Originally Posted by
FreakyFast
I found that with only a front brake, I was much more likely to tumble over the handlebars when I applied the brakes hard (so if I had to have one, this would make me opt for a back brake).
If, in an emergency, your front-only brake causes over-the-bars falls, consider that having only the rear brake is very likely to let you run into what you are trying to avoid. Which is worse?