even one brake.

I would go fixed over single speed anyway. The less there is to go wrong, the less there is to manage.

So all the bikes I see posted with one brake are fixed gear? Not sure. I might try fixed gear because I like the simplicity. I definitely don't want a bike with a pair of brakes. I already have that.

go fixed for a few weeks, see what's up. then you can go no brakes ;)

They're fixed, man.

And like pwebb said, if you give it a try, you won't want to go back. Well, you might at first, but you just need to try to tough it out for the first week. Then it becomes second nature.

I'd rather have only a rear than just a front if I was running 1 brake. I won't have the stopping power but I can also 'slam' on it if I have to. if someone cuts you off with a freewheel/front brake setup you're eating **** one way or the other

At the limit of how fast you can brake, the front is doing all the work anyway, so you won't lose much by not having a rear brake. If you're doing long descents it's nice to have two so you can use the rear for some drag in straight sections and let the front cool off, then use the front going into turns to let the rear cool off.

I'd rather have only a rear than just a front if I was running 1 brake. I won't have the stopping power but I can also 'slam' on it if I have to. if someone cuts you off with a freewheel/front brake setup you're eating **** one way or the other

Rear only works for coaster brake bikes - and I would think the stopping force at the rim is stronger than at the hub.

So all the bikes I see posted with one brake are fixed gear? Not sure. I might try fixed gear because I like the simplicity. I definitely don't want a bike with a pair of brakes. I already have that.

Almost all of them are, but I know of at least two people who run single speeds with a front brake only.

The difference between a single speed and a geared bike is still pretty significant though. You might try that and see. For me, I thought single was the best until I tried fixed.

I'd rather have only a rear than just a front if I was running 1 brake. I won't have the stopping power but I can also 'slam' on it if I have to. if someone cuts you off with a freewheel/front brake setup you're eating **** one way or the other

Please don't perpetuate this exaggerated fear of the front brake. Learn to use your front brake (wow, learning to correctly use your equipment) and you will be able to "slam" on it without flipping over.

Slamming on a rear brake will initiate a skid, which will only cause you have even less control over your bicycle and increase your likely hood of crashing.

Rear only works for coaster brake bikes - and I would think the stopping force at the rim is stronger than at the hub.

lolwut?

Please don't perpetuate this exaggerated fear of the front brake. Learn to use your front brake (wow, learning to correctly use your equipment) and you will be able to "slam" on it without flipping over.

Slamming on a rear brake will initiate a skid, which will only cause you have even less control over your bicycle and increase your likely hood of crashing.

I think I need a video of you doing some real speed and 'slamming' on your front brake disaster free!

Of course I wouldn't actually ride a freewheel with only one brake either.

You guys are right. Using your front brake will flip you, using your back will make you fishtail and lose it.

This is why I don't use any brakes. OP, don't use brakes.

You guys are right. Using your front brake will flip you, using your back will make you fishtail and lose it.

This is why I don't use any brakes. OP, don't use brakes.

Can't stop, don't want to.

Seems to me that the conclusion is that if I use a freewheel I should have both front and rear brakes but if it's a fixed speed there are three options, front, rear or none.

front, both, or none. A rear brake only on a fixed is redundant.

Fixed w a rear brake is rare

Fixed w a rear brake is unnecessary

Fixed

Fixed w a rear brake is rare

So is a fixed with two brakes.

OP, majority of people who ride fixed are either brakeless or front brake. Most single speeders ride with at least a front brake and usually two brakes.

Though there was that epic dude who rode with his lever on his seatpost...

lolwut?

Misuse of puctuation... For it to read better I should have typed, "Rear only, works for coaster brake bikes" - meaning the rear brake alone works for coaster brake equipped bikes.

What does wut mean?

y'all cats need to learn how to use brakes.

front = usual brake
back = **** im going to die brake

So all the bikes I see posted with one brake are fixed gear? Not sure. I might try fixed gear because I like the simplicity. I definitely don't want a bike with a pair of brakes. I already have that.

No, there are definitely folks out there riding single speeds with just the front brake. Generally their backup brakes are either a tree or a person.

So is a fixed with two brakes.

OP, majority of people who ride fixed are either brakeless or front brake. Most single speeders ride with at least a front brake and usually two brakes.

Though there was that epic dude who rode with his lever on his seatpost...

Thanks, got it. I even think I understand it.:)

Misuse of puctuation... For it to read better I should have typed, "Rear only, works for coaster brake bikes" - meaning the rear brake alone works for coaster brake equipped bikes.

What does wut mean?

I see. Or "rear-only works for coaster brakes."

It does, but it's easy to lock up. Funny bc I JUST built a coaster brake bike today and it's fine for a drag but I'm going to put a front on.

What does wut mean? Wut does what mean?

I ride with a front brake only on my single speed, nothing wrong with that.

I think I need a video of you doing some real speed and 'slamming' on your front brake disaster free!

Of course I wouldn't actually ride a freewheel with only one brake either.

No video necessary. All you need to learn is how to shift your back towards and even over the rear wheel. With a little practice it becomes automatic and you can rely on the front brake for just about everything.

What does wut mean? Wut does what mean?
No. Wut's on second.

No. Wut's on second.

But Who's on first.

going fast, need to stop quick. Apply pressure to both brakes, apply more pressure to front and less to rear, continue applying more front and less rear. WOW easy.
applying alot of force to the front brake quickly is not difficult. Ive never ever come close to "flipping over"
id hate to see some of you ride a motorcycle with this rear brake only idiocy.

CANT STOP, DONT WANT TO.

****ing morons.

fixed gear, front brake + "your legs" =rear brake or two brakes.
or brakeless if you prefer... i did for awhile but you just cannot stop as quickly with just your legs, because weight transfers.
geared and single speed, TWO brakes, front and rear.

How can you compare a motorcycle to a bicycle? Much more weight to stop and at higher speeds.

going fast, need to stop quick. Apply pressure to both brakes, apply more pressure to front and less to rear, continue applying more front and less rear. WOW easy.
applying alot of force to the front brake quickly is not difficult. Ive never ever come close to "flipping over"
id hate to see some of you ride a motorcycle with this rear brake only idiocy.

CANT STOP, DONT WANT TO.

****ing morons.

fixed gear, front brake + "your legs" =rear brake or two brakes.
or brakeless if you prefer... i did for awhile but you just cannot stop as quickly with just your legs, because weight transfers.
geared and single speed, TWO brakes, front and rear.

Someone may need to quit drinking.

I'd like to see some of you pedal a truck fixed gear.

Didn't realize I started such a contentious discussion. Apparently there are some strong feelings about the use of brakes for both single speed and fixed gear. It seems that most will use both front and rear on a single speed and front or no brake on a fixed gear. I've been encouraged to try the fixed gear and I think I will but I will also install a front brake. Depending how much I use it will decide whether it's a keeper.

Depending how much I use it will decide whether it's a keeper.

You will be new and inexperienced, it makes sense to keep it even if you don't use it often. I have been riding for four years and didnt start to consider myself experienced until earlier this year and still I don't feel I can entirely call myself and experienced rider.

tldr
Don't be hasty

I'll admit, I had a front and rear brake when I tried FG for the first time. I was scared of backpedaling, worried about the health of my knee ligaments. That was several years ago, I didn't enjoy myself too much and went back to singlespeed.

This time around I have only a front brake and made a point of having as much control of the FG bike as possible, by applying a bit of back pressure most of the time, while pedaling slowly. So.... now I am using backpressure almost exclusively, to stop. Knees feel fine, to my surprise, though I have not biked down a hill with the FG, yet.

I'd start out with the front brake too. Don't worry about the arguments here, that's just SSFG being SSFG.

When you figure out your gearing and get more experienced like hairnet said, that will have some impact in your decision too. I don't bother with a front brake on my 48x19 short-distance bike, but I keep one on my 48x17 long-distance bike (and I know a lot of people run 48x17 brakeless).

Knees feel fine, to my surprise, though I have not biked down a hill with the FG, yet.

Not even once??? You're missing out.

That's what intimidates me the most with fixed speed. There are hills where I live and trying to find the balance between back pressure on the pedals and using the front brake could be a difficult skill to learn. Gonna have to try it though.

I ran SS with a front brake only for almost a year. I don't see how people are "flipping over" when they slam the front brake.

I don't quite understand the logic of only running a front on a SS.

Would you only run a front on a geared bike?

Singlespeed bikes need front and rear brakes because this provides control and modulation on less than perfect surfaces and terrain. You can ride with a front brake most of the time, but not all of the time.

I had thought we had evolved past the brakeless fixed gear, save for use on the track.

That's what intimidates me the most with fixed speed. There are hills where I live and trying to find the balance between back pressure on the pedals and using the front brake could be a difficult skill to learn. Gonna have to try it though.

Not difficult at all. On paper it seems like it, but once you're on the bike it's pretty easy. The more you use the front brake on the downhill, the less you'll use your legs. Use the brake steadily and your legs are just going along with the cranks for an easy ride.

Hopefully your downhills are open and safe to bomb down, so you won't even think about using your brake. Lots of times they lead to an uphill anyway, and I like having some momentum for that.

I don't quite understand the logic of only running a front on a SS.

Would you only run a front on a geared bike?

Probably not, but they come with two brakes. When I bought my bike it came with only the front, so I just ran with it and I never had an issue.

Probably not, but they come with two brakes. When I bought my bike it came with only the front, so I just ran with it and I never had an issue.

If you bought a geared bike with only one brake, would you not add another one?

What would evilcryalotmore do?

What would evilcryalotmore do?

Hahahaha. Really letting him have it today huh?

If you bought a geared bike with only one brake, would you not add another one?

Probably yeah but that's not the same. If I had a geared bike it would be to go flat out as fast as I could on the straights and to climb, which I don't do now because of my GI/hills here. So because I'd use it differently I would use two brakes on a geared bike.

Please don't perpetuate this exaggerated fear of the front brake. Learn to use your front brake (wow, learning to correctly use your equipment) and you will be able to "slam" on it without flipping over.

Slamming on a rear brake will initiate a skid, which will only cause you have even less control over your bicycle and increase your likely hood of crashing.

+1

http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html explains this very well, too.

To the OP, just a front brake is perfectly fine to stop your single speed bicycle promptly and efficiently, provided it does not fail. The risk is up to you.

Hahahaha. Really letting him have it today huh?

He earned it.


Probably yeah but that's not the same. If I had a geared bike it would be to go flat out as fast as I could on the straights and to climb, which I don't do now because of my GI/hills here. So because I'd use it differently I would use two brakes on a geared bike.

I'm failing to see the logic. Losing control at any speed is gonna ****ing suck.