Originally Posted by
dutret
there have probably been two crashes I might have avoided with a rear brake and my rain gear would be completely duct tape free too. Both however were really low speed incidents and there is nothing that is going to save you if you are riding way to fast in crappy conditions.
there is little question that lacking a rear brake is nowhere near as big a safety issue as lacking a front one. Still in the right conditions it can make quite a difference.
A rear brake is useful for scrubbing speed. I often alternate tapping the front and rear brakes on descents.
In wet conditions, the rear brake helps maintain control of the bike.
A rear brake is far more useful on a geared bike or singlespeed than a fixie. I would keep the rear brake on your fixie for a while as you learn to skid as it will help you do that.
Definitely keep the front brake.
Love the Zombie threads better than the reincarnated ones.