Nice looking bike. I got the same back(same color too) not too long ago, myself.

I rode w/o brakes but I deal with a lot of long sloping hill and I just felt sketchy/annoyed flying down hills and having to negotiate pedestrian traffic without at least having a front brake on for back-up. As I gain skill and confidence I'm sure I'll lose my reliance on the brake, but I think I'll always keep it on just for safety.

Nice tasteful modifications. I got rid of the saddle and the ridiculous stock cog(15 tooth, really?!?). Pedals are next(haven't had any durability issues yet, but the flimsy nature of them makes them a pain in the ass to get your feet into "on the fly".

Other than that I'm really happy with the bike.